Footballer visits Gabon to lay foundation for new stadium

Barcelona star, Lionel Messi spent a part of his vacation on a visit to Gabon on Saturday where he helped to lay the foundation for a new 20,000-seat stadium in Port-Gentil.The Argentina captain, was a guest of President Ali Bongo Ondimba.He signed autographs for many joyous fans before he was driven in a presidential convoy to the scene of the foundation laying ceremony."When I was in Barcelona a few years ago, I saw Messi and he said he would come to visit me in Libreville," President Bong told media."It was a promise which he made to me. He is a man of honour, one who has kept his word. The calendar worked out well and it has corresponded with the laying of the first stone," the Gabonese leader added.Port-Gentil, Gabon’s second biggest city, will be home to matches during the 2017 Afcon. Gabon co-hosted the 2012 tournament with Equatorial Guinea.They would hope to do better than the quarter final finish from the last time. Source: Goal