Lionel Messi once shared that he met Antonella when they were children, and they had always liked each other.
Back then, they were close friends with a special connection. However, when Messi moved to Spain at the age of 13, they lost touch.
At 16, Messi returned to Rosario and visited Luca—Antonella’s cousin—partly as an excuse to see her again.
After reconnecting, they began chatting on MSN, and he realized the feelings they had as kids were still there.
By the time they were 19, their bond had grown into a relationship, and they officially started dating.