Antonela Roccuzzo & Her Football Legend Husband Met as Kids & Married in Their Hometown’s ‘Wedding of the Century’

When Lionel Messi isn't scoring goals on the pitch, he's a doting father and husband to Antonela Roccuzzo, whom he met when they were just kids.

Lionel Messi is one of the biggest and most loved football stars, with several accolades under his belt. But besides being an assassin on the pitch, he's also a big family man who married his childhood sweetheart, Antonela Roccuzzo.

Messi will go down in history as one of football's "legends." His journey started in Rosario, where he was born. He had his first touch of the ball when he was only four years old, but that was the beginning of a story that only got better with time.

By the time Messi was eight years old, he played for the local team, Newell's Old Boys. His talent was already evident, so by 13, he moved to Spain, where he slowly became a worldwide sensation.

FC Barcelona was the club to see Messi evolve into the legendary footballer he is today and watch the whole world fall in love with his skill and talent. With Barcelona alone, Messi won 35 trophies, including 4 Champions League, 10 La Liga titles, 7 Copa del Rey and more.

The whole world also got to see the nail-biting World Cup final between Argentina and France, where Messi won the trophy for his country. While he already had an impressive track record, this win was the cherry on top, especially as an athlete whio grew up in the industry.

However, before Messi became a world-known football star, he was in love with Roccuzzo, whom he met in his hometown when they were both just kids They met when the striker was playing games at his cousin's house.

Unfortunately, Messi had to leave his hometown and move to Spain to further his football career. Since he had not yet made enough money to travel between the two countries, he and Roccuzzo did not see each other until they were teenagers.

The soccer star returned to Argentina after hearing that Roccuzzo had lost her best friend in a car accident in 2005. Messi comforted her during this challenging time, and the couple eventually started dating in 2009.

"The Wedding of the Century"

Messi and Roccuzzo tied the knot in 2017, and the athlete pulled all the stops to give his wife a wedding to remember. The couple decided to celebrate their big day in Rosario, where their love story started.

The couple said their vows in front of about 260 guests at a lavish hotel and casino in the Santa Fe province. The guests were reportedly guarded by 350 provincial and federal security, with an addition of 150 journalists who covered the wedding.

The wedding also had some of the biggest celebrities and football stars in attendance, like Luis Suarez and Neymar Gerard Piqué and his then-wife Shakira. The event was described by local publications as the "wedding of the century."

Most fans and close friends of the football star thought it was admirable that Messi chose to share this significant milestone with his hometown. One of his former coaches, Enrique Domínguez, said, "A guy with affection, with memory, a grateful guy because being who he is, he could have been married in the best place in the world."

After all the years Messi and his wife spent together, the football player proudly said that there was nothing he did not love about his wife. When asked about the mother of his children, he said, "The truth is that I admire everything about Antonela."

Messi did give insight into some of his favorite things about his wife. "My wife, Antonela, has lots of great qualities. I really admire how she deals with the day-to-day; she is always in a good mood, and she approaches problems admirably," he gushed.

The couple welcomed their first child, Thiago, in 2012. Their second son, Mateo, was born in 2015, and their third son, Ciro, arrived in 2018.

Life as a Father and a New Football Club

Although Roccuzzo has dedicated her life to building her family with Messi, she had aspirations of starting a career in dentistry. She went to the National University of Rosario and completed a humanities and social sciences degree.

The mother of three had already started her postgraduate studies in dentistry but reportedly dropped out to move closer to Messi. The football player has been fortunate to have his family witness many of his career milestones.

However, since he has a very demanding career, he opened up about how he navigates spending time with his family. For Messi, it is important for him to focus and be present in the moment. As a football player, there is not much time to reflect because there is a next match to prepare for, so enjoying life as it comes is crucial.

The 36-year-old expressed, "We try to enjoy every second with them, whether watching TV, playing, or whatever. We like to stay at home and enjoy these moments."

The family has now moved to Miami as Messi has signed with the club Inter Miami, which is partially owned by another legendary footballer, David Beckham.

Messi and his family were seen celebrating his welcome to the club with the Beckham family. Roccuzzo shared a photo posing next to Beckham's wife, Victoria, as they celebrated their new venture and move to Miami.