Lionel Messi, center, celebrates Argentina’s Copa America championship alongside Angel Di Maria, left, and Nicolas Otamendi. | Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images
Fresh off his continental title, the Argentine star is enjoying some time in the sun, courtesy of an injured ankle
It’s been quite the month for Lionel Messi, specifically in the case where his pros certainly have outweighed the cons.
What are those pros? How about the fact that the 36-year-old is now a back-to-back Copa America champion following Argentina’s win against Colombia. This, is all coming off a FIFA World Cup title in Qatar in 2022.
The con? Messi is now unable to play for his Major League Soccer side Inter Miami following an ankle sprain in the Copa final which left the six-time World Player of the Year in a boot.
Now, while that’s a bad thing for fans who can’t wait to see him in Miami’s distinctive pink uniform, it appears to be a great thing for the Argentine — judging by his wife’s Instagram account.
This week, Antonella Roccuzzo posted a shirtless Messi hanging out on a boat in waters off the Floridian coast with her and friends, including Uruguayan superstar striker Luis Suarez, Messi’s Miami teammate who just finished his own Copa campaign following Uruguay’s third-place finish.
There was pink, but it was Roccuzzo’s string bikini pictured alongside a squinting Messi, wearing a boot.
The Instagram post has amassed over 5 million views and counting and are arguably the best-case scenario for any injured athlete, let alone one of the best soccer players of a generation.
As for Messi, his timeline is uncertain, but he’ll most certainly miss large portions of Inter Miami’s run in the upcoming MLS Leagues Cup campaign, the tournament he helped put on the map in its inaugural season.
Last year, Messi guided Miami to a title despite the club being one of the worst in MLS.Miami opens its Leagues Cup campaign, which pits MLS clubs against Mexican clubs from Liga MX, against Puebla on July 27 (8 p.m., Apple TV).
Then its Tigres UANL on Aug. 3 (8 p.m., Apple TV) followed by a return to home for MLS action in a No. 1 meets No. 2 in the East clash between Miami and FC Cincinnati on Aug. 24 (7:30 p.m.), which if not rushed could be an ideal time for Messi to return to action.
Until then, you probably know where to find him.
