Lionel Messi has long been one of the world’s most marketable athletes. Messi‘s quiet demeanor and jaw-dropping skill on the soccer pitch have made him a sponsor’s dream, and his marketability only grew when he decided to join Inter Miami in Major League Soccer last summer. Messi has continued to dominate on the field of play while strengthening his business empire off it.
Messi and his wife, Antonela Rocuzzo, recently toured a facility that is tasked with manufacturing another of the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner’s prized sponsorships. But a reel uploaded to Messi’s Instagram is, curiously, a bit light on the details.
Where were Leo and Antonela?
What we know so far is that Messi and Rocuzzo have been “hard at work” getting ready for the launch of a new energy drink. The short Instagram reel shows the couple wearing hard hats for their safety as they walk around a manufacturing facility, and a potential release date — June 14 — is teased at the end of the video.
In his caption on Instagram, Messi says he learned exactly how his “next-generation” hydration beverage is being produced, and fans will eagerly await more information about when the drink will hit store shelves.
In the meantime, Messi will continue to focus on his MLS Cup pursuit with Inter Miami. The Herons sit atop the Eastern Conference with 21 points — the highest total in the league — from 11 games. Messi is the league’s top scorer with nine goals, and he has also provided four assists in what will be his first full MLS campaign.