When Lionel Messi takes the field, some of his biggest fans are usually watching from the stands. The soccer superstar and his wife, Antonela Roccuzzo, are parents to three sons: Thiago, Mateo, and Ciro. The boys have grown up alongside their dad’s legendary soccer career. They’ve celebrated championships, attended World Cup matches, and are increasingly making names for themselves on the soccer field. While Messi may be one of the biggest athletes in the world, he has often said that being a husband and father is the most important part of his life. Let’s take some time and take a deeper dive into his family with five fast facts about Messi’s three sons.
1. All Three Boys Play Soccer
No one would be shocked to learn that all of Messi’s children love soccer.
Thiago, Mateo, and Ciro all play in the Inter Miami CF Academy, following in their dad’s footsteps. While Messi has said he wants his sons to pursue whatever makes them happy, it looks like all three boys have shown plenty of interest in the sport that made their dad famous.
2. Thiago Is the Oldest
Thiago Messi Roccuzzo was born on November 2, 2012, making him the oldest of the three boys.
Messi has said many times that becoming a father changed him. However, he kept it very Messi when celebrating the birth of his son. Soon after, he got his son’s name and handprints tattooed on his leg.
Like his dad, Thiago fell in love with soccer at a young age. Since then, he has spent time playing in the youth academies of Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, and now Inter Miami.
3. Mateo Is Known as the Competitive One
The second born was Mateo, who was born on September 11, 2015.
When the family talks about Mateo, they always say he is the character of the group. He also happens to be very competitive, like his father. Mateo doesn’t like to lose and isn’t the happiest when things don’t go his way, which has made him a favorite among Messi’s fans.
4. Ciro Is the Youngest Brother
Ciro was born on March 10, 2018, making him the youngest of Lionel and Antonela’s three sons.
Like his older brothers, he’s already spending plenty of time on the soccer field as part of Inter Miami’s youth academy.
Ciro happened to go viral in 2026 after helping his team win a youth championship. It wasn’t just his play on the field, but his postgame interview skills that set the Messi fandom on fire.
5. A Family Celebration
In 2022, Argentina won the World Cup. It was a historic win. Maybe photos were taken that day, but a picture of the Messi family went viral.
After Argentina defeated France in one of the most dramatic World Cup finals ever played, Messi celebrated on the field with Antonela, Thiago, Mateo, and Ciro. Mom and the boys wore Argentina jerseys with Messi’s iconic No. 10 as they soaked in the moment alongside him.
These days, the family calls Miami home, and the boys are growing up around the game that made their father a global superstar. Whether any of them eventually follow Messi into professional soccer remains to be seen, but they’re already spending plenty of time on the field. Messi might eventually have to trade in the spotlight for a seat in the stands watching his boys play the big matches someday.
