In photos: Superstar Lionel Messi tours Expo 2020 Dubai, meets children and visits grand Water Feature

Football superstar Lionel Messi dropped by Expo 2020 Dubai yesterday on December 13 as its Global Ambassador. On his second time round, the Argentine football player found the site transformed, describing it as "extraordinary" in a statement with Expo. His visit was received by Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, Commissioner General of Expo 2020 Dubai.

At the UAE Pavilion, one of the many attractions the football legend visited, he also met Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi, Minister of Culture and Youth. Messi was last seen on site spending quality time with UAE school students at Al Wasl Plaza in 2020. His first visit saw school students excitedly posing with their newly signed merchandise with the footballer himself.

The other country pavilion on his agenda was none other than the Argentina Pavilion. When asked about his personal highlight, the footballer said: "Each pavilion has its own thing, its own place, it shows you its culture, its country, and it makes you see and learn from each one of them."

Messi poses from the rotating deck of the tallest structure at Expo, Garden in the Sky. The domed Al Wasl Plaza in the backdrop is where Messi filmed his three-month countdown commercial for the world fair.

Another popular landmark, the Expo 2020 Water Feature, made it to the cut. Designed by California-based Water Entertainment Technologies (WET), the fountain is half the size of a typical football field and reverses its waterfall at night.

The seven-time Ballon d'Or winner also clicked pictures with young footballers by the fountain.

On Expo's stunning transformation from February of last year 2020 to now, Messi said: "The visit was impressive. I had come in 2020, [when] there were still not many things, and to come back at this time and find all that I experienced … I was surprised. In a year and a bit they turned it into something extraordinary."