Editor’s note: This article was originally published on June 25, 2025, and has been updated since then.
While his legacy as one of the greatest footballers of all time is already secured, Lionel Messi solidified his immortality this week when Inter Miami announced that a section of their new Nu Stadium would be dedicated to him, officially unveiling the Leo Messi Stand.
However, Messi’s boyhood club, Newell’s Old Boys, got ahead of the reigning MLS champions by naming a stand in his honor last year.
On June 24 last year, coinciding with Messi’s 38th birthday, the Rosario-based club made their announcement. A section of their stadium will carry yet another name of a legendary figure in Argentina‘s football history.
The stadium, known as El Coloso (“The Colossus”), is adorned with tributes to club legends. It was renamed Estadio Marcelo Bielsa in 2009 to honor the coach who led Newell’s to its Primera División title in 1991.
Furthermore, former Newell’s player and coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino has the western concourse named after him. There’s also a stand dedicated to former players like Maxi Rodríguez, who received this honor on his 40th birthday in 2021, celebrating his nine years with the club across three separate stints.
Messi now joins the ranks of the late Diego Maradona, who had a stand named after him during his short but memorable time at Newell’s in the early 1990s.
For the record, Messi’s longtime rival, Cristiano Ronaldo, currently has his name on the door of Sporting CP‘s training complex and at C.D. Nacional‘s academy.
To celebrate Messi’s recent stadium accolade—one more to add to his extensive list of honors—let’s take a look back at other football icons who have had similar tributes.
Diego Maradona
Maradona, in addition to having a section at Newell’s, saw two stadiums named in his honor. The first was Estadio Diego Armando Maradona, home of Argentinos Juniors, where he launched his professional career in 1976. He was also honored posthumously when Napoli renamed Stadio San Paolo after him following his passing in 2020.
Pelé
Pelé, Brazil’s football legend, has a stadium named Estádio Rei Pelé (King Pelé Stadium) in Maceio, serving as a home for two lower-league clubs: Clube de Regatas Brasil and Centro Sportivo Alagoano.
Ferenc Puskás
Hungary and Real Madrid icon Ferenc Puskás has a 67,000-seat stadium in Budapest named in his honor, completed in 2019 on the former site of the national team’s home ground. This venue also hosts FIFA’s annual award for the most beautiful goal scored in a given year.
Johan Cruyff
Ajax renamed their Amsterdam Arena to Johan Cruyff Arena in the 2018-19 season, paying tribute to the club’s greatest player and a pivotal figure in modern football, two years after his passing.
Arsène Wenger
Despite Arsenal’s straightforward naming approach at the Emirates with stands like the North Bank and East Stand, a small regional team in France chose to honor legendary manager Arsène Wenger by naming their new stadium after him in 2016. The stadium, with a capacity of 500, was built on a former potato field.
Sir Alex Ferguson and Sir Bobby Charlton
Plans for a new home for Manchester United may be in the works, but while Old Trafford stands, 50% of the stadium is named after two legendary figures. The North Stand was renamed the Sir Alex Ferguson Stand in 2011, coinciding with the 25th anniversary of his management, while the South Stand morphed into the Sir Bobby Charlton Stand in 2016, marking 60 years since Charlton’s debut.
Sir Kenny Dalglish
In 2017, Liverpool honored the contributions of Kenny Dalglish by naming a stand at Anfield after him, four decades after he began his journey with the club. A player with over 500 appearances, Dalglish scored 172 goals and won numerous titles, further solidifying his legacy with subsequent managerial success.
Didier Drogba
Having honed his skills at amateur club Levallois at age 15, Didier Drogba was honored by his former team, which named their stadium in his honor in 2010. The iconic Chelsea striker spent formative years at Levallois before making his professional debut at Le Mans in 1998. His illustrious career includes winning four Premier League titles and a Champions League trophy.
Fernando Torres
CF Fuenlabrada in Madrid honored local hero Fernando Torres by renaming their multi-purpose stadium after him in 2011. The long-time Atlético Madrid striker, known as El Niño, saw his family invited as guests of honor for the inaugural match against Atlético, marking his successful ascent in football.
Dwight Yorke
In Trinidad & Tobago, Dwight Yorke’s legacy is remembered with a stadium named in his honor, constructed for the 2001 FIFA U-17 World Championship. The groundbreaking venue, just outside Scarborough, still serves as a home for local amateur teams, commemorating the success of one of the country’s most esteemed footballers.