Lionel Messi and His Multimillion-Dollar Contribution to Build a Children's Hospital in Barcelona

Long before becoming the biggest star at Inter Miami, Lionel Messi had already left an important mark on Barcelona away from the football pitch.

The Leo Messi Foundation was one of the organizations that helped make the construction of the SJD Pediatric Cancer Center Barcelona possible, a center specializing in childhood cancer care promoted by the Hospital Sant Joan de Déu.

The Argentine's involvement began even before construction started. His foundation helped fund the development of the architectural project and later became one of its 10 founding donors.

In October 2018, when €2.6 million was still needed to reach the €30 million required to guarantee the construction of the center, the Leo Messi Foundation and the Stavros Niarchos Foundation announced that they would jointly provide the remaining amount.

Four years later, in 2022, the center opened its doors.

Messi Helped Turn the Project Into a Reality

Messi's connection to the project went far beyond simply appearing to present a check.

The Hospital Sant Joan de Déu itself explained that the Argentine's foundation was already working with the institution when it expressed its intention to become involved in a larger-scale project.

That was when the possibility emerged of developing a center specifically dedicated to childhood cancer.

The Leo Messi Foundation initially helped finance the architectural planning and the launch of the fundraising campaign. It later participated in the contribution that allowed the project to reach the financial target necessary to begin construction.

The project ultimately became the SJD Pediatric Cancer Center Barcelona, where diagnosis, treatment, research and support for patients and their families can all be brought together in one place.

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A Commitment to Children That Began More Than a Decade Ago

The Argentine's involvement in causes supporting children did not begin with the Barcelona hospital.

Messi has been a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador since 2010 and, shortly after receiving that appointment, traveled to Haiti to learn about the situation facing children affected by the devastating earthquake that year.

His foundation has also worked directly with UNICEF.

In 2012, it provided its own funds to the Sports for Peace program in Colombia, an initiative designed to use sport as a tool to protect children and teenagers living in environments affected by violence.

Five years later, the Leo Messi Foundation financed the installation of 20 prefabricated classrooms in Syria. The initiative allowed more than 1,600 children affected by the conflict to return to school.

Health, education and sport have therefore become three of the main pillars of his charitable work.

From Barcelona to a New Initiative in Miami

His arrival at Inter Miami opened another avenue for these types of projects.

In 2025, the Inter Miami CF Foundation and UNICEF launched a three-year partnership to support educational programs for children in Argentina, El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras and Mexico.

Messi also became directly involved in one of the project's most notable fundraising initiatives.

The Argentine selected his favorite goal of his career — the header against Manchester United in the 2009 Champions League final — to transform it alongside artist Refik Anadol into a digital artwork called A Goal in Life.

The piece was eventually auctioned by Christie's for $1.87 million, with the proceeds going to several nonprofit organizations, including the partnership between the Inter Miami CF Foundation and UNICEF.

A Business Portfolio That Has Also Grown Away From Football

Messi's activity away from the pitch is not limited to his charitable projects.

Over the years, the Argentine has also built a significant business portfolio with interests in sectors including hospitality, real estate, gastronomy and sports.

That financial growth has developed alongside the work of the Leo Messi Foundation, created in 2007 with the goal of developing projects primarily aimed at children and teenagers in vulnerable situations.

The SJD Pediatric Cancer Center Barcelona is perhaps one of the most significant examples of that other side of his legacy.

It was not an isolated act or a donation made recently. It was a project that began taking shape several years ago and ultimately became a specialized center dedicated to fighting one of the most difficult diseases affecting children.

It is a part of Messi's story in Barcelona that was not written at the Camp Nou, but one that remains in the city long after his departure from the club.