What a coincidence! Within a span of 48 hours, both the influential Barack Obama and football superstar Lionel Messi will be in Senegal. The Senegalese Minister of Tourism couldn’t have hoped for a better opportunity to capture global attention for Teranga.
Recall that Barack Obama has been likened to Lionel Messi, the four-time Golden Ball winner and the best player in the world of football.
However, Messi’s visit may not generate much excitement, as it goes almost unnoticed amid the arrival of the American president. The Argentine player from Barcelona is set to arrive in Dakar on Thursday.
Invited by the Aspire Academy from Qatar, Messi is visiting Senegal as part of a program to combat malaria initiated by the Qatari academy. The “Football Combating Malaria” program, led by Aspire Academy, has garnered support from numerous African national football associations, top players, and major pharmaceutical groups.
As part of the Aspire Academy project, 400,000 mosquito nets will be provided to impoverished populations in the 10 African partner countries, along with the supply of medicines and the hiring of health personnel.
Messi spoke about the trip from Qatar, saying, “I know that my trip to Senegal will be difficult because I will face the suffering caused by malaria. But I know that through the power of football, we have the chance to save lives.”
The Argentine star emphasized the significance of the project, stating, “Fighting malaria through football is a very important project for me because I know it will help save thousands of young people, and I am happy to be part of it and support the project.”
Messi will host a press conference in Saly Portudal, a seaside tourist town 90 km from Dakar. Meanwhile, Dakar residents are mobilized for Barack Obama, who will discuss strategic partnerships on bilateral and global issues with Senegalese authorities. The capital is experiencing increased security measures, with certain roads closed to traffic at specific times. Despite being less subject to “Obamania” than four years ago, the average Senegalese citizen is somewhat disgruntled due to the disruptions caused by the security measures.
