Skip to main content

WATCH: Behind the scenes of Lionel Messi’s SI cover shoot

Lionel Messi is a natural on the pitch, and is apparently a natural in front of the camera as well. 
  • Author:
  • Publish date:

Get breaking news and SI’s biggest stories instantly. Download the new Sports Illustrated app (iOS or Android) and personalize your experience by following your favorite teams and SI writers.

Lionel Messi is a natural on the pitch, and is apparently a natural in front of the camera as well. 

Go behind the scenes of his photo shoot for this week’s cover of Sports Illustrated in this video, which shows Messi working with photographer Yu Tsai.

Tsai applauds the five-time Ballon d’Or winner, who he dubs the president of sports, for his instinctive ability on set during a shoot he said gave him goosebumps.

Read Messi’s first-person essay as told to SI’s Grant Wahl here, and watch the full film on the soccer superstar, titled The World of Messi, here at Sports Illustrated Films.

Lionel Messi SI Cover Shoot Outtakes

2016-0310-Lionel-Messi-SI266_TK1_00250.jpg
2016-0310-Lionel-Messi-SI266_TK1_00311.jpg
2016-0310-Lionel-Messi-SI266_TK1_00401.jpg
2016-0310-Lionel-Messi-SI266_TK1_00441.jpg
2016-0310-Lionel-Messi-SI266_TK1_00487.jpg
2016-0310-Lionel-Messi-SI266_TK1_00526.jpg
2016-0310-Lionel-Messi-SI266_TK1_00578.jpg
2016-0310-Lionel-Messi-SI266_TK1_00597.jpg
2016-0310-Lionel-Messi-SI266_TK1_00590.jpg
2016-0310-Lionel-Messi-SI266_TK1_00672.jpg

In both the essay and the video, Messi discusses his anticipation of the Copa America Centenario, which will begin in the U.S. in June.