Argentine soccer star Lionel Messi on Friday was named \"Rosario\'s ambassador in the world\" during a ceremony in his native town, about 300 kilometer from Buenos Aires. \"It\'s very nice that tourists come to visit the place where I was born,\" said Messi, 24, who currently visits Argentina for Christmas holidays. Messi said \"it\'s a great pride\" to receive this distinction. \"I want to thank for this acknowledgement in Rosario, my home, the place where I was born, where my people lives, my family and which certainly will be my place of residence when I retire from soccer,\" he said. Rosario is currently fighting to host 2019 Pan-American Games.