Genealogical research has revealed a curious detail about Lionel Messi's family origins. Although the star is one of Argentina's greatest idols, part of his history passes through Brazil. The study shows that one of the player's great-grandfathers was born in Ribeirão Preto, in the interior of São Paulo, and had his surname changed during the family's stay in the country, a change that ended up reaching the Argentine number 10.
Messi's great-grandfather was born in Brazil and had a changed surname; understand
Genealogical research has revealed a curious detail about Lionel Messi's family origins. Although the star is one of Argentina's greatest idols, part of his history passes through Brazil. The study shows that one of the...
The person responsible for the discovery is the Italian Fiorenzo Santini, a banker and historian by passion. An Inter Milan fan and passionate about football, he decided to investigate the origin of Messi's surname when the striker began to gain prominence for Barcelona.
Research has shown that the player's paternal family originates from Recanati, in the Marche region, province of Macerata, in Italy. Great-grandfather Ângelo Messi left the country in 1893 with his wife to live in Rosario, Argentina.
Later, Santini also investigated the family's maternal lineage. It was then that he discovered that Messi's great-great-grandfather, Raniero Coccettini, born in San Severino Marche, embarked with his wife Rosa Ricchezza and their children towards Brazil. The family arrived at the Port of Santos on September 20, 1899, according to records at the Immigration Museum of the State of São Paulo.
Upon arrival in the country, a change in records occurred. Raniero Coccettini began to be identified as Ramiero Concenttini, a change considered common at the time due to the difficulties in writing and adapting the names of immigrants.
The couple was hired to work on a farm owned by Martinho Prado Júnior, in Rincão, a city located just over 70 kilometers from Ribeirão Preto. Already settled in the interior of São Paulo, he had two more children: Ermínia, born on January 1, 1900, and Arderigo, on January 27, 1904.
It was precisely in Arderigo's record that a new change occurred. According to Fiorenzo Santini, the boy was called Federico and his surname changed from Coccettini to Cuccittini. Federico became the great-grandfather of Lionel Messi.
In 1905, the family left Brazil and went to Argentina, settling in the Rosário region. Antônio Cuccittini, the player's grandfather, Célia Maria Cuccittini, Messi's mother, and, on June 24, 1987, Lionel Andrés Messi Cuccittini were born there.
According to the researcher, it was precisely the surname Cuccittini that aroused his curiosity, as it did not exist in Italy. Between 2019 and 2022, Santini gathered documents and confirmed that the change occurred during the family's stay in Brazil.
The research also paid tribute to the star. In 2022, Messi received the title of honorary citizen of San Severino Marche, the city of origin of his ancestors.
Today there are no records of descendants of the family living in Ribeirão Preto. The main link between the player and the city remains on Rua Martinico Prado, located in the Vila Tibério neighborhood, a tribute to the farmer Martinho Prado Júnior, responsible for employing Messi's Italian ancestors during their time in the interior of São Paulo, before their definitive move to Argentina.
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Source: Noticias ao Minuto - Esporte
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