Lionel
Andrés Messi was born on 24 June 1987, is an Argentine professional footballer
who plays as a forward for and captains both the Major League Soccer club Inter
Miami and the Argentina national team. Widely regarded as one of the greatest
players in history, Messi has set numerous records for individual accolades won
throughout his professional footballing career, including eight Ballons d'Or,
six European Golden Shoes, and eight times being named the world's best player
by FIFA.
Antonela Roccuzzo was born on February 26, 1988, in Rosario, Argentina,
and is a successful model and businesswoman. She studied dentistry and social
communications before launching her own fashion and footwear brands. Today, she
is globally recognized as an entrepreneur and the wife of football legend
Lionel Messi.
How they first met
In 1996, nine-year-old Messi became close friends with Lucas Scaglia,
his teammate from the Newell’s Old Boys youth academy. During a summer weekend,
Lucas invited him to spend time with his family at a cottage near the Paraná
River. This casual getaway changed everything, as it was during this gathering
that Messi first laid eyes on Lucas’s cousin, Antonela Roccuzzo—instantly
sparking what would become a legendary love at first sight for the future
football star.
Despite his natural shyness, a young Messi was immediately captivated by
Antonela and often visited Lucas's house just to see her, even writing her
letters promising they would be together one day. Although their paths
separated when Messi moved to Spain at age 13 to join FC Barcelona, this
childhood bond laid the foundation for their future romance.
The turning point came in 2005 when a tragic event brought them back together. Antonela lost her best friend in a devastating car accident, leaving her heartbroken. Hearing the news, 17-year-old Messi immediately flew back to Argentina to comfort her and stand by her side. This emotional reunion rekindled their childhood bond, and they officially decided to start their relationship.
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After brief relationships during his early youth in Argentina, most
notably with Macarena Lemos between 2006 and 2008, Messi ultimately realized
that his heart belonged to only one person. In 2017, he and Antonela officially
tied the knot in Rosario, in a beautiful ceremony dubbed the "Wedding of
the Century."
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| Macarena Lemos |
On June 30, 2017, Messi and Antonela officially tied the knot in their beloved hometown of Rosario, Argentina. Held at the luxurious City Center Rosario complex, the lavish celebration was widely dubbed by international media as the "Wedding of the Century." The star-studded guest list included around 260 people, featuring football icons like Neymar, Luis Suárez, and Gerard Piqué, alongside global pop star Shakira.
Messi and Roccuzzo have three sons. To celebrate Roccuzzo's first pregnancy, Messi placed the ball under his shirt after scoring in Argentina's 4–0 win against Ecuador on 2 June 2012, before confirming the pregnancy in an interview two weeks later. The child, a son named Thiago, was born in Barcelona on 2 November 2012. In April 2015, Messi confirmed that they were expecting another child. In October 2017, his wife announced they were expecting their third child.
