Lionel Messi Wife: Antonela Roccuzzo Was His Childhood Friend Before Becoming the Mother of His Children

Lionel Messi has now moved to Miami and is getting himself comfortable in his new South Florida home. However, he is not alone, as his wife, Antonela Roccuzzo, and their kids also moved in with him.

"La Pulga" and Antonela got married in 2017, though they actually knew each other for much, much longer. They are actually childhood friends. They met as kids back in their hometown of Rosario, Argentina. However, they got separated when Messi had to leave Argentina as a teen to get better opportunities in Spain.

As fate would have it, though, the two met once again in Argentina after the death of Antonela's best friend, Ursula Notz, who died in a car crash. Antonela continued advocating for traffic awareness in Rosario after her best friend's death, according to People Magazine.

After Notz passed away, it was Lionel Messi who comforted her, even flying back to Argentina to console his childhood friend. Around that time, he was already playing for FC Barcelona but not yet the superstar that he is today.

Lionel Messi-Antonela Roccuzzo Wedding Was Dubbed 'Argentina's Wedding of the Century'

Lionel Messi and Antonella Roccuzzo's reunion happened in 2005. However, the pair only officially confirmed their relationship in 2009 when they attended a carnival in Sitges after a Barcelona-Espanyol derby. This was then followed by the birth of two of their sons, Thiago, in 2012 and Mateo, in 2015.

After two of their sons were born, they finally got married in a lavish wedding ceremony in their hometown, Rosario, in 2017. It was so grandiose that the local media called it "Argentina's wedding of the century," and it seems that it lived up to the hype.

Plenty of celebrities attended the event, including all of Lionel Messi's teammates at FC Barcelona. According to Grazia, Shakira was also in attendance along with her then-partner Gerard Pique, as he was one of Messi's teammates at that time.

Antonela and Lio's third son, Ciro, was born in 2018 after his parents got married. All three of them are soccer enthusiasts, with the eldest, Thiago, already following in his father's footsteps.

Antonela Roccuzzo Adjusting to Life in Miami

To be with her husband, Antonela moved to wherever Lionel Messi played for, including Barcelona and Paris, when he signed with Paris Saint-Germaine. Now, she is living in South Florida as her husband has now officially signed with Inter Miami.

Just a few days after they moved, Messi and his entire family, including Antonela, were spotted shopping at a local chain grocery store. This means that she is now adjusting to her new life in Miami.

Antonela Roccuzzo, who was a model in Argentina before she and Messi officially came out as a couple, stole the spotlight during Inter Miami's game against Atlanta United. According to the New York Post, she was seen going wild as Inter Miami demolished their opponents in a 4-0 victory.

READ MORE: Lionel Messi Height Shows Big Things Come in Small Packages

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

WATCH: Abeille Royale: The Scalp & Hair Ritual with Antonela Roccuzzo | GUERLAIN