Lionel Messi's Surprising Brazilian Heritage Revealed

The Fascinating Ancestry of Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi stands as a legendary figure in Argentinian football, celebrated not only for leading his nation to a third World Cup victory and holding the record for the most goals scored but also for being hailed as one of the greatest footballers in history. A recent investigation has unveiled an intriguing narrative about how the eight-time Ballon d'Or recipient could have represented Brazil, Argentina's fiercest rival. Historian Fiorenzo Santini conducted a three-year study, which was published by a prominent media outlet, revealing Messi's Brazilian lineage. According to the findings, Messi's great-great-grandfather on his mother's side, Ranieri Coccettini, was born in San Severino Marche, Italy. In 1899, he and his wife, Rosa Richezza, migrated to Brazil. Upon their arrival in Brazil, their surname was altered, and they eventually settled in São Paulo before relocating to Ribeirão Preto, where two of their children, including Ardirigo, were born in 1904. In 1905, the family moved to Argentina, establishing themselves in Rosario, the city where Messi was born in 1987. His grandparents, Celia Maria Cocchietini and her husband, were also born in Rosario. The researcher traced this connection through documents belonging to Celia, noting that there is no record of the family remaining in Brazil after their move. On his father's side, Messi has Italian roots as well; his paternal great-great-grandfather, Angelo Messi, emigrated from Recanati, Italy, to Rosario in 1893. While Messi's ancestry ties back to Brazil and Italy, he almost had the opportunity to represent Spain. After moving to Barcelona's La Masia at the age of 11, he was eligible for Spanish citizenship, and the Royal Spanish Football Federation sought to persuade him to play for their national team. However, Messi remained steadfast in his desire to represent Argentina, the country of his birth.