Messi, Antonela, And “That Cup” — Viral Photos From His Sons’ Football Match Have Fans Asking Questions
No football, no trophy, no press conference just Messi being a regular football dad, and somehow the internet still found something to talk about. New photos of Lionel Messi and his wife Antonela Roccuzzo watching their sons play a youth football match have gone viral, and one particular detail in the pictures has fans buzzing all over again: that same cup Messi is almost always seen holding.
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The images show Messi and Antonela on the sidelines of what appears to be a youth academy match, watching their children play the sport that’s made their family a global name. It’s a scene that’s become familiar over the years Messi and Antonela share three sons: Thiago, the eldest, born in 2012; Mateo, born in 2015; and Ciro, the youngest, born in 2018 and the boys have grown up constantly at the center of football, whether courtside at their father’s World Cup celebrations or, now, playing the game themselves at academy level.
What caught people’s attention this time wasn’t just the sweet family moment it was that Messi, once again, was photographed holding the same distinctive gourd-shaped cup he’s famous for carrying practically everywhere.
For anyone still confused after years of seeing it in Messi’s hands on the bench, on the plane, in interviews, even mid-celebration the answer is simple: it’s called mate, a traditional South American drink made from steeped yerba mate leaves, sipped through a metal straw called a bombilla from a hollowed gourd cup. It’s not some mysterious energy potion or secret performance enhancer it’s a deeply rooted cultural ritual across Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay, closer in spirit to a shared pot of tea than to any kind of supplement.
For Messi specifically, mate has long been described as more than just a beverage it’s a personal link back to home. Since leaving Argentina as a teenager to join Barcelona’s academy, mate has reportedly remained one of his few constant companions, a small taste of home he carries with him wherever his career takes him, whether that’s Spain, France, or now Miami.
Why Nigerians (And Everyone Else) Keep Asking About It
It’s genuinely funny how often this cup resurfaces as a talking point online, years after it first went viral internationally. One reply under the post captured the recurring curiosity perfectly, jokingly asking what exactly is in “that agbo” Messi always drinks agbo being the Nigerian word for traditional herbal concoctions, often assumed to carry near-magical properties. It’s a cross-cultural joke that makes complete sense: to anyone unfamiliar with South American mate culture, watching one of the greatest footballers in history sip from the same odd-looking cup in literally every photo does look suspiciously like a secret ritual.
The truth, though, is far less mystical and arguably more wholesome it’s tradition, comfort, and routine, not a performance secret.
A Family Moment That Means A Little More Right Now
There’s also a quieter layer to why this particular set of photos is resonating. Messi recently announced his retirement from Argentina’s national team in August 2026, closing a 21-year international career that included leading Argentina to the 2026 World Cup final, though the team ultimately fell short against Spain. He continues to play club football for Inter Miami, but with international duty now behind him, moments like this quietly watching his own sons play the sport he’s spent his life mastering carry a different kind of weight than they might have a few years ago.
It’s less “global superstar spotted” and more “dad on the sidelines,” and that shift is exactly what’s making fans feel a certain way about the photos.
At the end of the day, this na simple, wholesome content Messi being Messi, cup and all, cheering his kids from the sideline like any proud father would. The internet’s fascination with “that cup” might never fully die down, but honestly, at this point, the mate gourd has basically become part of his identity, right alongside the number 10 and the Ballon d’Or collection.
