This archive report was first published on 27 July 2019.
On July 27, 2019, Lionel Messi was enjoying the final days of his break from football in the Caribbean, where he had retreated with his family to unwind.
At the Jumby Bay Resort in Antigua, Messi spent quality time with his wife Antonella, taking a dip in the sea together before relaxing with close friends and family.
Antonella has shared brief glimpses of their vacation on social media, giving fans a glimpse into Messi's downtime before he heads back to pre-season training.
Although the exact date of Messi's return to Barcelona is unclear, the club has confirmed that he will captain the side against Arsenal on August 4.
Following his Copa America heartbreak, Messi was given extra time off to recover, which means he will miss the club's tour of Japan.
As a result of his one-match ban and £1,200 fine for his red card in Argentina's Copa America third-place playoff with Chile, Messi will also miss Argentina's first 2022 World Cup qualifying match.
During the Copa America, Messi had accused CONMEBOL of being 'corrupt' after they backed down from imposing a tougher sanction on him.
