It was a moment nearly 40 years in the making. After Inter Miami‘s decisive 3-1 win over LAFC in the Concacaf Champions Cup, Lionel Messi walked off the pitch at Chase Stadium into the arms of someone who unknowingly shaped his identity long before he became football’s global icon: Lionel Richie.
The pop and soul legend was waiting backstage, where the two finally shared a laugh, a hug, and a short but meaningful exchange. Richie, now 75, had long heard the rumor. That a young Argentine phenom who would go on to win the World Cup and eight Ballon d’Ors was actually named after him. Not a coincidence, not a stretch, just the simple truth.
The singer behind Messi’s first name
Messi’s mother, Celia Cuccittini, confirmed it more than a decade go: she and her husband Jorge admired Richie so much that they named their son in his honor. The original choice had been “Leonel,” but Jorge swapped the “e” for an “i,” giving the world “Lionel” Messi.
“I always liked the name Leonel,” Celia once told Telefe back in 2010. “When Jorge put it, he put Lio! When he came, I almost killed him,” she laughed. “But we liked Lionel Richie a lot.”
Richie, whose music soundtracked generations with hits like Hello and All Night Long, seemed as delighted by the story as Messi was to finally meet him. “When Lionel meets Lionel! Mom named him after me… and here we are,” Richie posted on Instagram, alongside smiling photos of their meeting. “It was great to meet you after all these years.”
At first, Richie assumed it was just a quirky myth. But when he looked into the origin and read Celia’s own words, he realized it was real. “It’s true!” he said. “And it’s wild!”
During their conversation, Richie cracked, “I understand that he can’t sing, but I would like to announce that I can’t play soccer. So let’s be best friends.” Messi reportedly laughed, easing into the strange, surreal joy of meeting the man who unknowingly helped name him.
The moment was brief, but it was deeply personal. Not a sponsorship. Not a promotional push. Just two men—one born from melody, the other from magic on grass—sharing a moment of mutual recognition.
