Lionel Messi’s luxury Ibiza residence was the target of a shocking vandalism attack by radical Spanish climate activist group Futuro Vegetal, according to reports.
The group managed to vandalize the soccer star’s luxury property, covering it in red and black paint and unfurling a banner outside his entrance that read: “Help the planet, eat the rich, abolish the police.”
The clash, which the group posted on Instagram, left Messi’s home in disarray, with activists posing in the garden for more photos.
Futuro Vegetal, known for its extreme tactics, justified its actions on social media, claiming, “We painted Messi’s illegal residence in Ibiza.”
The group criticized the footballer for owning the $12 million mansion, labeling it an “illegal construction” and highlighting the impact of the climate crisis on the Balearic Islands, home to Ibiza – long a holiday destination for foreigners.
“The richest 1% of the population is responsible for the same amount of carbon emissions as the poorest two-thirds,” the group said. They called for an overhaul of the economic system, asserting, “We need a radical change of the system to deal with the climate crisis.”
Messi, who often visits the island with his wife Antonela Roccuzzo and their three children, has yet to publicly respond to the incident.
The Argentine star, who currently plays for Inter Miami, has enjoyed a break from football following his triumphant run with Argentina in the Copa America.
The break has attracted international attention, with the recently elected president of Argentina, Javier Milei, voicing strong support for Messi. Milei condemned the act in X, saying in Spanish, “In Spain, communists who want to ‘kill the rich and abolish the police to end climate change’ vandalized the home of Lionel Messi and his family.”
He called on the Spanish government to take action, denouncing communism as an ideology of “envy, hatred and resentment towards the successful”.
“I stand in solidarity with the Messi family for this cowardly and delusional event and ask the government of Pedro Sanchez to guarantee the safety of Argentine citizens living in the Kingdom of Spain,” said Milei.
