After an illustrious career of over 20 years, Lionel Messi is one of the most decorated players in the history of soccer. He is undisputedly regarded as one of the greatest ever soccer players of all time, if not the greatest ever.
But where did it all begin for the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner? Who are his parents? And what do we know about his mother, and the controversy surrounding her?
All these questions are answered right here.
Who is Lionel Messi’s mother Celia Cuccittini, and what job did she do?
Lionel Messi was born to parents Jorge Messi and Celia Cuccittini, in the town of Rosario in Argentina, on 24th June 1987.
Messi‘s mother, Celia Maria Cuccittini, has largely remained an unknown entity due to a lack of records regarding her birth year, her early life, and so on.
She became noticeable in the public eye only after her son became a famous soccer star, and it was only then that certain details of her life became known.
We do know that her birthday was celebrated last year on the 23rd of January, and as per reports, it was her 62nd birthday, hinting towards her birth year is 1960. Celia’s side of the family has Italian roots.
Messi’s mother birthday 🎂♥️ pic.twitter.com/QdlpfOiHTY
— HQ PHOTOS | 🇦🇷 (@ARG_HQ) January 23, 2022
Before rising to fame as the mother of a world-renowned soccer star, Celia Maria Cuccittini worked at a magnet manufacturing workshop back home in Argentina, before moving to Spain after her son was scouted and signed by FC Barcelona in 2000 and became a part of their youth system.
Later, the 62-year-old transitioned into a fashion entrepreneur and continues to be an influential one to this day.
She divorced her ex-husband and Leo’s father, Jorge.
Cuccittini also stirred up controversy in 2017 when she wore a white dress to her son’s marriage.
Cuccittini was reportedly involved in controversy surrounding Messi’s ex-girlfriend
Messi’s mother Celia was reportedly involved in a controversy with his ex-girlfriend Macarena Lemos, who is a model and whom Messi dated for a while sometime around the 2006 world cup.
Years later, in 2011, Lemos publicly singled out Celia by alleging that she encountered her at the supermarket while shopping. Lemos went as far as to accuse the soccer icon’s mother of following around in an electronics store with a frying pan in one hand and a cell phone in the other.
Ever heard of a payoff mate? Why would messi’s mother be aggressively stalking her if they weren’t involved? pic.twitter.com/I5MBfpuCFs
— Buddhala🔰🇿🇦 (@WuddhaCR7) November 2, 2022
Macarena later clarified that Messi’s mother probably had misunderstood one of the interviews that the model gave in a magazine where she talked about her relationship with Messi.
Messi’s so called Pr team https://t.co/LulB37VRsv @brfootball posted a article
In that article Macarena Lemos said this pic.twitter.com/RSFfPxrtq4— Madarchod Messi (@HonestBarkalona) March 29, 2022
Lemos revealed that Celia understood that interview to contain intimate details that the model shared with Messi at a time when she was 14 years old and he was 18 years old.
Who is Messi’s father?
The Argentine‘s father, Jorge Horacio Messi married Celia and has four children including Lionel.
During their time in Argentina when Lionel was still very young, he worked as the manager of a local steel factory. Shortly thereafter, after young Lionel joined his first youth club, Grandoli, Jorge was his coach and taught him the fundamentals of the sport.
Since moving to Spain with his son, he has been primarily working as his son’s agent since he was 14 years old.
Despite having divorced Celia, he remains an important figure in Messi’s life and career, acting as his manager and agent to this day.
