“Been working on something that is close to my heart” - Inter Miami captain Lionel Messi makes cryptic Instagram post

Inter Miami superstar Lionel Messi has left fans scratching their heads after dropping a cryptic Instagram post earlier today (10 August).

The legendary Argentine footballer boasts 482 million followers on Instagram, so his posts and the words accompanying them travel across the globe within seconds of being posted. His latest post features him standing wearing a plain black hoodie.

It shows Messi holding a black box which has "Join the Planet" written over it. The caption reads:

"Told you I have been working on something that is close to my heart. Any guesses what's inside the box?"

It almost certainly has something to do with an Instagram post the 36-year-old made in July. That post featured a 33-second-long animated video which showed the need to reverse the impact of climate change.

@JoinOurPlanet also shared the post on Twitter, confirming that the player is part of the $PLANET blockchain project. Describing the blockchain project after decoding Messi's previous post in July, a paragraph on Cryptomode.com read:

"$PLANET is the native token of the platform Planet which wants to optimally leverage the power of blockchain to address the most pressing sustainability challenges facing us."

Cryptocurrency is a digital currency where transactions are done and tracked by a decentralized authority through cryptography. It is akin to real-world currency but it does not have any physical embodiment. More will become clear as the blockchain project and Messi's social media accounts post more about the topic.

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Lionel Messi in scintillating form for Inter Miami in Leagues Cup

Lionel Messi has scored seven goals and laid out an assist in his four games for Inter Miami this summer.

The former Barcelona superstar made his much-awaited debut for the MLS team in the Leagues Cup clash against Cruz Azul on 22 July. He came on as a substitute to score a sumptuous last-minute free-kick, handing his team a 2-1 win.

Messi scored a brace as his team dispatched Atlanta United 4-0 in the group stage and scored twice again as Inter Miami saw off Orlando City 3-1 in the First Round. His most recent display came in a 4-4 thriller against Dallas FC in the last-16.

The 2022 FIFA World Cup winner scored a late free-kick to score the final goal of the game. He scored his spot-kick as Inter Miami won 7-9 on penalties, booking a quarter-final berth against Charlotte on 12 August.

Messi is expected to make his MLS debut when Vice City take on New York Red Bulls on 27 August.