Lionel Messi's three sons, Thiago, Mateo and Ciro, have a number of favourite players, including one Premier League star and four from La Liga - the league their father spent 17 years dominating
Manchester City's Erling Haaland celebrates scoring their side's second goal of the game from a penalty during the Premier League match at Craven Cottage, London
Erling Haaland was named as one of the five players Lionel Messi's sons follow
(Image: PA)
Lionel Messi has shared the top five footballers currently admired by his three sons, with only one of them playing in the Premier League. The youngsters are lucky enough to call one of the game's greatest ever players their dad.
However, Messi's children, Thiago, 12, Mateo, 9, and Ciro, 7, have their own favourite players in today's game. The Inter Miami star revealed who his boys look up to most during a recent interview with Simplemente Futbol.
Four of their favourites ply their trade in La Liga - where Messi spent the first 17 years of his professional career - including Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr, and Barcelona's dynamic duo Robert Lewandowskiand Lamine Yamal.
The lone English football representative is Erling Haaland, reflecting Messi's sons' preference for attacking players. After the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner left Europe for Miami in 2023, all three kids joined the club's academy.
While it seems unlikely that the 37-year-old will emulate LeBron James by having one of his sons as a team-mate, the forward hasn't ruled out extending his supreme career until 2026 - the year of the next World Cup.
Vinicius Junior of Real Madrid celebrates 2-0 with Kylian Mbappe of Real Madrid during the LaLiga EA Sports match between Real Madrid v Girona at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on February 23, 2025
Vinicius Jr and Kylian Mbappe have major fans in Messi's children(Image: Photo by Maria Gracia Jimenez/Soccrates/Getty Images)
Having triumphantly lifted the long-elusive trophy in 2022, conversations have swirled about whether the Argentinian skipper will hang up his international boots or guide his nation in a World Cup defence during the next tournament.
Messi played a pivotal role in securing his nation's spot for the competition, notching up six goals and providing three assists across nine qualifiers, contributing significantly to the title holder's path to the tournament hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
BARCELONA, SPAIN - OCTOBER 01: Robert Lewandowski of FC Barcelona celebrates with his team mate Lamine Yamal their team's first goal during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD2 match between FC Barcelona and BSC Young Boys at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys on October 01, 2024 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)
Barcelona's lethal duo of Robert Lewandowski and Lamine Yamal are among the favourite players of Messi's sons
While Messi steered clear of confirming what could be an unprecedented sixth World Cup appearance next year, he acknowledged his hesitation in cementing his decision.
He confessed in the interview: "The truth is, if you stop and think about it, it feels far away. But at the same time, time flies. I'll see how I feel. Of course, I think about it, but I don't want to set goals either."
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