Lionel Messi is set to tie the knot with his childhood friend Antonella Roccuzzo in their hometown of Rosario, Argentina on June 30th. The wedding is expected to be a star-studded event, bringing together some of the biggest names in the world of football.
The owner of 5 Golden Balls truly showcased his hosting skills when he threw a wedding party for 250 VIP guests, complete with a scrumptious buffet menu. Among the guests expected to attend Messi’s wedding are his Barcelona teammates including Neymar, Luis Suarez, Ivan Rakitic, and Sergio Busquets. Former Barca captains Xavi Hernandez and Carles Puyol have also RSVP’d. Rumor has it that Argentine football legend Diego Maradona might make an appearance as well. Interestingly, Messi did not extend invitations to anyone from Barcelona’s leadership team, including former coach Luis Enrique and his assistant Juan Carlos Unzue. There’s also speculation that defender Gerard Pique might not attend due to a reported disagreement between his wife Shakira and Messi’s bride, Antonella.
Shakira is upset with Antonella for causing a rift between her close friend Nuria Tomas and Pique. Sadly, fans hoping to see Cristiano Ronaldo at Messi’s wedding will be let down as the football star is busy competing at the 2017 Confederations Cup in Russia. Instead of traditional wedding gifts, guests were encouraged to donate to Messi’s charity fund, benefiting underprivileged children worldwide.
Following his family’s move, the famous Argentine footballer is expected to head back to Spain to renew his contract with Barcelona until 2022. Interestingly, his salary will see a boost to 22 million Euros per season after taxes, establishing M10 as the top earner in the sport. This summer seems to be filled with love for many footballers, with players like Alvaro Morata, Antoine Griezmann, Phil Jones, and Matteo Darmian tying the knot. Additionally, Granit Xhaka and Memphis Depay have recently celebrated their engagement ceremonies.
