WATCH: Lionel Messi speaking English!? All is not as it seems as AI-generated video of Inter Miami superstar goes viral

The Argentine superstar has made his way to the United States in 2023, with a move to Inter Miami completed after reaching the end of his contract at Paris Saint-Germain. There is a big Spanish-speaking community in Florida, but Messi revealed back in 2021 that he has been taking English lessons.

A video released on social media has gone viral, with Messi seemingly speaking at a press conference in English. The clip does, however, come from the website HeyGen – which allows users to produce deep fakes of other people.

Messi has only ever carried out press duties in his native Spanish and, despite some initially being fooled, the video doing the rounds at present is clearly not real due to the echo on the voice and the sudden breaks in speech.

Messi continues to do much of his talking on the pitch, with Inter Miami inspired to Leagues Cup glory and a place in the U.S. Open Cup final since his arrival in America. He also has them in the hunt for a MLS play-off spot, while reigning champions Argentina are being helped down a qualification path that leads towards the 2026 World Cup.