Dad’s biggest supporters! Lionel Messi and his wife, Antonela Roccuzzo, have been sharing glimpses into their family life since they became parents.
The soccer star first met Roccuzzo at a young age but the two reconnected later in life after the model lost one of her closest friends. The Argentina natives confirmed their relationship in 2009 and got engaged one year later.
In June 2012, the couple announced they were expecting their first child. Later that year, they welcomed son Thiago. Three years later, Thiago became a big brother when Roccuzzo gave birth to second son Mateo in September 2015.
Seven years after getting engaged, the twosome said “I do” in their hometown of Rosario, Argentina in July 2017. They welcomed their third child, Ciro, in March 2018.
One year later, the Paris Saint-Germain player opened up about his experience becoming a father.
“You grow and you learn,” he said in an interview published in October 2019 on FC Barcelona’s website. “You gather experience in all aspects of life, on and off the field. But, as a human being, having three children changed my perspective on life, my way of thinking and it also helped me grow.”
He continued: “Even though there are few moments of respite at home with three kids, we [Antonela and I] try to enjoy every second with them, whether it is watching the TV, playing or whatever. We like to stay at home and enjoy these moments.”
Besides their time together off the field, the family supports the Ballon d’Or winner when he’s competing. In November 2022, Roccuzzo and the pair’s sons cheered on Messi as he competed in the 2022 World Cup championship with Argentina’s national team, who ultimately took home the win one month later.
“I CANT EXPLAIN IT BECAUSE YOU WONT UNDERSTAND!!!!. LET’S GO ARGENTINA!!! LETS GO @leomessi !!!!!,” the dietitian captioned a photo of herself with her three boys all sporting jerseys with Messi’s number.
Before becoming a World Cup champion, Messi opened up about how special it is to share the new memories being made with his three sons now that they are old enough to understand and appreciate the sport.
“From the very beginning, from kick-off to the final whistle, I’m thinking of my children,” the athlete admitted after defeating Australia in the round of 16, per The Athletic. “They’re growing older. They understand better what’s going on and they enjoy it more.”
Keep scrolling to see some of the sweetest moments of Messi and Roccuzzo’s family: