WATCH: UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Lionel 'Leo' Messi Visits Earthquake-Ravaged Haiti

For the people of Port-au-Prince, the last six months have been fraught with difficulties in the wake of the catastrophic earthquake that left their lives in shambles. But while the images out of Haiti still show displacement and poverty, they were replaced yesterday - at least for a few hours - by a sense of uncontainable excitement, as Haitians poured into the streets to greet UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Lionel 'Leo' Messi.

The world-renowned FC Barcelona and Argentina national football team player made a quick visit here, eager to experience firsthand what he had only witnessed through media coverage until now.

"It was overwhelming to see the overcrowded displacement camps, the poverty in which people here live," Mr. Messi said after a visit to Carrefour Aviation, a camp where 50,000 displaced Haitians live in tents.

The crowds' enthusiasm was such that Mr. Messi could barely make his way into the area. Hundreds had gathered, wearing Argentina t-shirts, waving Argentinean flags, screaming his name and desperately trying to touch their hero.

From the camp, Mr. Messi went to a field hospital managed by the Argentinean contingent of the UN peacekeeping force in Haiti. Besides signing countless autographs, he spoke to doctors and nurses about their experiences assisting survivors in the days following the earthquake.

Later, at UNICEF's office in Port-au-Prince, Mr. Messi met a group of children who participate in sports activities organized by the Haitian Olympic Committee and supported by UNICEF. They told him about their ordeals during and after the earthquake, and he sat with them on the floor as they talked, holding their hands and joking with them despite the language barrier.

"I believe that sports are really important for children," said Mr. Messi. "I learned my most important lessons in life through sport. It is where I had my opportunity, and I wish the same for them."