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Topics: Lionel Messi, Argentina, Football World Cup, Paris Saint-Germain
Ryan Sidle
Topics: Lionel Messi, Argentina, Football World Cup, Paris Saint-Germain
More babies than ever before are being named after Lionel Messi, after the football superstar led Argentina to World Cup glory.
In case you weren't aware, Messi helped Argentina become world champions, although apparently not the world's number one team, becoming the first man to score in the last 16, quarter-final, semi-final and final of the tournament.
There was rather wild celebrations in the South American country in the aftermath of the victory, with one fan even killed in Buenos Aires.
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Messi's part in the victory pleased fans all over the world, who were desperate to see him win it finally, including a former France international.
So much are people wanting to commemorate the 35-year-old's crowning achievement, that allowed him to essentially complete football, that his hotel room in Qatar is set to be turned into a museum.
The PSG star also have a political career in waiting, should he want it, with many of his fellow countrymen ready to vote him to become next president.
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But some in the country have decided that waiting for an election just is too far away for them to celebrate the man who led them to glory.
According to Argentine outlet La Capital, one in every seven babies in the Santa Fe province registered in December were named either Lionel or Lionela.
That's an increase of 700% compared to the previous monthly data available for baby names in the province that encompasses Rosaria, the city of his birth.
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Many have predicted that there could be somewhat of a baby boom in around nine months time, following the penalty victory over France.
Messi was born the year after Argentina last won the World Cup, when Diego Maradona was hugely influential in the victory in Mexico.
Whether the next Messi will be born in the aftermath of the former Barcelona star's victory is yet to be seen but based on those numbers they might also be called Lionel.
The baby naming phenomenon was also repeated following the victory in 1986, with fans then named their children Diego.
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According to stats, originally researched in 2014, babies in Argentina had around a 1% chance of being named Diego in the 18 months before that victory.
During the week of the final those numbers rose to around 5.5% and didn't go back to the normal levels until around six months after the final.
Argentina's victory means that Messi is now amongst an elite club of only nine players who have claimed football's 'Triple Crown' of titles.
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Former Real Madrid star Kaka welcomed the seven time Ballon d'Or winner to the club for being a World Cup winner, Champions League winner and having claimed the crown as world's best player at least once.
The Brazilian was the last man to win the Ballon d'Or before Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo won the next 10 awards between them.
Messi has since gone on to win two more and he's been tipped to make it eight, when France Football hand out the 2023 version in October.