Lionel Messi is celebrating his first World Cup win with the people who mean the most.
The Argentine soccer star, 35 — who scored two goals to help secure Argentina’s win against France in the 2022 FIFA World Cup — received a big hug from two of his sons on the field. He shares three sons, Mateo, Thiago and Ciro with his wife Antonella Roccuzzo.
The sweet moment was captured on camera, with Messi on his knees enthusiastically embracing his sons with a big smile on his face. The boys wrapped their arms around him while wearing purple jerseys with their father’s name and number (10) on the back.
Ahead of the game, Messi’s son Thiago wrote down the lyrics to the song “Muchachos Ahora Nos Volvimos a Ilusionar” to show support for his father, which his mother Antonella shared on her Instagram Story, according to The Indian Express and Daily Mail.
The Argentinian soccer team was captured on video singing the song in their locker rooms after their win over Mexico in November. The song has since been adopted as Argentina’s unofficial anthem for the World Cup, with fans chanting it during the games, and it has been a particular favorite of Messi’s, per ESPN.
Argentina faced a tough battle over France in the 2022 FIFA World Cup final. The game ended up tied at 3-3, leading to a shootout to decide the winner. Argentina eventually took the win, scoring 4-2.
After the win, Roccuzzo shared several adorable pictures of the family celebrating.
“I don’t even know how to start,” she wrote in the gallery caption. “What a great pride we feel for you @leomessi Thank you for teaching us to never give up, that we have to fight it until the end IT WAS FINALLY DONE YOU ARE A WORLD CHAMPION, we know what you suffered for so many years, what you wanted to achieve this!!!”
Following the win, Messi – who initially announced in October that he would retire following the World Cup – told reporters that he has reversed his decision.
“I will not retire,” he said, per The Independent Times. “I want to continue playing as a champion.”
Messi said in an interview with Star Plus in October that he wanted to try to pick up some wins for the Argentina national soccer team, and taking the win at Copa America last year was a start, per ESPN.
“It was very important for me to win something with the national team, if not that monkey was always going to be on my back, all those lost finals,” he said.
He added: “My love of the Argentinean people is unconditional. I’m very grateful to have experienced and enjoyed everything I have. It was very special.”
-mansionglobal