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Argentine contestant wears Messi tribute dress at Miss World 2026 final

From La Nación · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

In-depth Named sources Outcome reported
  • Argentine contestant Alina Akserald wore a Lionel Messi-inspired dress at the Miss World 2026 final in Nha Trang, Vietnam.
  • The design showed Messi with Argentina, Newell's Old Boys and Barcelona, including an image of him lifting the 2022 World Cup.
  • Akserald finished in the top 20 overall and placed among the top five contestants from the Americas and the Caribbean.

Lionel Messi's football legacy reached the Miss World 2026 final in Vietnam through an Argentine contestant's elaborate tribute dress.

Alina Akserald appeared in a sky-blue-and-white outfit inspired by Argentina's national jersey. The design displayed images from Messi's career, including the forward in Argentina colors, lifting the World Cup he won in Qatar in 2022, as a child wearing Newell's Old Boys colors and during his celebrated years with Barcelona.

What an emotion to see this dress I made with so much love for you come to life. Thank you, Alina, for trusting my work and allowing me to be part of this special moment. Congratulations and every success in the world, queen! May you shine brighter than ever today.

· Aurelio MartínezThe designer described the Messi-inspired dress before the competition.

Designer Aurelio Martínez said he had created the dress with affection for Messi and thanked Akserald for trusting his work. Collaborator Jorge Ramírez also praised her preparation and urged her to enjoy the moment and perform with confidence.

I am incredibly proud of you, of all the work you have done and of the path you have taken. For me, it has been a pleasure to accompany you, create your look for Vietnam and advise you on every detail for this special moment. Today, trust yourself, enjoy every second and go out there and shine with all your light, because I know you will do incredibly well.

· Jorge RamírezAkserald's collaborator praised her preparation and encouraged her before the final.

Akserald shared both messages before presenting the dress at the gala in Nha Trang. She later finished among the competition's 20 best participants, reached the top five for the Americas and the Caribbean, and also placed in the top five in the multimedia category and the top 16 in the regional Top Model competition.

“That's how I end the last dance. TOP 5 of the Americas and the Caribbean, TOP 5 Multimedia, TOP 16 Top Model of the Americas and the Caribbean. Thank you for dancing with me, I love you,” Akserald wrote after the competition. The Dominican Republic's Joheirry Mola won, followed by Spain's Elisabeth Reynés and Malaysia's Taanusiya Chetty.

That's how I end the last dance. TOP 5 of the Americas and the Caribbean, TOP 5 Multimedia, TOP 16 Top Model of the Americas and the Caribbean. Thank you for dancing with me, I love you.

· Alina AkseraldAkserald posted her results and thanked supporters after the competition.
About this summary

Originally published by La Nación in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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