Messi's mother moved to tears by his retirement, wife reflects on 21-year Argentina journey

Lionel Messi's family has revealed mixed emotions following his decision to retire from international football with Argentina. His mother, Celia María Cuccittini, expressed deep sadness at the end of his national team career, while his wife, Antonela Roccuzzo, spoke of her pride in seeing him fulfill his dreams after a 21-year journey.

Messi announced on Monday that he would be leaving the Argentina national team after many years with the squad. His final match came in the 2026 World Cup final, where Argentina lost 1-0 to Spain.

During his international career, Messi played 207 matches for Argentina, scoring 125 goals and providing 68 assists. He won the World Cup and two Copa América titles with the team.

Messi described his retirement as "an extremely painful decision," but said he made it at "the right time," especially following the recent passing of his father. He added, "I gave everything I had, and I have nothing more to offer."

Messi's mother: I am still crying

Messi's mother reflected the family's emotional response to his decision, confirming that she had known about it in advance, but the announcement still had a profound impact.

Celia María Cuccittini told Argentina's América TV: "I am still crying. Even though we knew about it beforehand, the whole family is very sad, but the most important thing is for him to be happy."

She also recalled the words of her late husband, Jorge Messi, about the moment their son would stop playing: "His father always said, 'What will I do when he stops playing?' And now it all happened at once. It's incredible."

What did Antonela Roccuzzo say about Messi's retirement?

Meanwhile, Antonela Roccuzzo chose to reflect on Messi's journey with the national team, expressing her pride in watching him achieve his dreams despite the challenges he faced.

Messi's wife wrote on Instagram: "So many years, countless moments, endless joys, and many obstacles too. I saw you suffer, fall, and get back up again. I saw you persevere when things didn't go your way, and always try again. After so many years, I was lucky enough to see you achieve your dreams and live some of the happiest days of our lives."

Roccuzzo noted that their children experienced this journey and watched their father continue to pursue his goals, saying: "But there is something about this story that moves me deeply: our children grew up witnessing it with their own eyes. They saw their father fight for what he wanted, never give up, and always believe until the end. Then they were there to see you win every possible title and lift the World Cup. Maybe one day they will understand the greatness of your story."

She concluded her message with words of gratitude for being by Messi's side throughout his journey: "What a privilege it has been to live all of this with you. Our love for you knows no bounds."