One of the most prominent country music stars of recent times is undoubtedly Blake Shelton. Despite raising his profile after his work on the TV show The Voice, the star has had a string of notable relationships that have not been so clear-cut.
Relationship History
After two marriages that have both ended up in divorce, Shelton remains childless. The closest he got to having a kid was during the time he was married to Miranda Lambert. However, they ended up breaking up instead. What happened?
Work Flirt
Shelton’s most recent relationship has been with No Doubt’s very own Gwen Stefani. The pair met while working together on The Voice and for Blake, Gwen was a fantastic addition to the judging panel. They never anticipated that they would fall in love under these circ*mstances. According to one of their friends, it was love at first sight. “They have spent time together off-set,” the friend said. “They don’t want to label anything or define it, they just really like each other.”
Seeds of Love
It didn’t take long before fans of the show suspected that Gwen Stefani and Shelton were romantically involved. One evening, the pair went on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, and as soon as they engaged in a lip-sync battle, the crowd knew what was up. These two were meant to be together. “The chemistry between them is off the charts. Everyone on set sees that Blake and Gwen are falling for one another,” a source from The Voice claimed.
Tragedy or Opportunity?
But during this time, neither Blake Shelton nor Gwen Stefani was single. Both were in relationships at the time, meaning that any potential for a relationship was completely off the table. Blake was married to Miranda Lambert, while the No Doubt singer was married to Gavin Rossdale. Then, in 2015, the unthinkable happened. Within the space of a month, both Gwen and Blake divorced from their respective spouses. The public was surprised that three kids and 13 years later Gwen’s marriage was coming to an end.
Gavin’s Outrageous Behavior
Gwen and Gavin’s relationship can be traced all the way back to 1995, which was the year that they first met. They married seven years later. However, controversy soon turned its ugly head when Gavin found out that Daisy Lowe, his goddaughter, was actually his biological daughter, who he had with designer Pearl Lowe. Despite this, Gwen didn’t let the news get to her. The couple ended up having three children. Their third child, Apollo Bowie Flynn Rossdale, was born in 2014.
Gavin Denied This Relationship
One piece of rumored news that came between Gavin and Gwen back in 2003 was that the former was believed to have been in a relationship with androgynous star Marilyn. Apparently, the couple had a long history going back to the mid-90s. It was around the time that Gavin met Gwen that he was still connected to Marilyn. She actually wrote a song dedicated to Gavin, who was forced to share the truth behind his relationship. According to him, it was “part of growing up.”
The Last Straw
Like most traditional couples, celebrities who are in love also have nannies to help care for their children while they are on the road. However, one of Gavin and Gwen’s nannies caused a huge rift between the two. Australian Mindy Mann actually had an affair with Gavin for many years, and Gwen eventually found out about it. When asked about how she felt after finding out about the shocking revelation, Gwen called it “a year that was so full of horror – the worst, worst.”
Cutting All Ties
Naturally, Gwen Stefani was completely and utterly shocked after finding out about Gavin’s affair and was determined to get away from him. Their home would never be the same, and everything about it haunted Gwen. The entire home, including the pool, the kitchen and of course, their bedroom, just felt wrong. Many didn’t actually know that Stefani had changed her name to Rossdale after getting married. Now was the time to change her name back to Stefani.
Divorce Diet
Divorce was one big thing that Gwen and Blake could relate to each other on a lot. Just like Gwen, Blake’s divorce took a huge emotional toll on him, and he needed to work hard to get over it. When he went on America’s Morning Show, the public understood how he felt. One thing that Blake did after getting divorced was lose a lot of weight. However, according to him, he didn’t consciously choose to. “I just stopped eating,” he said.
Turning Things Around
Although he struggled a lot after his divorce, Blake has bounced back in a big way. Despite the raw emotions he felt initially, it was only a matter of months before he claimed to be back in a “good place.” In an interview on the CMT Hot 20 Countdownhe said, “It’s amazing how quickly life can turn around for you.” However, he followed up by saying that he “had some pretty cool things in recent times that’ve happened and I’m loving it.”
Letting it Slip
When it comes to Blake and Gwen’s chemistry, it was easy for the public to figure out. There were clues all over social media that something was bubbling between the two. One day, when Blake entered New York City’s Four Seasons hotel, Gwen followed him in a few minutes later. It was just a matter of days later that the two went to a Halloween party organized by Jared Leto. In the very same week, the pair were seen holding hands at Adam Levine’s party.
Making it Official
When the time was right to go public, Blake and Gwen knew exactly when and where to do it. When the Country Music Awards in Nashville came around, the couple decided to go together. It was incredibly short notice, and Gwen was worried that she wouldn’t look prepared for her appearance. So when she attended just the after-party with Blake, the public got the wrong end of the stick and assumed that she was trying to avoid his ex, Miranda.
