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When Lionel Messi made his highly anticipated move to Miami in 2023 with his wife Antonela Roccuzzo and their children Thiago, Mateo, and Ciro, all eyes were on the pitch, but behind the scenes, something more personal was unfolding. Reflecting on that transition, Roccuzzo revealed that the “warm” reception from David Beckham made a lasting impact as their family settled into their new life. She shared that the Inter Miami co-owner played a quiet but significant role in making them feel truly welcome from the start.
Antonela told Hault Living: “The biggest surprise for us was the warm welcome we received when we arrived. We knew it would be special, but it exceeded all our expectations.”
The couple feared the children might get used to their new life in the USA after moving from Europe, but they have adapted well. She said, “It has actually been very easy [adapting to life in Miami], and we’re all happy about it. Our main concern was that the kids might not like it or adjust well, but from day one, they adapted very well.”
The family had a “complicated” experience moving from Spain to France in 2021, but the children’s school quickly got them settled and comfortable. Messi also shared, “The school, too, has helped us get comfortable and get settled in in our day-to-day lives, so it was a lot easier than I thought it would be because our experience of changing from Barcelona to Paris was very complicated, and this has been completely different.”
Antonela feels at home in ‘The Magic City’ because she adores the people and the year-round sunshine. She said, “What I love the most about Miami is the climate, the people, and the landscape. All this makes you feel like you’re living in perpetual summer.”
Agreeing with Antonela, Lionel said the people “convinced” them to make the move to Miami. He added, “We were convinced we wanted to come here, and the people made it very easy; the people in the club and the people I see day to day in the streets and the amazing city, it makes living here very easy and happy.”
David is set to receive a knighthood as he is named in King Charles’ Birthday Honors list. The former England player marked his 50th birthday on May 2, and it was reported on Thursday (06/06/25) that he will be confirmed as ‘Sir’ and his wife Victoria Beckham will be made a ‘Lady’ when her husband is knighted.
David, appointed OBE by the late Queen Elizabeth for services to football, will join a select list of his fellow sports stars who have already received the honor, including the likes of the late Sir Bobby Charlton and former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson.
The former Premier League star has a long history of charitable work, which Honours Committee officials will have considered before deciding to bestow him with the honor.