Lionel Messi’s shopping trip may have been a publicity stunt.
Ahead of the football star’s new MLS debut for Inter Miami, Messi was recently spotted shopping at Publix with his family, but the shopping trip was actually a staged event by Messi’s public relations team, according to Fox football analyst Alexi Larras.
“One of the things they did – I say ‘done’ because it was totally rigged – Messi was in a new town, what do you do when you’re in a new town? Stock up in the fridge,” Larras said. “Look, he showed up at Publix. For those of you who don’t know, Publix is any grocery store in the depths of the woods.
Publics! There you have it! By the way, great. I loved every moment that was orchestrated. You can maximize your feelings.”
Messi was also spotted taking pictures with fans inside a supermarket, and if the shopping trip was really a publicity stunt, it certainly worked.
The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner was also spotted stocking up on cereal for his new Miami home with his wife, Antonella, and three sons, Thiago, 10, Mateo, 7, and Ciro, 5.
The only member of the Messi family who couldn’t make it to the excursion was their French mastiff Hulk.
During the shopping trip, Messi wore a casual black t-shirt, white shorts and transparent slides, dressing appropriately for the Miami heat.
His outfit also shows off some of his tattoos, most notably a tattoo of his son Thiago’s baby handprint under his left leg and a tattoo under his right leg with the dates of birth of Messi’s wife and child.
But the Argentinean has had little time to adjust to life in Miami and will be gearing up for Inter Miami’s League Cup clash with Cruz Azul on Friday 21 July.
The 36-year-old will wear a new shirt in Inter Miami’s primary colors of pink and black.
Messi and his team will then play Atlanta on 25 July, which is also part of the cup game.
