Tijjani Reijnders, a midfielder for AC Milan, explained why he named his dog after Lionel Messi, the legendary Argentinean football player.
The 26-year-old Dutchman, who reportedly paid €20 million to join AC Milan from AZ Alkmaar in 2023, said Messi has always been his favorite player. Reijnders clarified that his love for the renowned player was the reason he chose to call his dog Messi.

In an interview with All About Argentina, Reijnders stated, “My dog’s name is Messi. When I was younger, I always thought if I got a dog, I would call him Messi, since for me [he] is the best player in the world.”

After that, we made the decision to get a puppy, and I told my wife right away that we would call the animal Messi if we did.

Many people consider Messi to be one of the best football players of all time. He played for Barcelona before joining Inter Miami in the US. With 704 goals and 303 assists in 853 games, he is the top goalscorer in European football history and has won the Ballon d’Or a record eight times. In 191 games in the US, he has also contributed 58 assists and scored 112 goals.

In an earlier interview with Sempremilan, Reijnders disclosed that his dog is a Pomsky, a hybrid of a Pomeranian and a Husky. Now that the midfielder has shown his furry friend how much he admiires Messi, the dog’s name is a nod to the legendary football player.