"There was already a mischievous look" - Lionel Messi's ex-teammate sheds light on PSG superstar's early relationship with Antonela
Walter Vittor, who played alongside Lionel Messi at Newell's Old Boys as a boy, has opened up on the PSG superstar's early relationship with his partner Antonela Roccuzzo.
Messi has been in a relationship with Roccuzzo since 2008 and has three children with her - Thiago, Mateo and Ciro. The couple also tied the knot at a luxury hotel in Argentina in June 2017.
It is a well-known fact that the PSG superstar has known Roccuzzo since he was just five. She grew up in Rosario like Messi and was notably the cousin of Lucas Scaglia, the left-footed maestro's childhood friend and a former player.
Not much has been said about how Messi and Roccuzzo's relationship came to be. However, Vittor has now shed light on their romance, having known them both during their childhood.
Vittor had the opportunity to play alongside Messi for Newell's youth team after being invited for trials along with Facundo Roncaglia. He also developed a friendship with Roccuzzo, as he stayed at Scaglia's house during the period.
"Anto (Antonela) lived a few blocks away and after training, we would meet at Lucas (Scaglia)'s house or at grandma's, which was above the supermarket that was shot at recently," Vittor told Infobae.
Lifting the lid on Messi's early relationship with Roccuzzo, Vittor said that there was always a spark between the two.
"When they (Lionel Messi and Antonela Roccuzzo) were together, there was already a mischievous look there," Vittor added. "Obviously, it was all the innocence of the boys we were, nothing more. But then that bond ended up blossoming later on."
The supermarket mentioned by Vittor belonged to Roccuzzo's family and was recently shot last month as an alleged warning to the PSG superstar.
Walter Vittor reveals reaction upon remembering PSG superstar Lionel Messi and Antonela Roccuzzo
Lionel Messi, Antonela Roccuzzo, Walter Vittor, Lucas Scaglia and Facundo Roncaglia soon went their separate ways. Messi joined Barcelona and Roccuzzo stayed in Rosario, while Vittor went on to become a banker.
Vittor admitted that he did not realize the player making waves at Barcelona was his childhood friend. It was only when Messi's relationship with Roccuzzo became public that he remembered his connection with the couple.
"When Leo's name began to resonate, I didn't realize that I had played with him," Vittor added. "One day when they began to talk more about his life, about his best friend, his girlfriend Antonela, I began to remember and I froze. I started to tie threads and I realized that I had played with the best player in the world."
Vittor also expressed his desire to unite with Lionel Messi, now at PSG, someday.