Both have had incredible careers and are currently in the top tier of football, but who had a more difficult childhood? The answer to that question will be revealed in this article, which features interviews with Messi and Ronaldo’s childhood friends. Rio Ferdinand recently opened up about the tenacity and drive that has driven the Real Madrid superstar to greatness. Here’s what we know so far.
Ronaldo
It’s hard to believe, but Ronaldo had a much harder childhood than his Barcelona teammate. Ronaldo was a poor kid in Madeira and moved to Portugal when he was eleven. He lived far from his friends and family, and he cried everyday, earning the nickname “Cry Baby”. However, he persevered and pushed himself to become the best. The difference is quite evident in their early years.
Ronaldo was born in a working class neighborhood and his parents wanted to have him aborted. Because of their poverty, their alcoholism, and fear of having too many children, his mother wanted to get rid of the baby. Doctors, however, refused to perform an abortion, and his mother ran frantically while hoping to die in her womb. Thankfully, the child was born healthy.
Messi
Did Messi or Ronaldo have a more difficult childhood? Both players had their own childhoods and were destined to become superstars. Their dreams and ambitions had them playing the game of their lives as a child. These days, they are icons and role models for young people worldwide. But how did they get to that point? Read on to find out! Hopefully you’ll agree with us.
Both Messi and Ronaldo had relatively hard childhoods, but both are fortunate to be in the limelight now. Ronaldo’s grandparents were wealthy, and their influence was well-known. His grandparents, Eusebio and Rosa Maria Perez, convinced a prominent member of the FC Barcelona’s management that Messi had the ability to become a star. They even offered to pay for his medical bills when he was just 13 years old.
Antonela Roccuzzo
Did you know that football players have harder childhoods than women? Argentine footballer Lionel Messi has a younger cousin, Antonela Roccuzzo, who grew up in Rosario. Both Roccuzzo and Messi were friends as children. In fact, Messi and Antonela were childhood sweethearts. Until their relationship was ruined by distance, they promised to spend the rest of their lives together.
Lionel and Antonela Roccuzzo met during their childhood in Rosario, Argentina. They were married when Messi stopped playing football. Eventually, they had three children and moved to Europe. Antonela was in the same stage as Messi, and they met again after a personal tragedy. Now, the two have a thriving social media following and a reality TV show.
Celia Oliveira Cuccittini
Did Messi have a tougher childhood? A recent article in The Times reported that the former Barcelona star grew up in a poor family. At age eight, Messi was recruited to play for the youth team of Newell’s Old Boys. His size made him stand out, and doctors diagnosed a hormone deficiency. His parents decided to treat him with growth hormone injections, but couldn’t afford to spend several hundred dollars a month on the treatment. River Plate refused to pay for Messi’s medical care, and the family was left with nothing.
The elder brothers of Messi taught him to kick the ball, but only Celia Oliveira Cuccitini saw the potential in the young boy. As the only member of the family who wanted their child to play football, she persuaded his parents to buy him boots. She also tasked the local soccer team to include her grandson in their match squad.
Leo Roccuzzo
The question of whether Messi or Ronaldo had a harder childhood has been on everyone’s lips for many years. The football stars met during their time at school and eventually fell in love. However, their romance was eventually overshadowed by distance and their respective careers. This is one reason why Messi’s wife Antonela Roccuzzo has become a major player in the soccer world.
After being diagnosed with cancer, Ronaldo’s childhood was not as easy as Messi’s. The Argentine was not very physically or emotionally developed until he was 14. He went through growth-hormone treatment at the age of seven, and was subsequently named the best ever youth team. After his arrival at FC Barcelona, he refused to join Arsenal and stayed with the club. His teammates Cesc Fabregas and Gerard Pique joined the club and he chose to remain at the Catalan club. He officially announced himself to the world during the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship. He won the Golden Ball, the Golden Shoe and the Olympic gold medal.
Leo Roccuzzo’s parents
The Argentine soccer superstar has often wondered whether his parents had a tougher childhood than Messi or Ronaldo. Messi’s wife Antonela Roccuzzo was involved in a relationship with another boy when the two were in their teens. But the two were friends long before their sons were famous. And seven years later, Antonela Roccuzzo and the boy began dating.
Roccuzzo, a native of Rosario, Argentina, married Messi in 2005 and gave birth to three sons, one of them is a big Luis Suarez fan. Messi’s wife, Antonella, is also an avid fan of Kylian Mbappe and Arturo Vidal. Neither Ronaldo nor Messi had a rough childhood.
Messi’s relationship with Antonela Roccuzzo
It is widely believed that Messi’s childhood was much harder than hers, and his relationship with Roccuzzo is no exception. Roccuzzo studied dentistry in Rosario, and she became his idol when she joined the team. The couple began dating at age 21. During their time apart, Messi often flew back to Argentina to comfort his beloved. But Roccuzzo, who had a much harder childhood, decided to join him in Spain, where she has spent the last few years.
When he was a youngster, the two fell in love. While the couple met at a football camp, Antonella was already dating another boy. They began dating seven years later, after his parents had taken him to Spain. While their relationship was initially very private, they quickly fell in love. It was difficult for both of them to adjust to life in a different continent, but they managed to work through it and got married.
Messi’s childhood
Lionel Messi’s childhood was significantly harder than Ronaldo’s, and the Argentine has no regrets. Despite his short stature, Messi was already an adept footballer at a young age. At the age of five, Messi joined the Rosario club. At age 11, he transferred to Newell’s Old Boys. When he was 11, he was diagnosed with growth hormone deficiency. Consequently, he had to undergo expensive growth hormone injections nightly, costing his parents a number of hundreds of dollars a month.
After doctors diagnosed him with a growth hormone deficiency, Messi grew much slower than his peers. Messi’s health insurance only covered two years of growth hormone treatment, which cost a minimum of $1,000 a month. His parents had to apply for financial assistance, and Newell’s, the owner of his football club, agreed to pay a portion of the costs. A few months later, Messi and his father reunited, and he is now playing as a ‘Superstar’ for FC Barcelona.
Ronaldo’s childhood at Sporting Lisbon
If you were to look back at Ronaldo’s childhood at Sporting Lisbon, you’ll see that it was quite an eventful one. From the time he was six to twelve, scouts from all over Europe would be watching him, as many clubs were aware of his talent. Even his family would have heard certain things from various Sporting representatives, but the passage of time will distort those instances.
As a youngster, Ronaldo was a scrawny kid from Madeira, so he faced a lot of challenges. But, after one season of first-team football, he decided to move to Manchester United, where he was given the iconic No.7 shirt previously worn by the likes of Eric Cantona, David Beckham and George Best. Despite the challenges and hardships of his early life, Ronaldo’s dedication and drive for success made him the first choice for Manchester United and the heir apparent to the throne.
Messi’s relationship with Salvador Aparicio
The closest people in Messi’s life have been his teammates on The Machine of ’87, but there are also those who know his mother better than anyone. While his dad spends much of his time in Barcelona, he still has a home compound outside Rosario. Messi’s mother, who was born on February 10, 1980, moved from a modest home to a place in Rosario’s Aqualina building, which resembles a slim cruise ship. She lives on the entire 26th floor in the apartment building, with four bedrooms and two terraces, and a small apartment for servants.
Despite the difficult circumstances that led to Messi’s difficult childhood, his grandmother saw great potential in her grandson, and went to the local club coach to test his talent. This coach, Salvador Aparicio, worked at the club where Messi grew up, Grandoli, where the team was deprived of money. The coaches would often watch Messi kick a ball against the walls or sidewalk, to see if he was capable of doing so.
