Getty Image / Stringer
Nearly anywhere in the world, newly-minted Inter Miami star and all-time global sports legend couldn’t step out of his house without hordes of people surrounding him. The Argentina and Barcelona legend recently came over from French superclub PSG to MLS club Inter Miami to be the biggest star, still relatively in his prime to join the MLS. But, none of that stopped him from being barely recognized shopping at grocery store chain Publix.
After all, Lionel Messi was the Golden Ball winner of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, given to the player deemed to be the best at the tournament, just had his biggest triumph when he led Argentina to the World Cup title, their first since 1986. The 36-year-old has a litany of other career accomplishments as well.
He’s scored over 600 goals for club and country, won seven Ballon D’or’s, given to the world’s best player. That’s going to be likely eight very soon, as he is the favorite to win the award this year following his World Cup performance. And, with 478 million Instagram followers, much more than the entire USA population, he’s one of the most recognizable figures in the world, sports or otherwise. Apparently, not in a South Florid-area Publix.
Pictures of Lionel Messi in Publix hit social media Thursday, and it seemed like he was shopping in relative obscurity.
AND PEOPLE SAY IM CRAZY TO WANT TO MOVE TO MIAMI!! pic.twitter.com/22Pu3CAgxG
— Jorge Gonzales (@Bellatorisjorge) July 14, 2023
Look at this guy. Buying sugary cereals and family size items. He’s one of us now, a true American.
He makes his Inter Miami debut on July 21 against Mexican side Cruz Azul.