Lionel Messi.

Buenos Aires-based foundation Casa Garrahan said the funds - around $540,000 - would be used to buy protective equipment for health professionals, Xinhua reported.

“We are very grateful for this recognition of our workforce, allowing us to continue our commitment to Argentinian public health,” Casa Garrahan executive director Silvia Kassab said in a statement.

The Barcelona forward’s gesture allowed the foundation to purchase respirators, infusion pumps and computers for hospitals in Santa Fe and Buenos Aires provinces, as well as the autonomous city of Buenos Aires.

The statement added that high-frequency ventilation equipment and other protective gear would be delivered to the hospitals shortly.

In April, Messi and his Barcelona team-mates reduced their salary by 70 per cent and pledged to make additional financial contributions to ensure the club’s staff continued receiving 100 per cent of their salary during football’s coronavirus shutdown.

Often considered the best player in the world and widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, Messi has won a record six Ballon d’Or awards, and a record six European Golden Shoes.

He has spent his entire professional career with Barcelona, where he has won a club-record 34 trophies, including ten La Liga titles, four UEFA Champions League titles and six Copas del Rey.

A prolific goalscorer and a creative playmaker, Messi holds the records for most goals in La Liga (438), a La Liga and European league season (50), most hat-tricks in La Liga (36) and the UEFA Champions League (8), and most assists in La Liga (181) and the Copa América (12). He has scored over 700 senior career goals for club and country.

Agencies