The soccer star shares three children with his wife Antonella Roccuzzo

Photo: Antonela Roccuzzo/Instagram

When Lionel Messi helped Argentina to a victory against France at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, he had three very important fans cheering him on: his sons Mateo, Thiago and Ciro.

The football star, who scored two goals during the thrilling match, shared a tender moment with two of his children after the match, as his sons hugged him while wearing shirts with their father’s name and number (10) on the back. They were soon joined by his younger brother and mother, Antonella Roccuzzo, who later posted several tender photos of the family celebration.

“I don’t even know how to start,” Roccuzzo wrote alongside a gallery of photos in which she, Messi and their three children appeared. “We are so proud of you @leomessi Thank you for teaching us to never give up, to fight until the end. FINALLY IT HAS BEEN DONE! YOU ARE WORLD CHAMPION, we know what you suffered for so many years, what you wanted to achieve this!!!”

Messi and Roccuzzo, who were childhood friends and later reunited in 2005, welcomed their first child, Thiago, in 2012. Their second son, Mateo, arrived in 2015, followed by their third son, Ciro, in 2018.

The athlete told FC Barcelona that fatherhood changed his perspective completely. “You grow and you learn,” he said in 2017. “You gain experience in all aspects of life, on and off the pitch. But, as a human being, having three children changed my perspective on life, my way of thinking and it also helped me grow.”

Although this was not Messi’s first appearance at a World Cup, he told reporters the experience was even more special because his children are old enough to “enjoy it more.”

“From the beginning, from kick-off to the final whistle, I think about my kids,” he said after beating Australia in the round of 16, according to The Athletic. “They are growing up. They understand more what is happening and they enjoy it more.”

Antonela Roccuzzo’s Instagram

Although Messi has said that he wants his sons to “do what makes them happy” – whether that’s football or not – it’s clear that his sons are already following in their father’s footsteps. Not only have Thiago, Mateo and Ciro spent much of their lives on the pitch cheering Messi on, but all three are budding football stars in their own right. The boys’ best lessons probably come from home, though, as Messi occasionally shares videos of himself and his sons competing in friendly matches.

Here you will find everything you need to know about Lionel Messi’s three children with Antonella Roccuzzo.

Thiago Messi Roccuzzo, 11

Antonela Roccuzzo’s Instagram

Messi and Roccuzzo became parents for the first time on November 2, 2012, when they welcomed their son Thiago. Shortly after his birth, Messi showed his love for his little boy permanently by tattooing the newborn’s name and his handprints on his calf.

Messi has been open about the impact Thiago had on his life, telling El Periódico in 2013: “My son has changed my life more than the Ballon d’Ors.”

The football star also explained that his priorities changed after becoming a father: “When I look at life, I think about every moment, when I analyse every situation… Now everything is different.”

Despite Messi’s distinguished career, his life off the field resembles that of any other father, as he wrote in a 2016 essay for Sports Illustrated .

“A typical day consists of taking Thiago to school, going to training, being at home drinking mate and spending time with Anto and the boys in the park or somewhere,” he said. “It’s a normal, quiet life, the kind of life we’ve always wanted.”

Antonela Roccuzzo’s Instagram

Ahead of Messi’s 2022 World Cup victory, Thiago shared a sweet message of support for his father by penning the lyrics to “Muchachos Ahora Nos Volvimos a Ilusionar,” as seen on his mother’s Instagram story. The song has become Argentina’s unofficial anthem during the World Cup and, according to ESPN , is one of Messi’s favorites.

Thiago, now 11 years old, began playing football at a young age and was a member of Barcelona’s academy, where Messi played from 2004 until 2021. In February 2020, a video of Thiago scoring a goal during his first game with the team went viral and fans quickly declared him a young protégé. He currently plays for Inter Miami’s under-12 team after a stint at Paris Saint-Germain’s academy.

Mateo Messi Roccuzzo, 8

Antonela Roccuzzo’s Instagram

Messi and Roccuzzo welcomed their second son, Mateo, on September 11, 2015.

“Mateo is very special, he is always doing new things, things that attract attention,” Messi said of his middle son in a 2019 interview.

And while the football star describes Thiago as the “calm” brother, Messi says Mateo imitates his own competitiveness. “Mateo is just like me when I was a kid, he doesn’t like to lose anything,” Messi told Argentine journalist Sebastian Vignolo.

Although Mateo loves to win, Messi doesn’t let victory come easy for his children when they play soccer together – in fact, Roccuzzo had to remind him to “let the kids win” in a funny video he posted on Instagram in April 2022.

Mateo’s competitive spirit also applies to his father’s football career. Following Messi and his team’s shocking defeat to Saudi Arabia in November, the athlete told reporters that Mateo left the stadium in tears. “My family suffers the same as all Argentines, but we are happy and we feel comfortable again because now our progress depends on us,” he said.

Antonela Roccuzzo’s Instagram

In honor of Mateo’s eighth birthday, Roccuzzo posted a sweet tribute on Instagram. “We love you infinitely Matu 8 years stealing hearts,” she wrote in Spanish along with some fun photos of Mateo.

Ciro Messi Roccuzzo, 6

Antonela Roccuzzo’s Instagram

Ciro, Messi and Roccuzzo’s third child, was born on March 10, 2018.

Both his father and mother have tattoos dedicated to their youngest son: Messi has Ciro’s name and date of birth inscribed on his calf, along with his brother’s names, while Roccuzzo has “Ciro” tattooed on his arm.

Messi says Ciro is still developing his personality. However, he already resembles his older brother. “He copies Mateo a lot and I get attacked a lot,” Messi said in October 2022.

When Ciro was just eight months old, Messi described the birth of his three children as “life-changing” to Sports Illustrated . “I am ecstatic about the family we have been able to create,” he wrote in an essay for the outlet.

However, there was one important goal he was still striving to achieve at the time: “Of course, outside of my family, nothing would make me happier than winning my first World Cup with Argentina in 2018,” he wrote.

Just four years later, she would celebrate her first World Cup victory, with her three children by her side.

On March 10, 2023, Roccuzzo celebrated the little boy’s fifth birthday with a sweet Instagram post. She shared a recent photo of Ciro wearing a number 10 soccer jersey, as well as a snapshot of him as a baby. “Forever our Baby,” she wrote in the caption.