Who Are Lionel Messi's Parents? Meet His Late Father Jorge Messi and Mother Celia Cuccittini

Lionel Messi's parents have always had his back on and off the field.

The Argentine football icon was born on June 24, 1987, to Jorge Messi and Celia Cuccittini, whose support carried Lionel from his childhood in Rosario to international stardom.

"I come from a working class family, my father worked all day and we lived in a rather modest neighbourhood. But we never lacked for anything, thank God," he told France Football. "My parents instilled in me respect, especially for others, as well as hard work and humility. I grew up with these values. When I arrived in Barcelona at the age of 13, I found the same values at La Masia."

Here's everything to know about two of the people behind Lionel's success.

Jorge and Celia raised Lionel and his three siblings — Rodrigo, Matías and María Sol — in Rosario, Argentina.

The family moved to Spain when Lionel began pursuing his career in Barcelona, but Celia and Lionel's three siblings later returned to Argentina.

"As always, we made the decision as a family. I chose to stay in Barcelona because I saw I would have chances there. I was confident I would make my dream come true, and my family stuck with me, even though it was tough being apart from my mother and siblings," Lionel told sports writer Grant Wahl in 2016, per TIME.

In a 2010 interview with Sports Illustrated, Jorge revealed Leo "saw his mother only every four months" during that period.

Lionel added, "It was very tough for me. There were moments when I was really sad and homesick, but I never thought of leaving. I knew I wanted to stay and keep playing."

Before pursuing his dream in Barcelona, Lionel played for the local club Grandoli, where Jorge coached him as a child. After Lionel was diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency that required costly treatment, Jorge took him to Spain, where FC Barcelona eventually recruited him into its La Masia academy and helped cover the cost of his treatment.

Jorge and Celia were also quick to defend Lionel when he faced criticism from Argentine fans after the national team failed to advance beyond the quarterfinals of the 2010 World Cup.

Lionel's father called the backlash "unfair," explaining, "Leo has never gotten used to the situation here in Argentina. It's really tough for him to be in Barcelona, where he's really loved, and then come here and hear all that criticism."

Jorge's role in Lionel's professional life expanded as the global sports icon's career soared, eventually becoming his son's agent and business manager.

"We never really thought about it until he was 11 years old, and then he thought that he'd dedicate himself to soccer," Jorge said of his son's professional career in a 2011 interview. "He always played for fun, and we were happy to see him play not because we thought he'd be a triumphant success but simply because he enjoyed it and did it well."

Despite spending years apart from his family while pursuing his career, Lionel has remained especially close to his mother.

Over the years, he has paid tribute to Celia on social media and has a portrait of her tattooed on his left shoulder blade.

Jorge died on August 8 at a medical clinic in Rosario, Argentina, following a prolonged illness. He was 68.

Dr. Carlos Mackey, medical director of Sanatorio Centro, confirmed Jorge's death while noting that further details would be kept private out of respect for the family.

Newell's Old Boys also announced Jorge's passing in a statement, describing him as "the pillar and the person who, with vision, rigor and affection, supported the career of the best player of all time, alongside his wife, Celia Cuccittini."

"His constant accompaniment and leadership behind the scenes were fundamental to supporting Lionel's every step, from his beginnings in Malvinas to the maximum glory of world football. Thank you for teaching him to love these colors," the club added.