Not Everyone Was Happy
Despite the early public scrutiny, Gwen didn’t really care. She was having an awesome time with her new love, claiming that he “made her feel good again.” However, not everyone came out of this completely change happy; most notably, Gavin. It was clear that Gwen still felt bitter after what happened, referring to Gavin as a “control freak.” According to Gavin, the new couple treated him poorly, with one reporter claiming that Gwen “just didn’t let [Gavin] work.”
Christina Aguilera: No, Doubt
Blake knew that he would need advice to make sure that his new relationship didn’t end up going the same way as his previous one. Therefore, he turned to Christina Aguilera, who he had worked with on The Voice. However, Christina laughed when he mentioned Gwen, believing that he was joking. Then, when he proved to her that they were seeing each other, she turned around and said the following: “Everyone deserves to be happy, and I’m glad we’re keeping it in the family [of Voice co-stars]!”
Country Music Reactions
Life under the public microscope can be tough, but it gets even worse when you start dating again. After his messy divorce from Miranda, many people wondered what Blake’s friends thought of his new love – a decidedly un-country songstress. Blake’s friend Rich, the frontman for the band Lonestar, made things clear. “I love Gwen Stefani,” Rich said, “we all love her… happiness reigns at the end of the day.” This must have been a major relief for Blake!
Wedding Bells?
The torrid love affair quickly turned serious – enough so that rumors began swirling about upcoming nuptials. Although the pair still isn’t officially engaged (meaning they haven’t posted anything on social media), apparently, Gwen has already added celebrity wedding planner Jerri Woolworth to the Stefani payroll. But sometimes art imitates life, so Blake’s song about an older couple marrying later in life, called “I’ll Name The Dogs” seems to be hinting at some serious commitment in the near future.
Adam Levine Feels Sick
The Voice co-judge Adam Levine had quite a mouthful about the happy couple’s day-to-day antics on the show’s set. “I see it every day. I have a pretty unique perspective on it, and it’s real, man. I’m so affectionate and gross with my wife- this is a whole other level of…vomit.” Adam also said, “They’re so in love it’s disgusting.” But as the expression goes: first comes love, then comes marriage, then comes baby…?
Trying Hard
Instead of taking time off to nurture their newly blossoming romance, the music power couple has kept up with their careers. They’ve channeled their love into creative projects, like when Blake sang duets on many of Gwen’s holiday album songs, including the smash hit single “You Make It Feel Like Christmas.” However, sometimes career isn’t satisfying enough. Despite the fact that Gwen is just a stone’s throw away from 50 years old, a source said she’s “hyper-focused on getting pregnant.”
Never Too Old to Be a Mom
According to In Touch Weekly, Gwen’s ready to continue growing her brood with Blake by using medical intervention. Even though she has money for the best doctors available, Gwen is still up against some pretty stiff odds by trying to conceive at her age. However, a source close to the couple said that“they believe that God has a bigger plan for her, and that includes getting pregnant.” Only time will tell if we see some more Shelton kids!
Marriage in Jeopardy?
While the rumors of expanding their family heat up, the actual nuptials seem to be on the back burner. We think this might be because Blake is still doing damage control after his second divorce. A friend of the couple said to In Touch Weekly that “Blake had hoped that time would ease the pain of the divorce…but sadly, it just hasn’t.” Two years have already passed since the marriage ended, but “Blake admits he’s still devastated.”
Rehab Lawsuit
There’s nothing quite like getting kicked when you’re already down, and unfortunately for poor Blake, the tabloids seized the opportunity to make his tough time even tougher. In Touch magazine crowed that it was “Rehab for Blake.” The article claimed that Blake’s drinking had spiraled out of control and that he had even started drinking before 11 in the morning. Shelton took the yellow journalists to court and nailed them! The judge said the magazine was guilty of libel.
Blake’s First Big Love
Kaynette Gern was the original Mrs. Shelton, having been Blake’s hometown high school sweetheart. Blake swore to Kaynette and her parents that “Kaynette was the one.” Kaynette felt like she had the world on her shoulders, performing both the duties of a wife and a country music superstar’s manager and personal assistant. Their split came only three years after the nuptials, and Kaynette stated on the record that Blake had engaged in “inappropriate marital conduct.”
Kaynette Picks Up the Pieces
Kaynette high-tailed it back to her home stateof Oklahoma and was devastated to see Blake around town with his new paramour. Kaynette lamented, “It just felt like Oklahoma wasn’t big enough for all of us.” Kaynette needed time and space to heal, and ended up auctioning off her wedding dress on eBay! That’s one way to get rid of the memories. She’s resumed a fairly normal life, working at an elementary school and remarrying a non-famous man.
