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Sports

‘Salvia Messii’: Lionel Messi gets newly-discovered plant species named after him

hellohimachalse@gmail.com 18 Oct 2026 1 hour ago

New Delhi: A newly discovered plant species has been named after Lionel Messi in a bid to honour his contributions to football. Messi recently retired from international football, bringing the curtain down on a glittering career for Argentina.

Scientists recently published an academic study on the newly discovered plant species, which is endemic to the Andes mountain range of central and southern Peru. The plant species has been named Salvia Messii to honour 39-year-old football superstar Messi.

Messi is regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time and is loved by billions of fans worldwide. Salvia Messii plant has also been classified as endangered. The name Salvia Messi was derived from the international rules of botanical nomenclature.

The letter ‘i’ was added to the end of the honouree’s surname to indicate ownership. The word Salvia Messii translates to ‘Messi’s plant’ in English. The newly discovered species has been categorised in the mint family and is believed to survive only on rocky, arid slopes in mountain ranges.

Messi retires from international football

Messi retired from international football last month after playing his farewell match against Benin in Buenos Aires. The 39-year-old scored in his final match for Argentina, ending a glorious career that saw him lead his team to a FIFA World Cup title in 2022. He also helped Argentina win two Copa America titles.

Messi finished his career as the record holder for the most appearances for Argentina in international football. He played 208 matches for his country and scored 126 goals, the most by any player in Argentina’s history. Messi also recorded 69 assists in his international career.

While he has retired from international football, Messi continues to play for Inter Miami in Major League Soccer in the US. The Argentine legend recently scored twice in Inter Miami’s 2-1 win over Atalanta United in the MLS.

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