Lionel Messi has collected World Cups, Ballon d'Or trophies, and Copa Americas. Now he has a flower. And not just any flower — an endangered one native to the Peruvian Andes, named after him in a botany journal.
The plant is called Salvia messii, and the reason it carries his name is exactly what you'd hope: its flowers bloom in white and light blue, the colors of Argentina's national jersey. The October edition of Phytotaxa, a botany journal, formally reported the discovery. The research team was led by Paul Gonzales of the Natural History Museum of the National University of San Marco, alongside Argentinian researcher Rolando Uria and biologist Jean Capcha-Ramos from Huarango Nature.
What makes Salvia messii worth knowing about
The plant grows to around 1.5 metres tall, survives on rocky, arid slopes between 2,000 and 2,400 metres above sea level, and belongs to the Lamiaceae family — the mint family. Its subspecies are known for antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiseptic properties. It is classified as endangered due to its restricted distribution.
The naming follows standard botanical convention: the double 'i' at the end of messii signals the plant is named after a person, and the lower-case spelling is required by the same rules. Salvia messii translates, simply, to 'Messi's plant.'
The timing is fitting. Messi, 37, played his final international match against Benin this month, closing a chapter that ran from 2005 to 2025. 208 appearances. 126 goals. 71 assists. Six official titles including the 2022 World Cup, a Finalissima, and Copa America titles in 2021 and 2024. Eight Ballon d'Or awards across his career.
Most retirement tributes fade within a week. A species discovered in the Andes — one that may outlast most of us — is a different category of legacy entirely.
