Many athletes have tattoos on their bodies, each with its own meaning. Lionel Messi is undoubtedly no exception.
Lionel Messi is one of the best soccer players in the world, so in addition to his game achievements, there are many fans who follow his personal life, which includes his tattoos. Today we’ll discuss Messi’s tattoos and speculate on their meaning. Messi doesn’t talk about them in-depth, so it’s hard to guess the meaning of some tattoos.
But some are obvious, some reflect his religious beliefs, and some represent people and things he loves.
▶ On the finger – wedding date
Messi and his wife Antonella both have their wedding date tattooed on their ring fingers: XXX-VI-XVII (30.6.17). The wedding ring is worn here.
▶ On the arm – Crown
This is a couple tattoo of Messi and his wife, Antonella Roccuzzo, who also has the “crown” tattoo on her arm. These symbolize their strong love for one other: she is his queen and he is her king.
▶ Antonella Roccuzzo’s eye and lip prints
Messi also has tattoos of Antonella’s eye and her lips.
▶ On his elbow-The Rose Window
He does his trademark pointing to the sky celebration after a goal, and if you’re paying attention, you may have noticed the rose window tattoo on his elbow. The tattoo is perfectly placed, with the point of his elbow being the center of the church and the windows inside the cathedral. It is a tribute to the Sagrada Familia church in Barcelona.
▶ JESÚS
A portrait of Jesus Christ sits at the top of the full sleeve on Leo’s right arm. A portrait of Jesus Christ sits at the top of the full sleeve on Leo’s right arm.
▶ ‘Lotus’ Tattoo
His tattoo of a Lotus Flower is a symbol and a reminder of this.
▶ Giant Clock and Timepiece Cogs
I think the two tattoos are meant to remind him of his own time flying by and that he should value it as well as spend time with his family.
▶ The Rosary
Messi’s homage to his hometown of Rosario.
▶ His Mother’s Portrait
As demonstrated with his rosary tattoo, Leo hasn’t forgotten his roots. This tattoo illustrates how much love he has for the woman who raised him.
▶ Handprints + Thiago
Thiago is his first son, and Leo has Thiago’s handprint tattooed on the back of his left thigh, symbolizing becoming a father.
▶ Mateo
Mateo is the name of Leo’s second son, and it sits vertically tattooed to the left of the Jesus portrait.
▶ Birthdates tattoo
At the bottom of his right leg sit the birthdates of the loves of his life: Antonella, Thiago, Mateo, and Ciro.
▶ Football and “10”
As we all know, Messi’s left leg has made him a legend in soccer. Probably, for this reason, there are two very important tattoos in soccer on this leg. A soccer ball and the famous number 10. Soccer is Messi’s lifelong passion, and 10 is his jersey number for the Argentine national team.
▶ ‘Map of South America and Europe’ Tattoo
This tattoo is placed on Leo’s right arm, but no one really knows its true meaning. Perhaps because he has lived on both continents.