Shakira Lauds “Extraordinary” Lionel Messi and Applauds Antonela Roccuzzo Before World Cup Final
Shakira highlights Lionel Messi’s talent and shares warm praise for Antonela Roccuzzo as Argentina prepares for the 2026 FIFA World Cup final.
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Shakira, Lionel Messi and Antonela Roccuzzo (via X and Imagn)
Shakira has praised Lionel Messi and his wife, Antonela Roccuzzo, ahead of Argentina’s FIFA World Cup final against Spain on Sunday, July 19.
The Colombian singer shared her message on Instagram Stories on July 16, one day after Messi helped Argentina defeat England 2-1 in the semifinals. Messi has scored eight goals at the tournament, tying France’s Kylian Mbappé for the tournament lead.
What @lionelmessi is doing is beyond extraordinary! It shows the values of a man who is deeply committed and disciplined, challenging time and all odds. Proving that a person is not defined by age or what others say. I know that having a woman like @antonelaroccuzzo by his side gives him the strength and inspiration to prove that!
Shakira via Instagram Stories
Messi is competing in his sixth World Cup and is preparing to play in another final with Argentina. The defending champions will face Spain at New York New Jersey Stadium. Shakira also highlighted the role of Roccuzzo, who has supported Messi throughout his career. The couple has three sons.
Roccuzzo later reshared Shakira’s message on Instagram and added a teary-eyed emoji and a white heart. Shakira will also perform during the World Cup final halftime show.
She will co-headline the first World Cup Final halftime show alongside Madonna, BTS, Justin Bieber and other performers. Coldplay frontman Chris Martin is curating the performance. The final will kick off at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday.
Lionel Messi says Argentina will give its all against Spain in the World Cup final
Lionel Messi made his final public appearance before the World Cup final on Friday during a FIFA preview event at Fanatics Fest in New York.
The event featured players and coaches from Argentina and Spain, while Tom Brady, Novak Djokovic and Kevin Durant were among the sports stars involved in the question-and-answer session.
Messi spoke about Argentina’s approach to the final, saying, “We will give it our all.” Brady also asked Messi about a viral photograph showing the Argentina star bathing Lamine Yamal as a baby. The 19-year-old is now a Spain international and will face Argentina in Sunday’s final.
Spain captain Rodri also discussed Messi during the event and said, “It goes beyond words what Messi means as a player and what he means for Argentina. Obviously, for me, he’s the greatest of all times.”
Argentina reached the final after defeating England 2-1 in the semifinals. The defending champions also came from two goals down to beat Egypt in the Round of 16 and needed extra time to defeat Cape Verde in the round of 32 and Switzerland in the quarterfinals.
Messi has previously highlighted Argentina’s ability to continue fighting throughout the tournament. “I’ve said many times: We never stop fighting.”
Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said the team would focus on the match rather than the significance of the occasion. “It’s one more game. We cannot really think about the fact that it’s a World Cup final.”
Argentina will face Spain on Sunday with the opportunity to become the first team since Brazil in 1958 and 1962 to win consecutive World Cup titles.
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