"I love you" - Antonela Roccuzzo marks Lionel Messi’s 39th birthday with touching tribute during World Cup

Lionel Messi’s wife, Antonela Roccuzzo, shared a public birthday tribute to the Argentina captain on Wednesday, coinciding with his 39th birthday and the nation’s ongoing campaign at the World Cup.

In an Instagram post, Roccuzzo wrote:

“Happy birthday to the love of my life. May you be very happy today and always. We already have everything we need because we have you. I love you endlessly @leomessi.”

The message, accompanied by photographs of the couple, quickly gained traction online as attention remains fixed on Argentina’s tournament run.

The post arrives amid a demanding schedule for the Albiceleste.

At 39, Messi has continued to influence matches at the highest level, recently becoming the oldest player to both score and provide an assist in a single World Cup match.

His performances have been central to Argentina’s efforts to defend the title won in 2022, as the squad navigates the opening stages of the competition.

Roccuzzo and Messi have been together since their early teens and were married in 2017. The couple has three sons,Thiago Messi (13), Mateo Messi (10), and Ciro Messi (8).

Throughout Messi’s career, Roccuzzo has maintained a relatively private public presence, frequently described by the player and his representatives as a stabilizing influence during high-pressure tournaments.

While global coverage remains focused on his on-field contributions and record-breaking milestones, the message underscores the private commitments that have sustained him throughout his tenure as the sport’s leading figure.

Few athletes in the history of sport have sustained excellence into their late thirties the way Lionel Messi has.

Now 39, the Argentine captain continues to perform at the highest level on the world's biggest stage, a feat that further cements his place in football's pantheon.

Messi's trophy cabinet already reads like a summary of the modern game itself: a record eight Ballon d'Or awards, four UEFA Champions League titles, 10 La Liga titles, the 2021 Copa América, the 2022 FIFA World Cup, and the 2024 Copa América.

His tally of international goals and assists for Argentina stands unmatched, and his influence on the national team's golden generation has been transformative.

Yet it is his presence in major finals that has come to define the latter stage of his career.

After years of near-misses, Messi delivered on football's grandest night in Qatar 2022, lifting the World Cup trophy in a final widely regarded as one of the greatest matches ever played.

That moment, long awaited by a nation and a fanbase, completed a career that had otherwise lacked only one honour.

Now, as Argentina push deeper into the 2026 World Cup, the billionaire football star is once again at the heart of his country's ambitions.

Each appearance adds another line to a legacy already considered untouchable by many, and with every record broken, the conversation around the greatest player of all time grows quieter, with fewer voices left to argue against him.

Whatever the outcome of this tournament, Messi's enduring brilliance at 39 stands as a testament not only to his talent, but to a discipline, longevity, and competitive hunger that have come to define an era.