Lionel Messi Spotted Shopping at Publix in Viral Photos Before Inter Miami MLS Debut

Being a world-class athlete doesn’t mean you don’t need groceries from a local establishment, as Lionel Messi can attest to.

The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner had a viral moment Thursday when he was photographed with a shopping cart full of food at a Publix in Miami.

Publix is an employee-owned supermarket chain with headquarters in Lakeland, Florida.

Messi, of course, will be spending a lot of time in Florida after surprising most of the world when he announced on June 7 he would be playing in MLS for Inter Miami. The move came after his two-year deal with Paris Saint-Germain expired.

The 36-year-old and his family touched down in South Florida earlier this week to complete his transfer to Inter Miami.

Per Sportico’s Kurt Badenhausen, Messi’s two-and-a-half-year deal with the club is worth $50 to $60 million per year before factoring in revenue-sharing agreements with Adidas and Apple.

While there’s certainly a lot of anticipation about Messi’s arrival in the United States, the wait for his Inter Miami debut will last a little bit longer. Club owner Jorge Mas told reporters they are targeting July 21 against Liga MX’s Cruz Azul in a Leagues Cup match.

Perhaps not coincidentally, that’s also the first date of the team’s next home game since Messi landed in the United States. Inter Miami is traveling to CITYPARK for a regular-season MLS matchup against St. Louis on Saturday.

In the meantime, fans can start hanging out at one of the Publix locations in Miami to give themselves an opportunity to take a selfie with the former FIFA World Player of the Year winner.