Unethical Thoughts
Blake was married when he and Miranda started their love affair, which might explain the crash and burn. When they sang a duet at the CMT awards, Blake had an epiphany, saying “I was falling in love with her right there onstage.” Blake felt guilty, knowing that he was violating his wedding vows. He said in an interview that he “was a married guy… standing up there going, ‘Man, this shouldn’t be happening.'” But the heart wants what the heart wants.
The Second Mrs. Shelton
At heart, despite all of the fame, Blake Shelton is still a good old country boy at heart. So naturally, he asked Miranda’s father for her hand in marriage before proposing. He happily agreed, and just one year after getting engaged, the two got hitched in a down-home Texas wedding. Even though it was a star-studded event, with Kelly Clarkson, CeeLo Green, and Reba McEntire in attendance, Miranda kept it simple and wore her mom’s wedding dress.
Missing Each Other
Maybe warning bells should have started ringing once the couple understood exactly how much time they’d be spending away from each other. Miranda was touring internationally, and Blake stayed at home, recording in the studio. Initially, Miranda believed that absence makes the heart grow fonder. It’s always good to have some space to miss each other, the popular reasoning goes. When she’d visit the studio, Blake’s musicians would tell her that “Blake’s been talking about you so much.”
He Changed His Ways
When you’re a celebrity power couple, sometimes work takes you to entirely different corners of the country. But Blake decided to prioritize being physically near his wife, even if it meant missing out. “Early on in my career I wouldn’t say no to anything, because any little opportunity I got I thought might be the last one,” Blake said in an interview. “I got a wife now. I say no to the things that might not matter as much.”
A Bun in the Oven?
After Blake and Miranda had been together for two full years, rumors began to emerge regarding when the music power couple would announce a baby on the way. When Blake was asked directly about the matter, he responded by saying that the couple, “[didn’t] have any plans on it. That’s kinda how [they] live [their lives]. If it happens one day, then it happens, and we’re not trying to make it happen or avoid it.” This didn’t mean that the country star didn’t want kids.
Divorce Is Not an Option
Blake and Miranda have always found themselves dealing with some kind of tabloid rumors. In 2013, Life & Style magazine started releasing false reports of Shelton’s infidelity to Miranda. Luckily, Blake and Miranda always knew to trust each other far more than any magazine headline. When asked about the magazine, Blake stated, “I have an album coming out! Put my album right next to it and pick it up.” Meanwhile, Lambert said, “My mom said to my dad, ‘Divorce is not an option.'”
Something Clearly Wrong
Back in July 2015, Miranda was playing a show at the Cheyenne Frontier Days in Wyoming. While she was in the middle of her powerful hit “The House That Built Me,” Miranda found herself overcome with emotion and unable to finish the song, so she requested her fans to help her get through it. Blake had given the song to Miranda, and with the final steps of their divorce just two days away, Miranda felt everything hit her at once.
Poking Holes
As the news spread about Blake and Miranda’s split, fans and tabloid magazines began to speculate what could have gone wrong. One of the biggest theories involved Blake’s role on The Voice. Because he had been spending so much time filming the singing competition in Los Angeles, a city which Miranda despises, the couple had been spending less and less time together. Miranda felt that Blake wasn’t putting in enough effort to visit her. There was more to the story than meets the eye, however.
Blake’s Accusations
Fans would soon learn that in the end, the divorce was actually filed by Blake. According to TMZ, Blake had discovered that Miranda was involved in numerous affairs behind his back. Once Blake found out about Miranda’s indiscretions, he decided the time had come to get a divorce. Because the couple had agreed to sign a prenup before tying the knot, the divorce was easy from a legal standpoint. Unfortunately, Miranda would soon go public with her own allegations against Blake.
Turn it Around
According to Miranda, Blake had only filed for divorce as an attempt to cover up his own infidelities. After hearing rumors that her cheating led to the couple’s divorce, Miranda fired back, claiming that, in reality, Blake was the unfaithful one, and that the only reason he came out unscathed in the public eye was that he managed to hire a solid PR team. As time went on, the drama would only intensify as both sides continued to slander the other.
Kicking Her (Stuff) to the Curb
Despite having signed a prenup, dividing up their belongings was a messy and challenging task for the divorced couple. Miranda began collecting all of her things from Blake’s Oklahoma house and filling up boxes. Things got so bad that at one point, Blake threatened Miranda that if she didn’t get rid of all of her stuff, he would bring it all to the dump for her. In addition, Miranda needed to figure out what to do with her animals who were still on Blake’s property.
