Madrid, Argentine football legend Lionel Messi has donated 80,000 euros (approximately €8.8 million) to support the reconstruction of areas affected by the devastating forest fires around Madrid, the capital of Spain. Isabel Diaz Ayuso, President of the Madrid Regional Government, shared information about this donation on social media and expressed her gratitude to Messi.

Isabel Diaz Ayuso stated that Messi's contribution will play a vital role in the reconstruction efforts of Madrid's Sierra Oeste region. She said that the people of Madrid are eager to welcome this great player and honor him in accordance with his contributions.

The fires caused widespread devastation

Messi's donation comes at a time when the Spanish administration is continuously engaged in relief and rehabilitation efforts to restore normalcy in the areas affected by the forest fires. In recent days, intense heat and strong winds have fueled wildfires in parts of southern Europe, forcing large-scale evacuation and emergency operations in several areas of Spain, France, and Italy.

Even a national emergency was declared

According to Euronews, the Spanish government declared a national emergency due to the severity of the fires. The fires engulfed several communities in the Sierra Oeste region and the Avila province near Madrid, forcing relief and rescue operations to be conducted on a war footing.

It is noteworthy that Lionel Messi recently played a key role in helping Argentina reach the final of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. However, Argentina lost 0-1 to Spain in the final.