Lionel Messi’s Family: A Simple Guide to What’s Happening During the World Cup

(Photo caption: The World Cup has been a challenging time for Leo Messi, his wife Antonela Roccuzzo and family. Credit: Getty)

What’s Going On With the Messi Family?

Lionel "Leo" Messi is a world-famous soccer player. His wife, Antonela Roccuzzo, is usually seen as a calm and peaceful person. Both of them normally look very relaxed. But during the World Cup (a giant soccer tournament where countries compete), fans saw Messi cry and show big emotions.

Here are the key facts in easy-to-understand points:

• Messi’s family shared a message saying that Messi’s dad, Jorge Messi, is facing health challenges (meaning he is sick or unwell).
• Antonela has been cheering for Argentina (Messi’s home country) from the United States during the World Cup.
• The family says this is a difficult time for everyone.
• They confirmed Jorge is trying to get healthy again and asked for privacy (space away from public eyes).
• The family also said Jorge has shown good signs of improvement in recent weeks.

Important: The family gave a statement to ESPN on June 18 that said: “He is currently under medical supervision, recovering, and progressing favorably within his current condition.” They also expressed being upset about gossip: “Given the versions, rumors, and speculation that have circulated in recent hours, the family wishes to express its deep displeasure at the lack of sensitivity, respect, and scruples with which some people have treated a strictly private and family matter.”

In simple words: Messi’s dad is getting care from doctors and getting better, but the family wants people to be kind and not spread rumors.

Leo Messi’s Wife, Antonela Roccuzzo, Has Her Own Brand Deal With Adidas

Antonela has been giving fans a look at their family life during the World Cup on social media. She and Messi are parents to three kids:

• Thiago
• Mateo
• Ciro

Antonela is very popular online. She has almost 41 million followers on Instagram (a phone app where people share pictures). A group called Kalshi reported that Antonela’s Instagram post on June 22 got more likes than any other soccer player’s partner during the World Cup. That post has already passed seven million likes!

Just like her husband, Antonela has her own business partnership with Adidas (a company that makes sports clothes and shoes). This means Adidas pays or supports her to wear and talk about their products.

She told Grazia magazine (in an interview with Karli Poliziani):

“I have always admired the brand so much. So now, for me, it’s kind of like a dream come true and I just hope to fulfill expectations and do the best I can. I feel like me being part of the [Adidas] family is a step forward in terms of Leo, but also because of the kids. They are always dressing in Adidas and they love it. All the values around the brand, like sports and being healthy mentally and physically, it makes complete sense for me. They are values I really care about.”

In kid language: She loves Adidas, thinks it’s good for her family, and is happy to work with them.

Messi’s Wife, Antonela, After Argentina’s Win vs. Egypt: ‘There Are No Words Left’

Messi is a giant soccer star, but he has been open about feeling sad during this World Cup. He never said his dad’s name out loud, but it’s clear the whole family is having a hard time.

When the World Cup began, Messi said his emotions on the field were because of “difficult days.” He explained to reporters (as reported by Reuters):

“Why did I cry? It was something completely unrelated to football. I went through some difficult days. But I’m grateful to the entire delegation and my teammates because they were always by my side, giving me a lot of strength to help me get through it.”

Even though Antonela has known Messi since they were children, she still thinks his playing is amazing. After Messi helped Argentina make a surprising comeback to beat Egypt, Antonela posted on Instagram on June 8 (translated from her language):

“Let’s go Argentina . @leomessi there are no words left .”

That means she was so proud and happy she couldn’t even find words to describe it!

About the Author

Jonathan Adams is a longtime sports writer who covers the NFL (American football), NBA (basketball), and golf for Heavy.com. His work has also been shown on NFL.com, Yahoo Sports, Pro Football Talk, CBS Sports, Bleacher Report, and Sports Illustrated.

Summary

Let’s recap everything in a nutshell:

• Messi’s dad, Jorge, is ill but is under doctor care and improving; the family asks for privacy and respect.
• Messi showed tears during the World Cup because of personal hard days, not soccer.
• Wife Antonela is a social media star with nearly 41 million Instagram followers and her own Adidas deal.
• The couple has three sons: Thiago, Mateo, and Ciro.
• Antonela shared her pride after Argentina’s win against Egypt, saying “there are no words left.”
• Despite challenges, the family supports each other and wants kindness from the public.

FAQ

1. Who is Antonela Roccuzzo?
She is Lionel Messi’s wife. They have known each other since childhood and have three kids. She is big on Instagram and works with Adidas.

2. What is wrong with Messi’s father?
Jorge Messi is dealing with health problems. The family said on June 18 that he is being watched by doctors, recovering, and doing well, but they want privacy.

3. How many children do Lionel and Antonela have?
They have three boys named Thiago, Mateo, and Ciro.

4. Why was Messi crying during the World Cup?
He said it was due to personal “difficult days” unrelated to soccer, and he thanked his teammates for supporting him.

5. What was Antonela’s most-liked post?
Her June 22 Instagram post got over 7 million likes—the most of any player’s partner during the World Cup. She also posted after the Egypt win saying she had “no words left.”