Miranda’s New Guy
After the divorce, both parties were quick to find themselves rebounds. It was only a matter of time before the beautiful and talented Miranda Lambert found herself a new man. A few months after saying goodbye to Shelton, Miranda met Anderson East, a talented up-and-coming R&B singer. Even though East is four years younger than Miranda, the two look awfully comfortable together, especially in this photo she shared of the couple cuddling up together in Aspen with the tagline “The snuggle is real.”
Her Side of the Story
Meanwhile, Blake moved on to pop sensation, and former No Doubt lead singer Gwen Stefani. Despite Blake’s poor track record with women and relationships, his new relationship with Gwen was off to a great start. A couple of years after the big breakup, Miranda came out with an album titled The Weight of These Wings. Upon the record’s release, Lambert explained that her fans should “want to hear[her] side of the story or my opinion of what happened, it’s all on there.”
Awkward Encounters
For most people, running into an ex can be particularly awkward and unnerving. For Miranda and Blake, the two were bound to face each other eventually, mainly because both exes are famous country artists. While many fans were anticipating a confrontation between Blake and Anderson at the Academy of Country Music Awards, the two couples never met face to face. Miranda even went on to follow Gwen Stefani on Twitter, showing the world that she was over Blake at last.
Adventures of Blake and Gwen
Any parent who goes through a divorce understands that, no matter what, kids need to come first. Gwen has undoubtedly appreciated Blake’s willingness to partake in family activities and get involved in her boys’ lives. One of the family’s go-to destinations is Lake Arrowhead. In addition, Disneyland is one of their favorites. Surprisingly, before meeting Gwen, Blake had never been to the Happiest Place on Earth! To get into the spirit, he even wore a “1st Visit” button on his shirt!
Miranda’s Magical Birthday
Ever since her dramatic breakup with Blake Shelton, Miranda has been investing time in herself and finding new ways to have fun and enjoy herself. On her 32nd birthday, Miranda decided to create her own fairy tale. While she has always been a lover of animals, she knew she would never be able to fulfill her dream of riding a real-life unicorn. Instead, she did the next best thing and stuck a pink horn onto a white horse named Sophie.
Trouble on the Horizon?
Unfortunately, Miranda and Anderson’s fairytale romance came to an end in February 2018. Meanwhile, things between Blake and Gwen may also be on the rocks. While everything seems to be going well between the couple, new issues could change things. With Blake’s history of divorces and Gwen’s recent legal problems which resulted from an injured concert-goer who followed her instructions to charge towards the stage at one of her shows, only time will tell if they can weather the storm.
Wash Away the Negative
The world was eagerly waiting for Blake Shelton’s reaction to some big news that Miranda had recently revealed, but rather than take the bite, one of Shelton’s friends only had this to say,“He put Miranda in his rear view mirrorlong ago. Miranda brings nothing positive to his life. Their marriage ended and he moved on. Ever since, he is grateful every day.” In the meantime, he is as focused as ever on his romance with Gwen.
A New Ring
Since this past November, Miranda Lambert has been linked with a police officer from New York City named Brendan McLoughlin. Rather than heeding the warning signs that he might have some baggage left to deal with, Miranda jumped into the romance head first. As she revealed on Valentine’s Day on her Instagram, the two married in secret at the end of January, which they’d been hiding from the world until now. We hope it works out for them!
By Steph Silver –
Having enjoyed a dazzling career with Barcelona, PSG, and Argentina, Lionel Messi is constantly considered one of the greatest soccer players of all time. While his raw talent and unwavering dedication are unquestionable, perhaps the secret to Messi’s success lies in the love and support of his wife, Antonela. Let’s delve into the remarkable story of Lionel Messi and discover how Antonela molded him into the man he is today.
Soccer in His Veins
Since his early childhood in Rosario, Argentina, Lionel Messi knew that soccer was his passion. At the age of eight, he was recruited to join the youth system of his hometown club, Newell’s Old Boys.
During his time in the youth academy, soccer was not the only thing on Messi’s mind. While he did well to leave his mark on the pitch, Messi would soon develop friendships that would change his life as he knew it. One person who’d make an ever-lasting impact was his childhood friend, Lucas Scaglia.
Meeting Antonela
After forming a fast friendship, Lucas invited Messi to his home where he’d spend his summer with the Scaglia family. While at Lucas’s home, a young girl caught Messi’s eye.
This was none other than Lucas’s cousin, Antonela. In fact, one of Messi’s trainers once noticed the young boy waiting impatiently by the door as his teammates were changing. When he asked what the rush was, Lucas’s father told him that the weekend was approaching, meaning that Messi would get the chance to see Antonela at the Scaglia home.
Receiving Tough News
Messi first met Antonela when he and Lucas were playing Playstation at the Scaglia house. Then, both nine years old, Messi and Antonela would play together in the streets with their friends, where their friendship would bloom.
