When soccer superstar Lionel Messi was photographed on the sidelines of last week’s US Open Cup final with an unidentified woman, it caused quite a stir. 

Messi, now 36, missed the cup final loss by Inter Miami against Houston Dynamo due to injury, but he was there at DRV PNK Stadium to support his new team. 

The forward was seen with his beautiful wife Antonela Roccuzzo, who was seen holding their baby daughter. 

Messi smiled at the child, who was held by Antonela and dressed in a pink Inter Miami jersey that read “Papi” on the back.  

Some admirers wondered perhaps the couple, who already have three sons together, had received a daughter due to the mystery surrounding the baby’s gender. 

Bruna Alba, daughter of Messi’s colleague Jordi Alba, was once thought to be the newest member to the Messi family. 

Former Barcelona teammate Jordi Alba and his wife Romarey Ventura have three children together: Piero, Bruna, and Paolo, who was born in July, just before Alba relocated to Miami. 

Antonela and Bruna’s hug exemplifies the warmth of their friendhip. 

The families of Messi, Alba, and former Barcelona colleague and current Inter Miami player Sergio Busquets are close friends. 

Messi has been dropping hints about wanting another child with Antonela, and lately he mentioned the possibility of a girl. 

During an appearance on OLGA, Argentinian comedian Migue Granados questioned the soccer star if he and his model and influencer wife, Antonela, were thinking about expanding their family. 

And Messi hinted that a baby girl was on the way when he invited Granados to his Miami house to record the piece. 

We aren’t making any attempts, but I’m not sure [whether the plant is still open or not]. “Let’s wait and see if a girl baby comes along.”

Thiago Messi was born to Messi and Antonela in 2012, followed by Mateo in 2015 and Ciro in 2018. 

Thiago Messi, the eldest of Messi’s children, joined the Inter Miami academy in August and is already following in his famous father’s footsteps. 

Messi noted that his three boys have quite diverse personalities, but he let out that Thiago is more of a mama’s child. 

‘They’re all different,’ Messi added. “Thiago, when he comes out to play, he doesn’t look at you,” the coach said. 

‘Mateo. The audience cheers as he steps out on stage to applause. They’re not the same people at all.

Meanwhile, he said that Ciro, his youngest, is still developing into himself and is hence something of a mystery. 

He laughed, “The youngest is terrible.” “He’s only five, and he’s not yet defined,” his mother said.

‘Mateo you have to stop, he talks to you and doesn’t stop,’ Messi continued. Ciro is quieter than most people. He’ll spill the beans, but not on himself; instead, he’ll focus on the people around him.

The closeness between Thiago and his mother was further emphasized when he said, “Thiago has trouble talking much, he’s glued to Antonela…” Thiago has a soft side. 

Messi continued by praising his wife, whom he said took great pride in raising their three children. 

“She’s a wonderful mom. The fact is that she is always there for them, whereas I am sometimes absent. Even when I’m gone for a month or more, she visits every day.

In the 1990s, Messi and Antonela first crossed paths in their shared city of Rosario. Five years old was all it took for the Argentine to find his soul mate.

Lucas Scaglia, a boyhood buddy of Messi’s, was related to Antonela. These two young sweethearts ended up spending a lot of time together.

Messi and Antonela’s bond flourished while they were children, and they stayed in touch even when he moved to Barcelona when he was 13 years old. Messi and Antonela went public with their love in 2008.

The couple wed in a spectacular ceremony at a five-star hotel in downtown Rosario in 2017.