Lionel Messi Donates to Doctors Without Borders After Defamation Settlement

Barcelona and Argentina superstar Lionel Messi has reportedly donated almost £65,000 to Doctors Without Borders after receiving the money in damages after a newspaper defamation case. 

Per Mundo Deportivo (via the Mirror's Mick Gadd), Messi received a settlement worth €72,783.20 (£64,690) after winning a case against Argentinian newspaper La Razon and journalist Alfonso Ussia. He then followed through on his promise to donate the funds to the charity, also known as Medecins Sans Frontieres.

The case related to an article written by Ussia in the wake of the 2014 FIFA World Cup final, which Argentina lost 1-0 to Germany after extra time.

The writer criticised Messi's form, speculated about his use of the steroid Nandrolone and claimed the forward wore a toupee during the match in Rio de Janeiro's Maracana Stadium.

In the court case last year Ussia's article was adjudged to have been "unnecessary and impertinent for the exposition of the ideas or opinions that the journalist attempts to transmit," per Gadd.

Per ESPN.co.uk's Dermot Corrigan, the judgement also ruled the piece to be "objectively insulting and offensive."