Majestic Puma Rescued From The Zoo Lives As A Spoiled House Cat

Messi was one of three pumas born at the zoo. The other two, Suarez and Neymar, were also named after famous players to celebrate the Russian city hosting four matches of the World Cup. Messi was sold to the Saransk Zoo when he was only three months old and suffered from health problems. Enamored with the sickly zoo animal the Dmitriev's appealed to the owners and asked if they could buy him.