LIONEL MESSI showed off a new all-black tattoo during Argentina training on his left leg.
The Barcelona star, 29, has had his left shin and calf is covered almost entirely in dark ink – apart from the No10 – his shirt number – and a football.
Lionel Messi shows off his new leg tattoos during Argentina trainingCredit: Reuters
But what does that – along with the rest of Messi’s ink-work – mean? We take a look, from head to toe…
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RIGHT ARM
BARCELONA star Messi has been working on a full sleeve for his right arm for some time now.
He has a tattoo of Jesus (1) on his triceps in respect to his religious roots, as well as a Sagrada Familia-inspired inking.
The Roman Catholic church in Barcelona appears prominently on the arm, alongside a closed lotus flower (2) ,a rose window of the building (3) and a blossoming, open lotus (5).
Lionel Messi has been working on an arm sleeve for some time nowCredit: Instagram
According to his tattooist Roberto Lopez: “The lotus symbolises that talent can grow anywhere even with forces stopping it.
“The rose window of the famous Barcelona church Sagrada Familia shows the love he has for the city.”
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LEFT LEG
MESSI’S leg was previously decorated with a sword with wings (8), flower patterns (9) and the hand-prints (7), the name of his eldest son, Thiago, and the No10 (6).
But in a strange twist, they are all now covered up, as in its place now is a mass of black, with the weapon covered but the baby’s hands still visible.
How Lionel Messi’s left leg tattoo used to look…Credit: Getty Images
…And how Lionel Messi’s left leg artwork looks following his latest inkingCredit: Reuters
Quite what the motive for the new inking is, is as yet unclear, but perhaps he just wanted to ‘get rid of’ a few of the old ones.
Perhaps he felt the addition of a sword was in bad taste to be bringing up two youngsters, since the birth of Mateo last year…
BACK SHOULDER
Lionel Messi has a tattoo of his mother, Celia, on the back of his left shoulderCredit: Getty Images
THIS was the first tattoo Messi ever got – a headshot of his mum on the back of his left shoulder.
Paying respect to his mother, Celia, the inking is a clear loving gesture.
When the Argentinian ace left South America to join Barcelona’s youth ranks, he did so with his dad only, leaving his mum – and the rest of his family – behind.
Perhaps the artwork was a way of keeping his mum near, despite the thousands of miles between them.
