AN INTERMiami football player got a tattoo of Lionel Messi’s signature just hours after having the “best day ever” meeting his hero.
In September, Argentine custodian Francisco Ranieri had a dream meeting with Messi.
The national team set up camp in Miami and played Honduras. Messi scored twice, including a great chip, to set a record for most appearances.
The Lionel Scaloni team met up with the Inter Miami players during the international break, and Ranieri was shocked to see them. They were using Inter Miami’s Florida training ground.
The custodian also got a picture with Emi Martinez, Argentina’s first-choice, and gave Messi a marker pen. The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner then signed Ranieri’s left wrist.
The two Argentines stood for a picture, with Messi showing off his famous art sleeve and Ranieri showing off the autograph.
Ranieri did not want to lose the valuable mark, so he went straight to the tattoo shop to get one that would always remind him of what happened.
The custodian, who used to play for Inter Miami’s youth team, shared on Instagram the best parts of an amazing experience.
“The best day ever,” Ranieri wrote. Yesterday, I made a dream come true.
Had the chance to play on the pitch with people I look up to with my national team.
Meet my hero, the greatest player of all time. He is a great guy on and off the pitch and I look up to him!”
“I can’t describe how happy I am to see you and know that you agreed to sign my arm.”
“Leo, you made my dream come true, and every time I look at my arm, I’ll remember how happy I was when I met you.”
“I’m speechless over how wonderful you are!
“So much sacrifice and so many things left aside, to live dreams like the one I got to live yesterday.”
Ranieri might get used to seeing Messi at the Inter Miami training ground, though, if the great makes a huge move next year.
His current deal with PSG ends at the end of the season, and SunSport reports that he is waiting until after the World Cup to decide what to do next.
But in October, it was said that David Beckham’s team is “increasingly confident” they can get Messi because talks are well underway.