LIONEL MESSI has played alongside some of football’s greatest stars but the Barcelona icon has proven his greatest teammate will forever be his wife.
The Argentine superstar – who is known for his shy persona – gushed about his childhood sweetheart Antonella Roccuzzo in a rare personal interview.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner has three sons – Thiago, Mateo and Ciro – with the 31-year-old model whom he married in July 2017.
And when asked what he admires most about Antonella, Messi told MARCA: “The truth is that (I admire) everything.
“She has many good qualities: how she gets by on a daily basis; her personality; she is always in a good mood; and she always faces up to problems in an admirable way.
“She is a very intelligent person who is great in all aspects of life.
“Thiago, despite his age as he will turn seven now, is a very mature and very intelligent person. He is a gentleman. And Ciro is similar to Mateo, or maybe worse, we’ll see.”
Messi, 32, has lived in Barcelona since he was a teenager but he admitted that his go-to food and drink have rarely changed as he grew up.
He added: “I always said (favourite dish is a) roast, milanesa (breaded meat fillet) or pasta.
The type of food that I like is something very simple.
“I like a hot and bitter mate. I used to drink it sweet, but then I got used to the bitterness and I drink it like that.”
Long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo revealed his guilty pleasure is a pizza shared with his son earlier this month.
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And Messi confessed that his weakness is chocolate as he opened up on obsession with everyone in his family having the same seats around the breakfast table.
He said: “A little chocolate, dulce de leche (caramel) or ice cream. I like anything that is sweet. I try not to at too much of it, but I like it.