Barcelona forward Lionel Messi has given his support to Madrid as the Spanish capital bids to host the Olympics in 2020.
The International Olympic Committee will meet in Buenos Aires on Saturday to choose between Madrid, Istanbul and Tokyo for the right to host the games.
"I was fortunate enough to participate in the Olympics and it is a fantastic experience for any athlete and I think it could be something very important for the city of Madrid," Messi told the bid's Facebook page.
"I think Madrid has a good chance for what it represents, Spain's position in the world of sport, where it has triumphed in many different areas, and that can have an influence too.
"I think it would be good for sport to award Madrid the Games and I support their bid from here."
Messi scored a hat-trick as Barcelona claimed a 3-2 victory over Valencia in their latest Spanish League fixture last Sunday.
Alex Meyers
