Meet Lionel Messi's Parents, Jorge Messi and Celia Cuccittini
Meet Lionel Messi's Parents, Jorge Messi and Celia Cuccittini
Nasha Smith, Emily KrauserFri, July 3, 2026 at 9:00 PM UTC
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From left: Jorge Messi, Lionel Messi and Celia Cuccittini in a photo shared on Instagram on July 27, 2017Credit: Jorge Messi Instagram -
Lionel Messi and his three siblings were raised by their parents, Jorge Messi and Celia Cuccittini, in Rosario, Argentina
His father was a metal factory supervisor, while his mom previously worked part-time as a house cleaner and at a magnet factory
Jorge became his son's official agent and business manager in the early 2000s
Lionel Messi has unwavering support from his parents, Jorge Messi and Celia Cuccittini.
Affectionately known as "Leo," Lionel's mom and dad played a pivotal role in shaping his career, helping the 2026 FIFA World Cup player become the most decorated player in soccer and one of the greatest in the sport's history.
The Argentine national team captain, born on June 24, 1987, has won a record-setting eight Ballon d'Or trophies. Lionel's extensive trophy case also includes 10 LaLiga titles, three UEFA Champions League titles, six European Golden Shoes and a gold medal from the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics.
Lionel's mother and father have cheered him on every step of the way, but for them, the accolades are secondary to their son's character. "I always say the same: What makes me proud is who Leo is as a person," Jorge shared in Bruno Pisano's 2011 book My Son the Soccer Player: The Secrets of the World's Greatest Players as Told by Their Parents, according to Soccer America.
Jorge continued, "Of course, as he's triumphed in the sport of soccer, we are proud of him, but what we care about most is that he's a good person. [We] are all proud of him for that," adding, "His success elsewhere is a consequence of who he is."
Celia has also openly sung her son's praises. "Leo is a divine son, a beautiful brother, a better father and an incredible husband," she said on the show El Diario de Mariana in June 2018 (via ESPN).
From growing their family to supporting their son's career, here's everything to know about Lionel Messi's parents, Jorge Messi and Celia Cuccittini.
Jorge and Celia share four children
Clockwise from bottom left: María Sol Messi, Lionel Messi, Rodrigo Messi and Matías Messi in a photo shared on Instagram on Aug. 16, 2020Credit: Jorge Messi Instagram
In addition to Lionel, Jorge and Celia are the parents of two older sons, Rodrigo and Matías, and a daughter, María Sol.
Though they have a famous brother, Lionel's siblings prefer to remain out of the spotlight.
Lionel and his mom are close
Lionel Messi and his mom Celia Cuccittini in a photo shared for Celia's birthday on Instagram on Jan. 23, 2016Credit: Lionel Messi Instagram
When Lionel started his career in Barcelona, Jorge and Celia initially moved their family to Spain. Eventually, though, Celia returned to Argentina with his three siblings, leaving him with Jorge.
Celia's departure left the future superstar despondent. Lionel has shared that he often cried at night when he was alone, and it was also a difficult time for his dad.
"Leo needs his mother, and I needed to see my daughter," Jorge told Sports Illustrated in June 2010. "The first three years, Leo saw his mother only every four months."
Lionel added, "It was very tough for me. There were moments when I was really sad and homesick, but I never thought of leaving. I knew I wanted to stay and keep playing."
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Throughout his career, Lionel has found creative ways to honor his mother, no matter how costly. In January 2011, the prolific forward was fined and given a yellow card for lifting his jersey in front of a camera to reveal an undershirt with the handwritten words, "Feliz cumple mami!" (Translation: "Happy birthday mommy!"), according to The San Diego Union-Tribune.
Lionel paid tribute to Celia with a tattoo
A tattoo of Lionel Messi's mom is seen on his back following a training session at the Bangabandhu National Stadium in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on Sept. 5, 2011Credit: MUNIR UZ ZAMAN/AFP/Getty
Lionel's left foot is legendary, but his body art is also an attention grabber. The athlete's tattoos include his famous No. 10 on his shin and the names and birthdates of his three sons — whom he shares with wife Antonela Roccuzzo — above his right ankle.
One of the first bits of ink added to his body, however, was a portrait of his mother Celia, which sits on the Inter Miami star's left shoulder blade.
Jorge has guided Lionel's career from the beginning
Lionel Messi takes a selfie with his dad Jorge Messi in a photo shared on Instagram in January 2018Credit: Jorge Messi Instagram
The Argentine player has had one of the most impressive careers in sports history, and it all started with his dad.
Jorge coached at the local Grandoli club, where a young Lionel played before graduating to Newell's Old Boys, a prominent club. At the time, the budding prodigy was diagnosed with a growth deficiency and needed an expensive hormone treatment, according to The Athletic.
Unable to foot the bill, Jorge took his son to Spain, where he convinced officials at FC Barcelona to pay for the future star's treatment, per The Guardian. As his son has risen through the soccer ranks, the family patriarch — who was a metal factory supervisor in Argentina — has taken on the role of agent, negotiating contracts on Lionel's behalf.
Lionel Messi with his father, Jorge Messi (center), after the award ceremony at the World Cup in Qatar on Dec. 18, 2022.Credit: Robert Michael/picture alliance/Getty
Although their son has amassed a slew of accolades, Jorge and Celia have said they never pushed Lionel into a professional soccer career.
"We never really thought about it until he was 11 years old, and then he thought that he'd dedicate himself to soccer," Jorge told Pisano in 2011. Jorge continued, "He always played for fun, and we were happy to see him play not because we thought he'd be a triumphant success but simply because he enjoyed it and did it well."
Reflecting on encouraging her son in the World Cup, Celia shared with El Diario de Mariana in 2018: "I told him to enjoy himself, to live in the moment and be happy. I told him to do what he knows, to play just as if he was playing when he started out with Grandoli. All the family here is supporting him."
They are protective of Lionel
From left: Jorge Messi, Lionel Messi and Celia Cuccittini in a photo shared on Instagram on July 27, 2017Credit: Jorge Messi Instagram
Jorge and Celia are incredibly supportive of their youngest son, and Jorge often comes to Lionel's defense when he believes his son is being unfairly criticized. Such was the case in 2010, when Lionel drew criticism from Argentines for the national team's failure to advance past the World Cup quarterfinals.
"More than 100 players were called up for the national team, and only one was to blame?" he told Sports Illustrated. "It's unfair. Leo has never gotten used to the situation here in Argentina. It's really tough for him to be in Barcelona, where he's really loved, and then come here and hear all that criticism."
Although Celia generally stays out of the spotlight, she opened up in her rare interview with El Diario de Mariana about how the family fares with the scrutiny Lionel can face.
"We suffer from all the criticism that Leo receives," Celia said on the show. "When people say that he doesn't feel it or that he plays for the national team out of obligation, that hurts as a mother and as a family. Luckily, people love him a lot, and they transmit that to him, and he values this a lot. As a mother, I do, too."
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
