Celia María Cuccittini is the mother of legendary Argentine soccer player Lionel Messi and has been by his side to celebrate many of his accolades. Although the mother and son were separated when the soccer player was young, Lionel Messi and his mother still share a close relationship.
Before the glitz and glam that came with her son's success, Celia María Cuccittini, an Argentina native, worked as a part-time house cleaner to support her family. She and her husband—a factory worker—did all they could to help Lionel Messi, who suffered from a medical condition that stunted his growth.
Fortunately, Celia María Cuccittini and her husband saw their efforts pay off as their son made history after signing for the Spanish soccer club FC Barcelona.
Celia María Cuccittini after the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Final match on December 18, 2022, in Lusail, Qatar. | Source: Getty Images
However, it hasn't always been smooth sailing for Celia María Cuccittini and her family, as it was not easy for her or her son to reunite occasionally due to his career.
Over the years, Celia has also faced allegations of alienating her famous son from his father's side of the family and putting on a facade regarding the true nature of her relationship with her son's wife.
Celia María Cuccittini and Her Husband Could Not Afford the Medication Their Son Needed When He Was Younger
As a part-time house cleaner and a factory worker, Celia and her husband only earned $1,700 to feed their family. However, when Lionel—who, according to reports, was named after one of his parents' favorite singers, Lionel Richie—was ten, Celia and her husband noticed their son wasn't growing.
The soccer player suffered from a growth-hormone deficiency that cost almost all the money his parents earned. Fortunately, FC Barcelona offered to pay for Lionel's medical treatment, which saw Celia and her family relocate to Spain.
Lionel Messi with his brother Rodrigo, sister María Sol, father Jorge, mother Celia, nephew Tomás and brother Matías on October 12, 2003, in Rosario, Argentina. | Source: Getty Images
However, her and Lionel's siblings' stay in the European country only lasted a year, as Celia later returned to Argentina, leaving her son and her husband behind. Lionel said:
"It was very tough for me. There were moments when I was really sad and homesick."
For the first three years of Lionel's professional career, he only saw Celia and his siblings every four months. And every time he returned to Spain, the soccer player was an emotional wreck. "Leo needs his mother," Jorge Messi, Lionel's father, said.
Celia María Cuccittini and Her Son Share a Close Bond
Despite the distance between Celia and her son throughout his professional career, her absence has not hindered the soccer player from commemorating special moments with his mother. After scoring against Racing Santander in 2011, Lionel lifted his soccer jersey to reveal a shirt with a message that translates in English, "Happy birthday, Mom."
That same year, Lionel debuted the tattoo he had gotten of his mother on his shoulder while on vacation. In 2022, Celia and her son pulled at spectators' heartstrings when she was seen rushing on the pitch to celebrate with her son following his FIFA World Cup win in what was described as the most "dramatic" final ever.
Celia María Cuccittini and Lionel Messi embracing following his win at the Qatar 2022 World Cup football on on December 18, 2022, in Lusail, Qatar. | Source: Getty Images
Celia María Cuccittini Has Been Accused of Causing Feuds within Her Family
In 2017, Celia's son and his childhood sweetheart, Antonella Roccuzzo, tied the knot during a lavish and star-studded wedding in Argentina. However, missing from the 260 guests was the majority of Lionel's family from his father's side, including aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents.
And Celia was alleged to be the reason why. Susana Messi, Lionel's aunt, accused Celia of causing a rift between the PSG player and the one side of his family since he found fortune and fame.
Susana further asserts that even Lionel's father feels ashamed of Celia's behavior as she was deliberately keeping her husband's side of the family at a distance. She revealed:
"She (Celia) didn't invite anyone from my family, nor from my sister's family. She is like that—she makes the orders. It's a matriarchy. I don't know if I would forgive her if she asked. Lionel obeys her mother and follows her path. It hurts."
Another source claimed there was a rift between Celia and her daughter-in-law and her family, whose supermarket in Argentina was attacked. However, Lionel Messi ended those rumors and dismissed them as "nonsense."
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