It’s been a great month for Lionel Messi, especially in terms of the good outweighing the bad for him.
What about the fact that Argentina’s win over Colombia makes the 36-year-old a back-to-back Copa America champion – all this following a FIFA World Cup win in Qatar in 2022?
What’s the problem? Messi is currently unable to play for Inter Miami in Major League Soccer after spraining his ankle in the Copa final, leaving the six-time world player of the year in his boot.
While this is bad for fans who can’t wait to see him in Miami’s distinctive pink uniform, it seems to be great for the Argentine, judging by his wife’s Instagram account.
This week, Antonella Rocuzzo posted a photo of a shirtless Messi lounging on a boat in the ocean off the coast of Florida with friends, including Uruguay’s superstar striker and Miami teammate Luis Suarez, who is also fresh off a stint in the Copa America after Uruguay finished third.
There was pink too, but it was a Roxo string bikini, pictured next to a booted and squinting Messi.
The Instagram post has been viewed over 5 million times and counting, which is probably the best-case scenario for any injured athlete, let alone one of the best soccer players of his generation.
As for Messi, his playing timeline is unclear, but he will almost certainly miss a large portion of Inter Miami’s matches in the upcoming MLS League Cup, a competition that Messi helped put on the map in its inaugural year.
Messi led Miami to the title last year despite being one of the lowest-ranked clubs in MLS. Miami opens its League Cup campaign, which pits MLS clubs against Mexican clubs from Liga MX, against Puebla on July 27 (8 p.m., Apple TV).
That will be followed by a match against Tigres UANL on August 3 (8 p.m., Apple TV), followed by an MLS match between Miami and FC Cincinnati, first vs. second in the East, on August 24 (7:30 p.m.), which could be an ideal time for Messi to return, if it’s not rushed.
Until then, you probably know where he is.
