After becoming one of the best soccer players of all time, Inter Miami star Lionel Messi is enjoying the twilight of his career. While still aiming to break records and make history in MLS, the World Cup champion is also expanding his business ventures with the launch of his first production company.
Variety reports that the Argentina star formed 525 Rosario, a content company that will produce premium TV, film, live sports and community events, as well as branded content and commercials for athletes worldwide, including Messi. The name comes from his hometown in Argentina and the street he grew up in.
The company is a joint venture between the athlete and Smuggler Entertainment, which was behind the documentary series “Messi’s World Cup: The Rise of a Legend” and “Messi Meets America” for AppleTV+.
This is not the first time that Messi has embarked in the entertainment industry, as he has an animated series, “Messi and the giants,” in development alongside Sony Music Entertainment. He also partnered with Cirque du Soleil to create a show inspired by his life, which was launched in 2019.
According to the statement given to Variety, the Messi family said that the project will “underpin the values of family and community, which are central tenets of the company,” as well as “embody the attributes of innovation and teamwork associated with Leo Messi, all while championing diverse perspectives for both the Latino and Hispanic community, and his global audience at large.”
Messi is the latest sports star to venture into Hollywood
Messi’s interest in production isn’t surprising as he is the latest of many other sports stars to join the content creator economy. Cristiano Ronaldo, for example, has launched his own YouTube channel and he is now the most-followed athlete across all social media platforms.
Meanwhile, in other sports, Tom Brady also has a production company, 199 Productions, which have been behind many of his own endeavors such as the comedy “80 for Brady” (in which he also acts). Also, Kansas City Chief tight end Travis Kelce is not only in several acting projects, but he is also set to produce artist Jean-Michel Basquiat.