Lionel Messi Has Brazilian Roots, Italian Genealogist's 3-Year Study Discloses
- Italian genealogy specialist Fiorenzo Santini published findings after a three-year investigation into Messi's family tree
- Santini traced Messi's great-great-grandfather to San Severino Marche in Italy, who later immigrated to Brazil as a coffee worker
- The study raises questions about whether Messi could ever have been eligible to represent Brazil at international level
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A three-year genealogical investigation has reportedly uncovered an unexpected twist in Lionel Messi's ancestry, suggesting the Argentina captain has distant Brazilian roots alongside his well-known Italian heritage.
Messi is widely regarded as one of football's greatest-ever players, having cemented his legacy through remarkable success with Argentina over the past decade.
Source: Getty Images
However, new research indicates his family history may also have links to Brazil, Argentina's fiercest football rivals.
Research Traces Messi's Ancestors Through Italy and Brazil
According to research by Italian genealogy specialist Fiorenzo Santini, published by Brazilian outlet Globo, Messi's family tree stretches back to both Italy and Brazil.
Santini's three-year investigation found that Messi's great-great-grandfather, Raniero Coccettini, was born in San Severino Marche, Italy, before emigrating to Brazil in the late 19th or early 20th century.
The family reportedly settled in São Paulo, where they worked on coffee plantations, and their surname gradually changed over time.
Messi's great-grandfather, Federico Cuccittini, was just one year old when the family relocated from Brazil to Rosario, Argentina, where Messi would eventually be born decades later.
The findings suggest Messi has Brazilian ancestry dating back four generations while also tracing his roots to Italy.
Could Messi Have Represented Brazil?
Despite the newly discovered family connection, it is highly unlikely Messi could ever have represented Brazil at international level.
When choosing his international future, Messi famously had the option of playing for either Argentina or Spain after developing at Barcelona's academy.
He ultimately chose Argentina, his country of birth.
Even if his distant Brazilian ancestry could somehow have created an eligibility pathway, Messi was already the fourth generation of his family born in Argentina, making any such scenario extremely unlikely.
Representing Brazil was never considered a realistic possibility, despite the intriguing discovery surrounding his family history.
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