Two years later, Messi received news that could potentially jeopardize his ambition to be a professional soccer player. He was diagnosed with a growth hormone disorder. Still, he and his parents weren’t about to let that get in the way of his dreams.
Determining the Path Forward
Messi’s parents Jorge and Cecelia were dedicated to helping their son overcome his difficulties. They got their son on a regimen of nightly growth hormone injections, however, this soon proved to be highly expensive, costing several hundreds of dollars per month.
Initially, with his father’s health insurance subsidizing just the first two years of treatments, Newell’s agreed to help fund Messi’s treatment. Unfortunately, the club reneged on its promise, leaving Messi’s parents searching for a new club for their son where he could get the help he needed.
La Masia Comes Calling
Although River Plate – a team that Messi greatly admired – expressed interest in signing him, they wouldn’t agree to help finance his treatment. And so, the search for a new club continued.
Because the family had relatives in Spain, they decided to arrange a trial with FC Barcelona. Despite reservations about signing a foreign player at such a young age, Barca believed in Messi’s abilities, agreeing to welcome him to La Masia youth academy while also committing to paying for his treatments. There was just one issue…
Homesick
Despite making professional progress, Messi struggled with the idea of moving so far away from home. Suffering from homesickness, Messi spoke so little that many of his teammates believed he was mute when he first arrived at the club.
This was particularly difficult once his mother and siblings moved back to Argentina, leaving him and his father to adjust to Spanish life. He also missed his friend and love interest, Antonela. But while Messi may have become subdued due to struggling to adapt, his performances on the pitch spoke plenty.
Turning Pro
In 2003, 16-year-old Messi made his first appearance for Barcelona’s first team in a friendly game against Porto. he instantly impressed his coaches, who decided to award him a professional contract in February 2004.
After playing a season for the B team, Messi would make his competitive league debut for the first team in 2005, with coach Frank Rijkaard putting him on the right wing; a position in which Messi would flourish. But as he began to flourish as Barcelona’s new boy wonder, tragedy struck back home in Argentina.
Suffering a Loss
As Messi prospered as an exciting young player at one of the world’s greatest soccer teams, Antonela was back in Rosario, where she was studying dental medicine. But as she embarked on her promising academic journey, a personal tragedy brought her world to a standstill.
Antonela was heartbroken to hear that her best friend had passed away in a car accident. Once news of the tragedy reached Messi, he knew that he couldn’t leave Antonela to grieve on her own. Thus, Messi was on the next flight out to Argentina.
Reuniting With Antonela
Upon arriving back in Argentina, Messi reunited with Antonela after years of being apart. Naturally, the pair rekindled their connection, this time being of an age when romantic feelings could get involved.
During their time together, Messi and Antonela realized just how special their connection is, so much so that they never wanted to be apart again. And so, Antonela traveled to Spain with Messi, where the couple would attempt to build a life as Messi continued to pursue his career.
Back to Spain
Already one of Barcelona’s youngest-ever goalscorers in 2005, at the age of 17, Messi proved to be one of the Blaugranes’ brightest talents going into the future. In fact, club legend Ronaldinho would call Messi “little brother,” taking the teenager under his wing.
In what was Messi’s first full season as a professional, he’d go on to achieve heights that other players only dreamed of, lifting both the La Liga title as well as the coveted UEFA Champions League. But still, there was something that Messi valued even more.
Building a Life Together
Following his bright start to life at Barcelona, Messi received the opportunity of a lifetime – a call-up to the Argentinian national team. This came just in time for Messi to book his spot in the national squad for the 2006 World Cup.
While he managed to bag a goal and an assist as Argentina got to the quarterfinal, Messi would soon achieve something even more meaningful. His soulmate, Antonela, moved in with him at his home in Castelldefels, Barcelona. Still, the couple wasn’t ready to go public just yet.
Focusing on Soccer
No matter how good it felt to finally be together, Messi and Antonela decided to keep their relationship under wraps – at least for the time being. With less attention from the press, Messi could remain focused on his already promising Barcelona career.
Since Messi’s team’s heroics in 2006, Barcelona seemed to be on a downward trend. Having not won a trophy in over a year, Messi and his teammates were determined to make 2009 their year. Needless to say, they didn’t disappoint…
A Phoenix Rising
2008 was a challenging year for Barcelona, coming third in La Liga and failing to win a trophy while also bidding farewell to club legend Ronaldinho. With the team ending the league season 18 points behind bitter rivals Real Madrid, it was clear that a shift in mentality would be needed to restore the club’s former glory.
At the start of the 2008/09 season, the club welcomed a new manager, Pep Guardiola. A former Barcelona captain and B team coach, the responsibility fell on Guardiola to revive the struggling team.
