Lionel Messi paid the wages of Argentine team's security staff out of his own pocket after hearing they had not received their salary for six months, according to media reports.
The Argentine Football Association is mired in an going financial crisis amid allegations of corruption and mismanagement, Xinhua news agency reported.
Journalist Juan Pablo Varsky told Metro 95 radio that Messi was told of his countrymen's plight before Argentina's World Cup qualifier against Brazil in Belo Horizonte last week.
"Messi was in his room... when a knock at the door came," Varsky said.
"Two or three people appeared, all from the security team who look after the Argentine squad. They said, 'Leo, we have to talk with you. For five or six months they have not paid us. The situation is complicated, you are the captain of the team, you know us, we are asking for your help'."
According to Varsky, Messi immediately called his father, Jorge, asking that he sent the money to the unpaid staff.
"When Messi finds out that someone told this he will be furious, but it does not matter," said Varsky.
"There are a lot of actions he does not want people to know about but I thought it pertinent to tell this because there is no reason not to, save for his anger."
--IANS
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