As Lionel Messi gears up for what could be his final World Cup campaign with Argentina, his wife Antonela Roccuzzo is already winning the internet. The 36-year-old model and influencer posted a stunning poolside swimsuit photo on Instagram that racked up a jaw-dropping 4.4 million likes, proving she’s a star in her own right.
Roccuzzo’s sizzling snapshot comes just as the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off, with Messi leading the defending champions through group play. The photo, which shows her relaxing by the water in a chic black swimsuit, has fans buzzing almost as much as the tournament itself. It’s the kind of viral moment that reminds everyone why she’s one of the most followed WAGs in sports, joining the ranks of other athletes’ partners who’ve made headlines with their beach-ready looks, like Erling Haaland’s girlfriend Isabel Haugseng Johansen.
Messi and Roccuzzo’s love story goes way back—they first met as kids in their hometown of Rosario, Argentina. After years of friendship, they went public with their relationship in 2009, and they’ve been inseparable ever since. The couple tied the knot in June 2017 and have two sons, Thiago and Mateo, who were born before the wedding.
While Roccuzzo is expected to attend Argentina’s matches during the World Cup, she’s already made her presence felt online. Her poolside post has sparked comparisons to other sports figures’ viral swimsuit moments, such as UFC ring girl Chrissy Blair’s white swimsuit photo and tennis star Marta Kostyuk’s Greek getaway shot.
Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni is keeping his cool ahead of the team’s opening matches against Algeria, Austria, and Jordan. “Calm because it’s just a game of football. We have the experience of the last World Cup, the first game is not fundamental. It’s important, but it doesn’t end with the first game,” Scaloni said. “We are good, we are calm. We are facing a good team with good players. But we are calm, we are arriving at a good moment.”
Messi has nothing but praise for his wife, calling her “highly intelligent and well rounded in all aspects of life” in a past interview. “My wife, Antonela, has lots of great qualities. I really admire how she deals with the day to day, she is always in a good mood and she approaches problems admirably.”
With the World Cup heating up and Roccuzzo’s Instagram game on fire, it’s clear the Messi family knows how to command attention both on and off the pitch. As Argentina aims to defend its 2022 title, all eyes will be on Messi—and his wife’s next post.
