Messi explains his new look as Barca star opens up on wanting to forget his difficult summer

Seven goals in his last 10 games suggest Lionel Messi is very much the same player who lifted the Ballon d’Or for a record fifth time in January.

But the clean-cut, baby-faced Argentine in a tuxedo 10 months ago could hardly look more different to the blonde-haired, bearded hipster who put two past Celtic on Wednesday he could barely look more different.

The 29-year-old clearly made a drastic decision to overhaul his look this season, but why?

Speaking at a promotional event this week, the Barcelona forward revealed all.

“Behind the change in look there is a little bit of everything,” he said.

“The craziness of the moment, to change a little, to start from zero, a new season, a new start after the Copa America when we once again lost on penalties.”

Messi was obviously crushed by a second consecutive penalty shootout defeat in the Copa America final in July, which came in consecutive years following defeat in the final of World Cup 2014 in extra time.

The Barca talisman even retired from international football surely after the defeat in New Jersey, before reversing the decision a month later.