Lionel Messi displayed a rarely-seen humorous side of his personality as he laughed uncontrollably when airport security confiscated an item from Argentina teammate Cristian Romero's luggage. The incident occurred on Thursday as the Argentina squad prepared to fly back to Miami for their round of 32 World Cup match against Cabo Verde on Friday evening.
Security Checks on the Tarmac
As numerous national teams have discovered before boarding their private charter flights, even the world's greatest footballers are not exempt from Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checks conducted by airport security personnel on the tarmac. In footage captured by Eldesmarque, Messi was spotted queuing alongside Argentina teammates, including Rodrigo De Paul and Cristian Romero, as they readied themselves to board the aircraft.
The players, just like any ordinary traveller, were required to send their bags through scanners and pass through metal detectors. Not everyone, however, passed through without incident. The footage appeared to show a security officer retrieve a large item from Romero's suitcase, which was reported to be an oversized spark lighter.
Messi's Reaction
Messi spotted the issue and upon seeing the sheer scale of the object, he couldn't help but burst into laughter alongside his Argentina colleagues. The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner was seen wearing a broad grin across his face. Security personnel appeared less amused as the object seemed to be seized. Video footage from the incident circulated across social media platforms, showcasing Messi's seldom-seen humorous nature for all to witness.
Many have suggested that Messi must be from another world given his extraordinary goalscoring feats, but fresh evidence has emerged to confirm he is very much human like the rest of us. First came a missed penalty at the World Cup against Austria, and now the Argentina superstar has shown a rarely-seen side of his personality.
Messi's World Cup Campaign
It's evident the Rosario-born legend is relishing the final weeks of what many anticipate will be his sixth and final World Cup. It's been an outstanding campaign for Messi thus far, having scored a hat-trick against Algeria alongside a brace against Austria and his single goal against Jordan. He leads the scoring charts with six goals across three matches and many would expect him to find the net once more against Cabo Verde.
Messi has already surpassed the all-time World Cup goalscoring record at the competition, with Kylian Mbappe in close pursuit. With 19 goals already under his belt, Messi will be keen to extend the margin in their forthcoming knockout fixture.
