Argentine legend Lionel Messi worked on building a model of the World Cup trophy during his recovery from an injury sustained during a friendly match played by his team Inter Miami against Barcelona of Ecuador.
Messi suffered a slight strain in his left hamstring during his team's match against Barcelona of Ecuador, and as a result, his participation in the friendly match scheduled against Independiente del Valle in Puerto Rico was postponed, in order to ensure his safety.
During his recovery period, the captain of the Argentine national team is combining rest and leisure, enjoying building a model of the tournament, in a symbolic gesture reflecting his anticipation of the new global event.
On Saturday, Messi posted a picture on his official Instagram account of a model of the World Cup made of Lego bricks, accompanied by the caption: "We did it."
Inside the model appeared a small statue wearing a sky-blue and white helmet and holding the trophy, in a scene that many observers considered a hint at the Inter Miami captain's desire to participate in the 2026 World Cup.
Messi had recently sparked speculation about the possibility of not participating in the next edition of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Argentina will play in Group 10 of the 2026 World Cup, which also includes Algeria, Austria and Jordan.
It is worth noting that the 2026 FIFA World Cup finals will be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico between June 11 and July 19, in the first edition with its new system with the participation of 48 teams, distributed into 12 groups, with the top two teams from each group qualifying for the round of 32, in addition to the best eight third-placed teams.