Los Campeones
Guardiola proved himself to be exactly the manager that Barcelona needed, getting the most out of Messi and Arsenal legend Thierry Henry while buying back former Barca defender Gerard Pique from Manchester United. What’s more, he promoted Sergio Busquets to the first team; a player that would go on to become a local icon.
By introducing his possession-based tiki-taka playing style to the club, Guardiola led Barcelona to the La Liga title – their first in three seasons. But the former Barca player didn’t stop there.
Kings of Europe
In addition to being crowned La Liga champions, Barca also won the Copa Del Rey, making them the undisputed best team in Spain. Still, the team hoped to conquer all of Europe by winning the coveted UEFA Champions League.
With results including a 4-0 thumping of Bayern Munich and a 5-2 win over Lyon, a dominant Barca marched into the final, where they defeated Manchester United 2-0. The second goal was a soaring header by none other than Messi himself. Suddenly, everyone knew Messi’s name.
Becoming the World’s Best
After helping Barcelona win the first-ever treble in Spanish soccer, Messi won the Ballon d’Or award, thereby being acknowledged as the best player in world soccer for the season.
In fact, Argentina legend Diego Maradona offered Messi praise, stating, “I see him as very similar to me. He’s a leader and is offering lessons in beautiful football. He has something different than any other player in the world.” While his career had certainly taken off, so too would his life with Antonela.
Telling the World
2009 proved to be the year that Messi truly became known as possibly the best soccer player in the world at the time. But not all of Messi’s big news that year stemmed from his performances on the soccer field.
Having already moved in together, Messi and Antonela decided that the time had finally come for them to go public with their relationship. The couple appeared together in front of the media at a carnival in the Catalonian town of Sitges, thereby opening the floodgates for a media storm.
Regaining His Focus
Naturally, the news of Messi’s and Antonela’s relationship hit the front pages. While it was a relief to no longer have to hide his relationship, Messi also had to focus on remaining at the top of his game despite the extra attention from the press and fans.
Understandingly for Barca, retaining their treble would prove to be a near-impossible task. Following a heartbreaking Champions League elimination in the semifinals and a disappointing round of 16 exit in the Cope Del Rey, all eyes were on the La Liga title.
Winning La Liga
In what was one of the most dominant displays in Spanish soccer history, FC Barcelona lost just one game all season as it lifted the 2009-10 La Liga trophy. What’s more, Messi scored an impressive 34 goals to grab his first-ever Golden Boot award as the league’s top scorer.
Such fine form not only ensured that Barca continued to build its legacy but also sealed Messi’s place as a key player in Argentina’s national team ahead of soccer’s greatest showcase – the World Cup.
This Time for Africa
Hosted by South Africa, the 2010 FIFA World Cup was set to be the first edition of the tournament to be hosted on African soil. Under the leadership of Diego Maradona, Messi and Argentina were determined to add a third World Cup to their nation’s trophy cabinet.
Argentina got their tournament off to a flaming start, defeating Nigeria 1-0 before thumping South Korea 4-1 and beating Greece 2-0 to emerge as group winners. Could Messi and company go the distance?
Coming Up Short
Paired up against Mexico in the round of 16, Argentina persevered in what was a hard-fought game to win 3-1, with Messi grabbing an assist. Unfortunately, a quarterfinal clash with Germany would prove all too challenging for the South Americans.
The Germans swept Messi’s team aside, putting four goals into the back of the Argentinian net with no reply. Suddenly, Argentina’s and Messi’s World Cup dream was at an end. Still, there was no time for mourning, as very soon, Messi would make a life-changing decision.
Popping the Question
While life on and off the pitch was filled with ups and downs for Messi, one thing in his life remained constant – the love and support from Antonela. It was this commitment that convinced him to ask Antonela the most pressing question there is.
In 2010, Messi proposed to Antonela, with his soulmate gladly accepting the opportunity to build their lives together. This marked the beginning of Messi’s and Antonela’s journey to building a family. Meanwhile, on the pitch, Messi had some pressing business to take care of.
Dominating El Clasico
For Barcelona, perhaps no match in world soccer is bigger than its game against heated rivals Real Madrid. With the two soccer titans constantly battling for the crown of Spanish soccer, every El Clasico game proves exciting. Still, there was one game that proved intriguing for a different reason.
On November 29th, 2010, Barcelona proved itself as the undisputed champions of Spanish soccer, thrashing Real Madrid 5-0. While this game put Barca en route to another La Liga title, the team’s Champions League campaign proved just as gripping.
Back on Top
Barcelona’s Champions League campaign proved challenging, with the team having to overcome Premier League giants Arsenal in the round of 16 before taking on Shakhtar Donetsk in the quarter-finals. The semifinals saw Barca come up against their age-old rivals – Real Madrid.
