Lionel Messi, Pep Guardiola donate 1 million euros towards Spain's fight against coronavirus
The region of Catalonia, where Pep Guardiola is from and where Lionel Messi has lived since joining Barca aged 13, is one of the worst-affected parts of Spain.
In Short
- Messi’s donation will be split between Hospital Clinic in Barcelona and another medical centre in Argentina
- Guardiola made his contribution to a campaign launched by the Angel Soler Daniel Foundation of Barcelona
- FIFA has also pledged $10 million to support the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund for WHO
Barcelona forward Lionel Messi and Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola have each donated one million euros ($1.08 million) towards the fight against coronavirus.
Argentina international Messi’s donation will be split between Hospital Clinic in Barcelona and another medical centre in his home country, according to a report in Marca.
"Leo Messi made a donation to the clinic to fight the coronavirus," Hospital Clinic wrote on Twitter. "Thank you very much, Leo, for your commitment and your support."
Former Barcelona player and manager Guardiola made his contribution to a campaign launched by the Angel Soler Daniel Foundation and Medical College of Barcelona.
"Pep Guardiola has made a donation of one million euros to the Angel Soler Daniel Foundation for the acquisition and supply of health equipment to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic," said a statement from the College.
The donation campaign promoted by the Medical College of Barcelona and managed through the Angel Soler Daniel Foundation aims to collect medical materials and financial contributions from collegiate doctors and the general population, for the purchase of medical equipment and equipment that is currently lacking in health centres in Catalonia.
"It will also help finance the alternative production, through 3D printing and other methods, of respirators and personal protection equipment for healthcare staff."
Before Guardiola made his donation, the campaign had raised 33,000 euros in three days.
Spain is the country worst affected by the disease in Europe outside of Italy, with 2,696 deaths and almost 40,000 positive cases.
The region of Catalonia, where Guardiola is from and where Messi has lived since joining Barca aged 13, is one of the worst-affected parts of the country.
FIFA TEAMS UP WITH WHO
FIFA has joined with the World Health Organisation (WHO) in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic with the organisation's president Gianni Infantino calling for teamwork to tackle the crisis.
Infantino joined WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus at a media conference on Monday to launch the "pass the message to kick out coronavirus" video campaign.
"We need teamwork to combat the coronavirus," Infantino said. "FIFA has teamed up with WHO because health comes first.
"I call upon the football community worldwide to join us in supporting this campaign to pass the message even further. Some of the greatest players to have played the beautiful game have put their names to the campaign and are united in their desire to pass the message to kick out COVID-19."
Twenty eight players including Argentina forward Lionel Messi, Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon and Brazil keeper Alisson Becker have backed the initiative aimed at reinforcing five WHO guidelines in stemming the spread of the virus.
FIFA have pledged $10 million to support the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund for WHO.