High school students create Argentina's soccer superstar Lionel Messi mural using bottle caps

Grand 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.

The 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.

Sebastian 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.

Messi 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.

A mural made with plastic bottle caps by high school students depicts Argentina's soccer superstar Lionel Messi.

Art teacher Sebastian Ramirez waves with his students next to the mural they made with plastic bottle caps.

High school students stand next to the mural they made with plastic bottle caps depicting Argentina's soccer superstar Lionel Messi, nine months after Argentina won the soccer World Cup Qatar 2022, in Grand Bourg, on the outskirts of Buenos Aires, Argentina September 19, 2023.

A mural made by high school students with plastic bottle caps depicts Argentina's soccer superstar Lionel Messi, in Grand Bourg, nine months after Argentina won the soccer World Cup Qatar 2022, on the outskirts of Buenos Aires, Argentina September 19, 2023.