Defeating Los Blancos 2-0 away from home to secure progression to the final, Barca proved who Spain’s best team at the time truly was. In a repeat of the 2009 final, Barca defeated Manchester United, thereby returning the Champions League trophy to Barcelona for the fourth time.
Becoming a Legend
In 2012, Messi sealed his name in Barcelona’s history books. In addition to becoming the first-ever player to score five goals in a Champions League game, Messi scored his 233rd club goal, becoming FC Barcelona’s leading goalscorer of all time.
If becoming a club legend wasn’t enough, Messi would score 92 goals in 2012, the most that had ever been scored in a calendar year. What’s more, he also won his fourth Ballon d’Or – yet another record. Still, these magnificent achievements paled in comparison to Antonela’s big news.
Becoming a Father
While it may have been the year that Messi cemented his place as one of soccer’s greatest-ever stars, 2012 was made even more special due to personal reasons. On November 2nd, 2012, Antonela’s and Messi’s son Thiago was born.
Suddenly a father, Messi’s life would never be the same again. Considering the immense challenges that awaited Messi, the love and support of Antonela and the rest of his family would become more crucial than ever for the soccer star.
Returning to the Global Stage
While Messi may have reached the greatest heights of club soccer, he was thus far unable to deliver national success to Argentina. With the 2014 World Cup on its way, Messi and the Argentinian national team began their preparations in the hopes of winning the nation’s first World Cup since 1986.
No matter how challenging the road to the final in Rio de Janeiro would be, Messi could rest assured of one thing – his dedicated wife Antonela would be in the stands, cheering him on all the way.
Chasing Glory
As Argentina’s captain, Messi and his team got their 2014 World Cup campaign off to a blazing start. Messi scored four goals as Argentina steamrolled Bosnia, Iran, and Nigeria to progress to the knockout rounds.
While Switzerland proved to be a challenging opponent, Messi provided a crucial pass to Angel di Maria who scored in extra time to send Argentina through to the quarterfinals. The Argentinians defeated Belgium 1-0 and then had to rely on a penalty shootout win against the Netherlands to book their spot in the final.
Heartbreak
With four goals and an assist to his name, Lionel Messi proved to be the best player of the tournament, winning the 2014 World Cup Golden Ball Award. Still, the real prize that was on Messi’s mind was the World Cup trophy itself.
Having come so far, Argentina was unable to score against a resolute German side. In the second half of extra time, Mario Gotze broke the deadlock, winning Germany the World Cup and leaving Argentina and Messi devastated. Would the upcoming Copa America go any better?
The Family Grows Bigger
If 2014 was a year of heartache, then 2015 would be the year that’d help Messi heal his wounds. After all, it was September 11th, 2015, that Antonela gave birth to the couple’s second son Mateo.
As the Messi family grew a little bigger, so too was the athlete’s career back on the rise. With new manager Luis Enrique breathing new life into Barcelona, Messi’s team would soon be back on track, ready to once again do the unexpected.
The Second Treble
With Luis Suarez and Neymar Jr. lining up alongside Messi in attack, Barcelona appeared to be an unstoppable force. The club won the race to the La Liga by just two points while also lifting the Copa del Rey trophy. While the treble was once an impossible feat, suddenly Barcelona looked to set win the treble for a second time.
Unbelievably, they did just that, defeating Manchester City, PSG, Bayern Munich, and Juventus en route to the Champions League trophy. Soon, Messi would shift his sights back to international glory.
The Copa America
Having lost the World Cup final, Argentina was hungry for silverware, this time competing in the Copa America tournament to determine the best team in South America. Unlike the World Cup, Messi’s influence would be far less during this competition.
Apart from a goal in the opening game against Paraguay, Messi was unable to get on the scoresheet. While his team still managed to make it to the final, a penalty shootout loss to Chile would mean that Messi would again experience heartbreak. Still, another opportunity would present itself.
Lightning Strikes Twice
In 2016, another Copa America got underway. Known as the Copa América Centenario, this commemorative tournament was hosted in celebration of the 100th anniversary of COMNEBOL, the South American Football Confederation.
Despite its commemorative nature, Argentina was still hungry to redeem itself after yet another final heartbreak. Unbelievably, the team was defeated in the third final in a row, yet again on penalties against Chile – just like a year prior. With lightning striking yet again, Messi would soon make a shocking announcement.
Stepping Down
For Messi, the pain of losing in an Argentinian shirt became too unbearable. As a result, he shocked the nation by announcing his retirement from the Argentinian national team.
While he’d been unable to bring success to his country, tens of thousands of Argentina fans across the country attended rallies in an attempt to convince him to remain in the team. While he would ultimately return, Messi first had some more pressing business to take care of.
Tying the Knot
For over seven years and having had two children together, Antonela had waited patiently to marry the love of her life. On June 30th, 2017, the big day finally arrived.
