DINH DOONG

Lionel Messi has spent £12m on a private jet for himself and his family.

The Barcelona forward has chartered the plane to travel around the world in luxury and comfort and it comes complete with a few personal touches.

The boat’s fin now adorns the number 10, a number synonymous with the Argentine.

Lionel Messi has spent £12m on a new private jet for himself and his family

And the stairs leading to the main cabin are engraved with the names of all the members of the Messi clan: his wife Antonela and his three young sons, Thiago Ciro and Mateo.

The plane reportedly comes complete with 16 seats, which can be folded down to form eight beds, as well as two bathrooms and a kitchen.

Messi came off the bench during Barcelona’s 1-1 draw with Tottenham in the Champions League on Tuesday night in what is his 15th consecutive season playing for the Catalan giants in the competition.

The luxurious interior is equipped with reclining chairs and screens at every seat.

As he looks to settle further into his comfort zone with his latest purchase, his old nemesis has challenged him to step out of it.

Asked recently if he missed the Argentine following his move to Juventus, Cristiano Ronaldo replied: “No, maybe it’s him who misses me.”

‘I have played in England, Spain, Italy, Portugal and with my national team, while he was still in Spain.

The stairs leading to the plane are engraved with the names of the entire Messi family.

‘Maybe he needs me more. For me, life is a challenge, I like it and I like making people happy.

“He is a fantastic player and a good guy, but I don’t miss anything here. This is my new life and I am happy.

“I stepped out of my comfort zone and accepted this challenge here in Turin. Everything went well, I have shown that I am still an incredible player.”

It remains to be seen whether Messi will take advantage of his newfound possession to follow Ronaldo into a new challenge.

The 31-year-old came off the bench during Barcelona’s draw with Spurs on Tuesday night.