Lionel Messi, His Wife Antonela, and Family: What’s Happening During the World Cup (Explained Simply)

A Challenging Time for the Messi Family

Lionel "Leo" Messi and his wife, Antonela Roccuzzo, are usually very calm and quiet people. But during the big soccer tournament called the World Cup (where countries play against each other), fans have seen Messi cry and show big feelings. The World Cup has been a challenging time for Leo, Antonela, and their family.

Messi’s family shared a message that Messi’s dad, Jorge Messi, is not feeling well. Antonela has been in the United States cheering for Argentina (Messi’s country) during the World Cup, but the family says it’s been a hard time.

Here is what the family told everyone:

• Jorge Messi is trying to get better and wants to be left alone (privacy).
• He has been showing good signs lately.

Important: The family said on June 18 to ESPN: “He is currently under medical supervision, recovering, and progressing favorably within his current condition.” This means doctors are watching him, he is getting better, and he is doing okay right now.

They also said they are upset about rumors: “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.” That means they don’t like that people are talking about private family stuff without kindness.

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

Antonela is giving fans a peek at their family life during the World Cup on social media. She and Messi have three children:

1. Thiago
2. Mateo
3. Ciro

Antonela is very popular on Instagram (a phone app for photos). She has almost 41 million people following her. A company called Kalshi said that her post on June 22 got more "likes" (heart taps) than any other soccer player’s partner during the World Cup. That post got over 7 million likes!

Just like her husband, Antonela has a brand deal with Adidas (a sports clothing company). This means the company works with her to wear and talk about their clothes.

She told Grazia magazine:

“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 simple words: She loves Adidas, it’s a dream to work with them, and her kids wear it too. She likes that the brand cares about exercise and being healthy in the mind and body.

Important: Antonela’s June 22 Instagram post became the most-liked post from any player’s wife or girlfriend during the World Cup, with over 7 million likes!

Antonela’s Words After Argentina Beat Egypt

Messi has been open about his feelings during the World Cup. He didn’t say his dad’s name, but it’s clear the family is going through a tough time.

When the World Cup started, Messi said his crying was because of "difficult days" not because of soccer. He told reporters (as shared 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.”

Antonela has known Messi since they were little kids. She still thinks his playing is amazing. After Messi helped Argentina come back to win against Egypt, she wrote on Instagram on June 8 (translated):

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

That means she was so happy and proud she couldn’t even talk!

About the Author

Jonathan Adams is a long-time sports writer who writes about football (NFL), basketball (NBA), and golf for Heavy.com. His work has been on NFL.com, Yahoo Sports, Pro Football Talk, CBS Sports, Bleacher Report, and Sports Illustrated.

Summary

• Messi’s dad Jorge is sick but getting better under doctor care; family wants privacy.
• Messi got emotional during World Cup due to personal hard times.
• Wife Antonela is super popular on Instagram, has 3 kids, and her own Adidas partnership.
• Her post after June 22 got the most likes among players’ partners.
• She praised Messi after Argentina’s win vs Egypt, saying “no words left”.

FAQ

Q1: Who is Antonela Roccuzzo?
A: She is Lionel Messi’s wife. They have known each other since childhood and have three kids together. She is famous on Instagram and has a deal with Adidas.

Q2: What is wrong with Messi’s father?
A: The family said Jorge Messi has health challenges and is under medical supervision (doctors are helping him). They said he is recovering and doing well lately, but they want privacy.

Q3: Why was Messi crying during the World Cup?
A: Messi said it was because of personal "difficult days" not because of soccer. He thanked his team for supporting him.

Q4: What is a brand deal?
A: It’s when a company like Adidas pays or partners with a person to wear their clothes and talk about them. Antonela has one with Adidas, just like Messi.

Q5: How did Antonela react to Argentina’s win against Egypt?
A: She posted on Instagram saying “Let’s go Argentina” and “there are no words left” with a white heart and crying face emoji, showing she was super proud of Messi.