Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 03, 2025

Messi contracts Covid – a day after ‘sh*tty virus’ message

Messi contracts Covid – a day after ‘sh*tty virus’ message

Lionel Messi has tested positive for Covid – a day after the Paris Saint-Germain and Argentina icon lamented the virus to his hundreds of millions of fans.

A day after issuing a message about coronavirus to his vast following, Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi has become the latest footballer to return a positive test.

Copa America champion Messi has endured a nightmare start to 2022, with news that he has contracted the virus surfacing as he was about to resume training with club side Paris Saint-Germain following an injury-hit start to the season.

The 34-year-old idol had posted a message about Covid only a day earlier, using an address to his Instagram following of more than 296 million to give his thoughts on the crisis which has been heightened by the rise of the Omicron variant.

"I can only give thanks for everything that I had to live through in 2021," said Messi, wishing his admirers well.


"Even more so when many people had a really bad time because of the sh*tty virus that never ends.

"Hopefully 2022 brings a lot of health, which is what I wish you all for the new year. Hug everyone."

Messi, who pictured himself in Rosario with wife Antonela Roccuzzo and their three children over Christmas, is not thought to have previously tested positive for Covid during a pandemic that has lasted almost two years.


In April, the six-time winner of football's most prestigious individual prize helped to obtain 50,000 Covid vaccines from China as part of a plan to give shots to all South American footballers before the Copa America.

Speaking ahead of the tournament, which was moved at short notice from Colombia and Argentina to Brazil, Messi told Reuters: "It worries us because it is a risk for everyone, catching Covid.

"We try to be careful but it’s not easy. These things happen. We'll try to do all we can so no-one gets it, but sometimes it doesn't depend solely on ourselves."



The agency suggested that Messi had not been vaccinated at the time of the showpiece, which began in June 2021 and ended with victorious Messi being named the player of the tournament in July.

The latest statistics suggest that there have been almost 5.7 million Covid infections so far in his homeland.

New restrictions in France mean that a maximum of 5,000 fans will be able to watch games when PSG return to action, starting with a trip to Vannes in the Coupe de France on Monday.

More than 59,000 supporters would have been expected to fill the stands for the Ligue 1 leaders' trip to fellow heavyweights Lyon on Saturday, with the Champions League contenders' own home stadium, the Parc des Princes, usually accommodating almost 50,000 people.

Those figures have been dramatically reduced as part of rules introduced by the French government amid fears that hospitals could be overwhelmed by a surge in cases.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Harvard Urges US to Unfreeze Funds for Public Health Research
Businessman Mauled by Lion at Luxury Namibian Lodge
Researchers Consider New Destinations Beyond the U.S.
53-Year-Old Doctor Claims Biological Age of 23
Trump Struggles to Secure Trade Deals With China and Europe
Russia to Return 6,000 Corpses Under Ukraine Prisoner Swap Deal
Microsoft Lays Off Hundreds More Amid Restructuring
Harvey Weinstein’s Publicist Embraces Notoriety
Macron and Meloni Seek Unity Despite Tensions
Trump Administration Accused of Obstructing Deportation Cases
Newark Mayor Sues Over Arrest at Immigration Facility
Center-Left Candidate Projected to Win South Korean Presidency
Trump’s Tariffs Predicted to Stall Global Economic Growth
South Korea’s President-Elect Expected to Take Softer Line on Trump and North Korea
Trump’s China Strategy Remains a Geopolitical Puzzle
Ukraine Executes Long-Range Drone Strikes on Russian Airbases
Conservative Karol Nawrocki wins Poland’s presidential election
Study Identifies Potential Radicalization Risk Among Over One Million Muslims in Germany
Good news: Annalena Baerbock Elected President of the UN General Assembly
Apple Appeals EU Law Over User Data Sharing Requirements
South Africa: "First Black Bank" Collapses after Being Looted by Owners
Poland will now withdraw from the EU migration pact after pro-Trump nationalist wins Election
"That's Disgusting, Don’t Say It Again": The Trump Joke That Made the President Boil
Trump Cancels NASA Nominee Over Democratic Donations
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OnlyFans for Sale: From Lockdown Lifeline to Eight-Billion-Dollar Empire
Mayor’s Security Officer Implicated | Shocking New Details Emerge in NYC Kidnapping Case
Hegseth Warns of Potential Chinese Military Action Against Taiwan
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Jamie Dimon Warns U.S. Bond Market Faces Pressure from Rising Debt
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Taylor Swift Gains Ownership of Her First Six Albums
Bangkok Ranked World's Top City for Remote Work in 2025
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
U.S. Justice Department Reduces American Bar Association's Role in Judicial Nominations
U.S. Department of Energy Unveils 'Doudna' Supercomputer to Advance AI Research
U.S. SEC Dismisses Lawsuit Against Binance Amid Regulatory Shift
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
Italy Faces Population Decline Amid Youth Emigration
×