Messi denies receiving €3.5m for his Gabon visit, demands retraction from France football

Lionel Messi has categorically denied having received a single Euro as compensation for his visit to Gabon, as France Football reported last week.

The French publication claimed that the Argentine had received €3.5m from the controversial president of Gabon, Ali Bongo.

According to Mundo Deportivo, Messi agreed to the visit because of his friendship with former Barca striker Samuel Eto'o who sent him the invitation.

Samuel Eto'o is also a close friend to the Gabonese president, Ali Bongo.

Messi is outraged and has requested a correction of the earlier publication from France Football which it considers slanderous.

The Argentina captain went along to Gabon with another former teammate, Deco, to take part in several ceremonial acts for Gabon, who are hosting the next African Cup of Nations.

On arrival back in Barcelona, Mundo Deportivo claim that Messi was informed of the allegations, and was shocked at how France Football had made the claim without even contacting him to ask if the claims were true.