Is Messi leaving football for rugby?

Lionel Messi poses with a signed Australia rugby shirt alongside Will Genia who holds a replica Argentina strip featuring the Barcelona forward's name

The one positive about the end of the season for football fans is knowing that the chances of their star players getting injured are about as low as they could possibly be.

Unless of course you are a Barcelona supporter, where the sight of Lionel Messi posing with a rugby shirt may leave you hoping that the Argentine wizard hasn't taken up a new hobby to get his sporting fix this summer.

The good news of course is Messi has no such desires to get involved with the slightly more physical code of football (at least not for now) despite the forward appearing to swap shirts with Will Genia of the Australian rugby team at Melbourne City's training ground.

The Argentina star also made a surprise visit at Melbourne City's training ground alongside adolescent cancer charity CanTeen

Messi appeared alongside the scrum-half in a photo posted by the Wallabies on Twitter, as Argentina prepare for a Melbourne friendly with rivals Brazil.

While the Barca star didn't appear to take any tips from his rugby counterparts, it appeared Argentina boss was keen to learn from Wallabies coach Mario Ledesma, as the duo shared a discussion before Friday's match.

Messi has been a busy man while Down Under.

The Argentina star signed jerseys and handed over boots to a pair of teenagers from adolescent cancer charity CanTeen at the City Football Academy in Melbourne.

Argentina manager Jorge Sampaoli (right) shares a discussion with compatriot and Wallabies coach Mario Ledesma (centre)

Argentina will face Brazil at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Friday

Messi has been training with the Argentina national team in Melbourne ahead of the Brazil test

Georgina-Mae Mazzaella, 15 and Denis Pauguy, 19, had been given a tour of Manchester City’s sister club’s training ground by chief executive Scott Munn.

And when they prepared for a kickabout, five-time Ballon D’Or winner Messi made a surprise appearance.

Argentina also visit Singapore four days after their clash with Brazil at the MCG, with their World Cup qualifying hopes in the balance.

With just four games to go Argentina sit one place outside an automatic qualifying spot in fifth, with their campaign resuming in Uruguay at the end of August.