Lionel Messi Donates La Razon Defamation Case Damages to Charity

Lionel Messi has donated just under €65,000 worth of damages to charity after winning a defamation case against Argentinean newspaper La Razon. 

Per Ed Malyon of the Daily Mirror, the verdict of the trial stated that criticism of Messi from the newspaper's journalist Alfonso Ussia was too extreme in the wake of Argentina’s loss to Germany in the 2014 FIFA World Cup final.

It’s noted that Ussia had made claims that Messi wore a wig and was a user of the performance-enhancing drug Nandrolone in an article. The piece was deemed “unnecessary and impertinent” by a Barcelona court, and as such the publication was ordered to pay the aforementioned sum to Messi, per Maylon.

Martin Meissner/Associated Press

The footballer’s management company has since revealed that the money recouped by the player has been donated to the Medecins sans Frontieres charity.

The Barcelona forward captained his country to the last hurdle of the competition in Brazil, although he was unable to haul them to what would have been their third World Cup win. For his efforts, Messi was awarded the Player of the Tournament gong.