Lionel Messi joins Argentina camp with rare handcrafted Hermes bag; its staggering price revealed

Inter Miami captain Lionel Messi arrived at Argentina's training camp on Wednesday, September 3, ahead of their FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Venezuela and Ecuador. The 38-year-old has already confirmed that it will be the final competitive match for the national team in his country.

While Messi is always greeted by fans upon his arrival, the photos circulating on social media have drawn a lot of attention to his bag. The Argentine was carrying a Hermès Cargo HAC Birkin, which reportedly costs a whopping $65,000.

Reports in TOI suggest that the bag is inspired by the classic bag, which was designed to carry a saddle. The bag is reportedly handcrafted and takes 18 to 24 hours to produce, with a waitlist for the item.

Messi spoke about the upcoming clash and said (via GOAL):

"It's going to be a very, very special match for me because it's the last qualifying match. I don't know if there will be friendlies or more matches after [Venezuela], but it is a very special match, so my family will be there with me: my wife, my children, my parents, my siblings. We're going to live it like that. I don't know what will happen next."

Lionel Messi has been dealing with a leg injury in recent weeks, but played for Inter Miami in the Leagues Cup final earlier this week. He is expected to be on the pitch against Venezuela on Thursday, September 4.

Venezuela manager sends strong message to Lionel Messi

Venezuela coach Fernando Batista spoke to the media ahead of the match, admitting that his focus is on stopping Lionel Messi. He wants to 'ruin' the Argentina superstar's final competitive match in his home country and said (via GOAL):

"We'll face the best team in the world. We knew privately that this could be Leo's last official match in the qualifiers in Argentina. In any case, beyond him, we're seeing the strength of a coach (Lionel Scaloni) who makes the structure work when one person leaves or another comes in."

"My idea is always to think about the opponent's goal; if you try to defend, it's going to go wrong in the long run. I don't know how many coaches have planned how to counter Messi. We're going to try. I'm here to ruin Messipalooza, in a good way. We respect what's possible, but we're playing for qualification or the playoffs."

Lionel Messi's Argentina have already qualified for the FIFA World Cup next year.