BERLIN, July 2026 — Guide Juan Irusta has spent the past five years touring football fans through the Rosario streets where Lionel Messi's legend began. Messi, now 39, hasn't officially confirmed it, but this World Cup, his sixth, could be his last. But there’s no end in sight for the GetYourGuide experience.
“For many, it is a place of pilgrimage. It’s living history, because the legend lives on and is still in play at a high level,” said Juan. The local guide has spent the past five years showing visitors around Rosario and the early life of “Leo.”
“I love seeing the look of amazement on visitors' faces when I show them the place and they hear the stories,” he said.
Rosario, Argentina’s third largest city, sits 300 kilometers (186 miles) northwest of Buenos Aires and treats football less like entertainment and more like a shared language. It’s the birthplace of Messi, Marcelo Bielsa and Ángel Di María. It’s a city split between two rival clubs whose colors show up on murals and highway barriers before visitors even reach downtown: Newell's Old Boys, in red and black, and Rosario Central, in yellow and blue.
Newell's Old Boys is Messi's childhood club, and the neighborhood where he grew up, known locally as La Bajada, has become a pilgrimage site. Travelers now come from every continent to see it.
Juan Irusta, Rosario guide
Juan began his Messi experience back in 2020, when he accompanied a group of tourists who wanted to experience a Newell's Old Boys match.
"Since Messi was already very famous, I took them to his birthplace and told them the story. Over time, the walls have become covered with murals, his legend has grown, and more and more people want to visit the site."
The house is still owned by Messi's family. Friends and neighbors coordinate the murals that now cover its walls with messages, flags, and tributes. Nothing gets removed.
"Despite the difficulties caused by his fame, Messi still returns at Christmas," Juan said. "Many friends still live there."
Interest in the area isn’t limited to international football fans. Juan has also noticed a shift closer to home. "Argentines are increasingly aware of the site and are visiting independently," he said.
As for this World Cup, Juan says Argentina’s success in reaching the semi-finals comes down to “resilience and grit rather than footballing quality."
"Overall, the World Cup has been great in terms of fan support and the quality of the matches. We're enjoying it, and the fans here are turning out in force, as always."
Five stops on Juan's Messi and Newell's Old Boys tour
- La Bajada, the childhood neighborhood
Messi spent his first 13 years here. Juan walks groups past the family home and the murals neighbors keep adding to, and shares the stories locals tell him each time he visits. - The rival colors of Rosario
Newell's red and black versus Rosario Central's yellow and blue. Juan explains both sides of the rivalry, including Che Guevara and Ángel Di María's ties to Central, before the group ever reaches the stadium. - Museo del Deporte Santafesino
A sports museum holding Messi's Golden Boot and Ballon d'Or trophies, alongside mementos from other Rosario-born football talents. - The barefoot boy who never really left
As a child, Messi cut across a fenced-off lot to shorten his walk to school and played barefoot with friends. Juan tells groups that even after Messi won a youth championship in 2006, he came home and went right back to playing barefoot in the same streets, an echo Juan sees in a barefoot training photo from this year's World Cup. - A live Newell's Old Boys match
The tour ends in the stands, with a pre-match snack and drinks and a match-day atmosphere Juan describes as one of the best reasons to come.
Learn more about the tour here: Juan’s Rosario: Newell's Old Boys Football Match and Messi-inspired Tour
https://www.getyourguide.com/en-gb/rosario-l2/rosario-newell-s-old-boys-football-match-and-messi-tour-t802951/
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