Lionel Messi was spotted food shopping ahead of his Inter Miami unveiling and his response has gone viral.
The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner jetted to Fort Lauderdale, Florida at the beginning of the month following the conclusion of his Paris Saint-Germain contract.
Messi is expected to receive a rock star-like reception when he is presented to his new club, Inter Miami, on Sunday, alongside fellow ex-Barcelona star Sergio Busquets.
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The event - which season ticket holders will be allowed to enter for free - has forced the arena’s capacity to be expanded by 3,000 to help cope with demand.
The spectacle has been dubbed “The Unveil”, with the club having teased entertainment as well as on-pitch speeches as they roll out the red carpet for Messi and Busquets.
Ahead of the event, however, Messi was spotted trying to live a normal life in Miami.
On Thursday night, the Argentine was pictured at Publix, a regional supermarket chain, with his wife Antonella and his two young sons.
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While his presence in the shop may not have sparked the same Beatlemania-like fan-fare as it would in Europe or South America, naturally a few fans and curiosity-seekers looked to grab selfies with the 36-year-old as he cruised down the aisles.
And Messi’s response to being spotted has gone viral. As people began to recognise the Argentina captain, he asked Antonella for the car keys and trudged off to sit in the car, away from the commotion.
Fans have been quick to respond to Messi’s first foray into Miami life.
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One wrote: “I am sure at first he was like ‘yay I can finally walk around without people jumping on my face’. After realizing he was wrong, he is like ‘Oh s**t here we go again’”.
Another said: “Messi asking Antonella for the car keys after people started to recognise him at the grocery store is the funniest thing I’ve seen all day.”
However, others were more sympathetic. One Twitter user said: “It doesn't look funny to me. Messi looked kinda worried and wanted to get the hell out, taking the kids with him. Fans tend to forget that these are actual people with actual kids and actual emotions.”
Another wrote: “Lived in NYC for over 25 years, saw many famous people, Sheens, Rolling Stones, athletes, I never approach them like that, just say hello, what’s up, and keep moving.”
Featured Image Credit: Whoopsie via TwitterTopics: Football, Inter Miami, Lionel Messi, MLS, Fan Reactions