World famous football player Lionel Messi is currently taking some time to relax as well as heal his ankle after suffering a severe ankle injury during the Copa America final on July 15th. During the second half of the match, Messi had been subbed out with what appeared to be an extremely swollen ankle. The Inter Miami star appeared to be shedding tears on the bench after his injury. The following day, Messi’s national team confirmed that the player had suffered a ligament injury in his right ankle.
Following the critical injury, Messi has been seen in somewhat better spirits as the Argentinian soccer player appeared in pictures shared on social media by his wife Antonela Roccuzzo. In Roccuzzo’s Instagram post, Messi could be seen lounging shirtless on patio furniture, with a smile on his face. In the picture, Messi’s ankle appears to be still swollen.
Following the confirmation of Messi’s injury, Inter Miami coach Gerardo Martino stated that Messi was expected to miss at least another two matches while he recovered. Martino further explained that Messi had twisted his ankle, and more medical tests were still underway to confirm the severity of the injury. Martino concluded his statement by explaining that the team’s kinesiologist Walter Insauralde was cautious about giving a final diagnosis on the injury.
Messi’s abrupt departure from the Copa America final led both teams to need overtime to determine who won the match, in which Argentina beat Colombia. The winning goal was shot by Argentina’s Lautaro Martinez, in which the professional player scored in the 112th minute of the match, securing the victory.
However, Messi was not able to join his teammates as they flew home to Buenos Aires Monday night. The victorious team returned to their home country to streets flooded by celebrating fans. Messi took to Instagram that same night to ensure fans that he was okay and thanked them for their immense support.
