Beyond their status as one of football's most famous couples, Lionel Messi and his wife, Antonela Roccuzzo, are loving and devoted parents to their three children, one of whom celebrated his eighth birthday recently.
The Argentine footballer and his influencer spouse revealed a glimpse inside their family when they shared tributes to their youngest son, Ciro, who turned eight years old on 10 March.
Antonela expressed her happiness and gratitude for her little boy with her Instagram followers, and penned a caption alongside a collection of images celebrating the day.
"Happy birthday, Baby," the Rosario native wrote. "It's been eight years watching you grow. We are so proud of you, Ciro! We love you so much," she added in her sweet note.
To accompany the heartfelt message, the mother-of-three posted a couple of photos showing how much her "baby" had grown. In the first picture, Ciro posed in his pink Inter Miami jersey, the club where his father is the captain.
The next photo showed the young boy as a toddler, wearing an FC Barcelona jersey, the team where Messi played while he was a teenager, after signing a contract with the club on a napkin in 2000.
Antonela's post garnered plenty of reactions from her followers, who rushed to the comment section to send the WAG and her son notes of congratulations and best wishes.
Among the thousands of likes the post received were those from famous footballing figures like David Beckham, Rodrigo De Paul, and Ricardo Montaner. Additionally, Camila Galante, wife of Argentine footballer Leandro Paredes, added several heart emojis to the comments section.
In addition to Ciro, Messi and Antonela are also parents to 13-year-old Thiago, who was born in November 2012, and ten-year-old Mateo, born in September 2015. All three brothers are part of the Inter Miami CF Academy, and each competes in their respective youth category.
© InstagramAntonela Roccuzzo reveals the values she wants to instil in her children
Last May, Antonela gave a rare interview to Vogue Mexico and Latin America, in which she spoke candidly about her role as a mother.
During the chat, the 38-year-old, who has been married to Lionel Messi since 2017, said: "I want my children to have good values, to be respectful of others, and to appreciate things."
© InstagramShe continued: "It’s essential that they know we’re no better than anyone else, and we try to pass on our parents’ values to them.
"For me, the important thing is that they understand they have to respect everyone. Respect is paramount. It’s true that I have three boys, but I believe we have to talk.
"We talk a lot at home; for me, communication is crucial. Talking about social media, being involved in their daily lives, knowing what’s going on with them."
