XtraTime Web Desk: Lionel Messi has headed to the Balearic Islands off of the coast of Spain to put his World Cup misery behind him and recharge ahead of the new La Liga season.
Messi and Argentina were dumped out in the second round of the tournament by eventual champions France in a thrilling 4-3 tie. It extended Messi’s wait for a major honour on the international stage.
The 31-year-old is now enjoying some downtime in Formentera, the smallest Balearic Island which is reachable by boat from Ibiza, with friends and his wife Antonella Roccuzzo.
They were pictured out on a yacht in the sunshine on Wednesday with the Barcelona star enjoying a spot of swimming.
When Spanish football resumes next month, Messi will be the unrivalled star of La Liga following Cristiano Ronaldo’s £100m move to Juventus.
Ronaldo’s former Manchester United team-mate Wayne Rooney, now playing in the United States with DC United, said earlier this week that he thinks Messi is better than Ronaldo.
‘They’re both probably the best two players to ever play the game, I just think Messi is, in my eyes, the greatest ever,’ Rooney said to online podcast Barstool sports.
The Spanish season, and Barcelona’s La Liga title defence, begins in a month on August 18 with fixtures still to be released.