Lionel Messi's full name is known worldwide in the sporting industry, but there's an interesting story behind it. The Argentina captain was named for an American music legend long before he was one of soccer's greatest players.
Messi's mother, Celia María Cuccittini, says the Inter Miami star was named after Grammy-winning singer Lionel Richie, which occurred just before his birth in Rosario, Argentina.
Why Was Lionel Messi Named After Lionel Richie?
Messi was born on June 24, 1987, and his parents originally planned to name him "Leonel," which is a more common spelling in Argentina.
But in an interview with Argentine television station Telefe in 2010, Celia admitted she and her husband, Jorge Messi, were both fans of Lionel Richie. Inspired by the Grammy-winning singer, she decided to name her son "Lionel" instead.
Messi's father, Jorge Messi, reportedly didn't know about the change until he saw the birth certificate. When he came home, she said she "almost killed him" but the name remained.
The outcome was Lionel Andrés Messi Cuccittini, who would go on to become a soccer legend.
Lionel Richie Eventually Met Lionel Messi
For years, the tale of the soccer trivia was one of the most popular stories in the sport's history until it finally wrapped up in 2025.
After Inter Miami's Concacaf Champions Cup victory over LAFC, Messi met Lionel Richie for the first time. The singer later posted photos of the meeting on social media, captioned: "When Lionel meets Lionel! Mom named him after me… And here we are. Great meeting you after all these years."
Richie had already admitted the story years ago, telling TMZ Sports that he was "honored" that one of the greatest soccer players in history was named after him. He even publicly encouraged Messi after Argentina's heartbreaking Copa América final defeat in 2016.
Nowadays, the name of Lionel Messi is recognized in every corner of the world. But it's not about soccer, it's about a family who loved one of America's greatest music stars.
