'It was staged!' - Lionel Messi's supermarket trip with wife Antonela Roccuzzo was engineered by Inter Miami, says Alexi Lalas

• Messi spotted in Publix
• Supermarket a sponsor of Inter Miami
• Lalas puts two and two together

WHAT HAPPENED? Messi was pictured in the Miami branch of Publix before confirming his move to the club, as he stocked up on provisions with his wife and three children after his move to the United States. Lalas, though, insists that the photo opportunity was staged by Inter Miami, who have an existing relationship with the retailer.

WHAT THEY SAID: Lalas said on Fox Soccer: "One of the things that they did was - when I say 'did' it's because it was absolutely orchestrated - Messi was in his new town and what do you do when you're in a new town? You stock the refrigerator.

"Lo and behold, he turns up at a Publix. For those who don't know, Publix is a ubiquitous grocery store down in that neck of the woods. And lo and behold, he is seen there with a cart full of stuff that he is going to stock in his refrigerator.

"It takes a couple of clicks to go to the Inter Miami website and pull up their corporate partners and woah! Amazing! Publix! There it is! Brilliant, by the way. I loved every orchestrated second of it. But this is part of the give-and-take and this is part of what Messi brings to this situation. 

"You better access that and use that at every opportunity you get, with reason. And done the right way you can maximize the presence of Messi on and off the field."

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Messi is poised to make his debut later this month in a clash with Cruz Azul, although co-owner David Beckham has sounded a note of caution over the date of his bow, insisting that he may be rested if he is not fully fit.

IN THREE PHOTOS:

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WHAT NEXT? Messi is edging nearer to wearing the Inter Miami shirt for the first time.