Messi teased the news on Tuesday by releasing a video of him performing kick-ups with a clown nose on his Instagram page before the announcement was confirmed a day later.

        View this post on Instagram                       A post shared by Leo Messi (@leomessi) on Oct 9, 2018 at 7:17am PDT

Cirque du Soleil previously produced shows based on The Beatles and Michael Jackson, but Barca and Argentina superstar Messi will now take centre stage.

        View this post on Instagram                   We are thrilled to announce our partnership with football legend @LeoMessi for the creation of a brand-new show to be launched in 2019! See the link in our bio for more details. #MessiCirque A post shared by Cirque du Soleil (@cirquedusoleil) on Oct 10, 2018 at 5:24am PDT

"It feels both crazy and incredible that Cirque du Soleil will create a show based on my life, my passion, my sport," Messi said in a statement.

"Cirque du Soleil is a family favourite of ours. I have no doubt this show will amaze people as their shows always do."

"We are thrilled to be working with such a living legend," added Jonathan Tetrault, president and chief operating officer at Cirque du Soleil.

"We are convinced that bringing Messi's legacy to life on stage will touch audiences and speak to all football fans."

Cirque du Soleil's Messi show is set to be launched in 2019, with tour dates yet to be confirmed.