Soccer star Lionel Messi’s family is total goals.
The FIFA World Cup winner met his wife, Antonela Roccuzzo, when the two were children, before reconnecting in 2005.
The couple went on to welcome their eldest son, Thiago, in 2012.
In 2015, Messi and Roccuzzo’s son Mateo was born, just two years before the pair tied the knot in 2017.
Messi, 38, and Roccuzzo, also 38, completed their family in 2018 with the birth of their son Ciro.
The athlete is once again the captain of team Argentina at the 2026 World Cup, with his partner and three little ones cheering him on from the sidelines.
Keep reading for everything you need to know about Messi’s family.
Antonela Roccuzzo, 38
Roccuzzo’s love story with Messi dates back to childhood.
The lovebirds both grew up in Rosario, Argentina and first crossed paths through Roccuzzo’s cousin and Messi’s longtime pal Lucas Scaglia.
The two met at a young age and remained close even after Messi relocated to Spain to join Barcelona’s youth academy, La Masia.
In 2005, Messi went back home to Argentina to support Roccuzzo after she tragically lost a close friend.
Once the soccer player returned to Spain, the couple began dating long-distance before publicly confirming their romance in 2009.
They tied the knot on June 30, 2017 at City Center Hotel Casino in Rosario.
Along with being a mom and wife, Roccuzzo has garnered almost 40 million followers on Instagram working as both an influencer and philanthropist.
The model has showed her support for her husband throughout his career, often sporting his No. 10 jersey to matches.
Thiago, 13
Messi and Roccuzzo welcomed Thiago on November 2, 2012.
After his birth, Messi tattooed the newborn’s name and handprints on his calf.
In 2013, Messi opened up about fatherhood to El Periódico, stating, “When I look at life, think about each moment, when I analyze every situation … Now everything is different.”
In 2022, ahead of the star winning the World Cup, Thiago showed his support by writing down the lyrics to “Muchachos Ahora Nos Volvimos a Ilusionar.”
According to ESPN, the song has become an anthem among Argentina fans and loosely translates to, “Guys, now we have hope once again.”
At the time, Messi dubbed the tune as his favorite, and it quickly became the unofficial anthem for Argentina during the game.
Messi’s oldest child is now following in his footsteps through youth soccer.
Thiago was previously a member of Barcelona’s academy, just like his dad was.
In 2020, a clip of the little athlete scoring a goal during his first match on the team went viral.
After attending Paris Saint-Germain academy, Thiago currently resides on Inter Miami’s under-12 squad.
Mateo, 10
Messi and Roccuzzo’s second son, Mateo, was born on Sept. 11, 2015.
In 2019, while speaking with ESPN UK, Messi said about his middle child, “Mateo is very special, he’s always doing new things, things that grab your attention.”
The sports champion revealed that Mateo takes after him in a number of ways, including competitiveness.
After Argentina lost to Saudi Arabia in 2022, Messi told reporters at the time that Mateo left the game in tears.
“My family suffers the same as all Argentines,” he expressed.
Ciro, 8
The couple’s youngest son was born on March 10, 2018.
Roccuzzo tattooed the word “Ciro” on her arm after his arrival, while Messi added ink alongside his tattoos for his other sons.
In a 2016 essay for Sports Illustrated, the professional footballer opened up about what a day in the life off the field looks like for him with his kids.
“A typical day involves taking Thiago to school, going to training, hanging out at home drinking maté and spending time with Anto and the kids at the park or somewhere,” he penned at the time.
“It’s a normal, calm life, the kind of life we have always wanted.”
In March, the mom of three wished Ciro a happy birthday, writing on Instagram, “It’s been 8 years of watching you grow up already. We are very proud of you Ciro! We love you so much.”
Read the full article here