In what was a fitting decision given the couple’s long history spanning thousands of miles, Messi and Antonela got married at the city center of Rosario, their hometown where their romance began. With just 260 guests in attendance, the Messis began their lives together as a married couple.
Returning to Argentina
Following widespread pleas, Messi’s international retirement ended up being short-lived, with the Argentina captain preparing to return to the team. Messi’s return came just in time for him to lead Argentina to the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
While Messi’s return was big news for the nation, the player received some pretty enormous news of his own. In mid-2018, his now-wife Antonela revealed that she’d fallen pregnant with the couple’s third child. On March 10th, 2018, Ciro Messi was welcomed to the world.
Supporting Their Dad
As the 2018 World Cup got underway, Messi prepared to serve as Argentina’s captain in what would be his fourth World Cup. While a psychologically challenging task after so much heartbreak, Messi could rest assured that his family would be at his side.
As always, Antonela traveled with her husband to the World Cup, this time all the way to Russia. Together with the couple’s children, Antonela cheered for Messi at each of his matches. Would the extra emotional support help Argentina’s cause?
Back to the Drawing Board
For Argentina, the 2018 World Cup was a rough one. After drawing 1-1 with Iceland and suffering a shock 3-0 loss to Croatia, the team narrowly defeated Nigeria 2-1 to progress to the round of 16.
There, they faced an imposing French side, losing the game 4-3. Despite yet another tough loss, Messi’s attitude in the face of defeat was vastly different from the last World Cup. This time, he understood that he had the support of his family; feeding into it to drive future success.
Drawing Inspiration
Upon returning to Barcelona after the World Cup, Messi shared some insight into how his family has enhanced his life and his way of thinking. “As a human being, having three children changed my perspective on life, my way of thinking and it also helped me grow,” Messi explained.
The legendary soccer star also spoke of how Antonela has uplifted him, stating how she’s constantly in a good mood and how much he admires her. This support would be crucial as Messi would soon face an unprecedented change.
Barca’s Decline
While Messi had achieved plenty of glory with Barcelona, the club would soon enter a decline. In 2019, Messi was the league’s top goalscorer with 36 goals as Barca won yet another La Liga title. In 2020, however, Real Madrid would snatch Barca’s crown.
Shockingly, the team was unable to win any silverware that season. While Barca did win the Copa del Rey the following year, the club ran into deep financial trouble. Little did Messi know that his life as a Barcelona player was coming to an end.
Making His Nation Proud
As June 2021 approached, all worries about Barcelona were put aside as Copa America once again got underway. Having almost been pushed into retirement, Messi was determined to prove that his return to the international stage wasn’t a mistake.
Bagging four goals and four assists, Messi captained Argentina to the final where they were set to face mighty Brazil. Angel Di Maria scored the game’s only goal, thereby sealing the victory for Argentina. Finally, after so much heartbreak, Messi and Argentina won a trophy.
Saying Goodbye
Due to the club’s financial troubles, Barcelona didn’t have the means to renew Messi’s contract with the team. On August 10th, 2021, the entire world of soccer came to a standstill as Messi secured a move to the French club PSG.
Before leaving Barcelona, Messi delivered a heartfelt farewell speech to the club he loves. While difficult to bid farewell to, Messi would soon encounter a host of new opportunities to evolve as a soccer player and, more importantly, finally deliver glory to Argentina.
New Pastures
Upon arriving at PSG, Messi joined a star-studded lineup alongside the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Neymar Jr., and Sergio Ramos. While Messi scored just six goals in his first season in the French league, he did enough to help PSG to win the Ligue 1 title, making 15 assists in the process.
As his first season with the French giants came to an end, Messi’s sights were set yet again on World Cup glory. This time, he would be traveling to Qatar for the first-ever winter World Cup. Would Messi’s fifth outing finally yield success?
Living the Dream
Suffering a shock 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia in their opening game, Argentina’s World Cup was off to a disastrous start. Still, Messi and his teammates showed determination as they defeated Mexico, Poland, Australia, Netherlands, and Croatia to seal their place in another final.
This time, they made no mistake, defeating reigning champions France on penalties after a 3-3 draw. Named Player of the Tournament, Messi had achieved his ultimate dream – to win the World Cup. But this victory wouldn’t have come without the support of some special people.
Family Comes First
Following the victory, Antonela, who’d been watching as always, commented, “We’re so proud of you. […] Thank you for showing us […] we have to fight until the end. […] We know how much you suffered all these years, how much you wanted to achieve this.”
Throughout the highs and lows of his career, Messi always had the support of his loving wife and children. While one of the greatest soccer players in history, Messi has something even more valuable than his World Cup trophy – Antonela and his children.
