Latest Messi tribute in Argentina recycles the joy from icon’s big win

1 of 8Grand Bourg: High school students in Argentina pieced together a massive mural of soccer superstar Lionel Messi out of thousands of recycled plastic bottle caps, almost nine months after the Argentine icon led the national team to global sport’s biggest prize.Image Credit: Reuters2 of 8The new mural fills the floor of an open-air high school courtyard in the Grand Bourg neighbourhood, just outside the capital Buenos Aires. It depicts the beaming forward holding aloft the golden World Cup trophy from last year’s win in Qatar, along with a caption offering thanks to the team’s tattooed captain.Image Credit: Reuters3 of 8Sebastian Ramirez, a teacher at the school, posted a video clip on social media that went viral summing up a widely-held assessment of Messi’s legacy. “A tribute to the greatest,” he said.Image Credit: Reuters4 of 8Messi has proved a strong unifying force in the South American country, even as triple-digit inflation and the spiralling descent of the local currency dominates debate ahead of October’s general election.Image Credit: Reuters5 of 8

A mural made with plastic bottle caps by high school students depicts Argentina’s soccer superstar Lionel Messi.Image Credit: Reuters6 of 8Art teacher Sebastian Ramirez waves with his students next to the mural they made with plastic bottle caps.Image Credit: Reuters7 of 8Image Credit: Reuters8 of 8Image Credit: Reuters