There are two versions of Lionel Messi. The one before the tattoos - the shy kid from Rosario, with the body of a small, discreet giant, who let only his left foot do the talking. And the one after - the accomplished man, world champion, whose arms covered in black and grey realism and left leg entirely blackened silently recount an epic twenty-five years in the making.
With some fifteen carefully considered tattoos, Messi is not the most tattooed footballer in the world. But he is undoubtedly the one whose every design counts the most. This guide deciphers each piece, from his mother on the shoulder blade to his wife's secret lips on the hip.
La Pulga's incredible transformation: why did Messi wait?
For the first fifteen years of his professional career with FC Barcelona, Lionel Messi remained one of the few superstars of soccer to remain entirely untouched by ink. In a dressing room where other players were already sporting large collections, Messi remained the player without a tattoo - an almost anachronistic feature for an icon of his generation.
The reason was simple: Messi was terrified of needles. It wasn't until the age of 25 that he took the plunge, encouraged by his wife Antonella Roccuzzo, who got a tattoo in front of him to show him that the pain was bearable.
His very first tattoo was the face of his mother, Celia Maria Cuccittini, on his left shoulder blade. From then on, everything accelerated. In less than ten years, both her arms were covered, her left leg changed radically, and her body became a silent autobiography.
This late entry into the world of tattooing also explains why her collection is so consistent. Unlike other celebrities who accumulate impulsive tattoos in their teens, Messi began tattooing once his identity was already well established. Each design seems thought-out, weighed up, linked to a key moment or a fundamental person.
💡 Did you know?
Before his first tattoo, Lionel Messi was so terrified of needles that he refused to even talk about them. It was Antonella who broke the deadlock, getting a tattoo in front of him to prove that the experience was bearable.
The left leg: the mystery of the blackout tattoo
If there's one Messi tattoo that intrigues the whole world, it's the blackout on his left leg. This leg - that of his mythical left foot - is now covered in a mass of black ink stretching from knee to ankle.
The old design: Thiago's hands and the old motifs
Before the blackout, Messi's left leg bore several tattoos, including the handprints of his son Thiago, as well as a sword and other motifs added over time. These pieces made sense, but no longer corresponded to the aesthetic evolution he was seeking.
Why the blackout? The desire to simplify
Rather than resorting to laser treatment, Messi opted for a radical solution: the blackout tattoo. This technique involves covering a large surface with dense, uniform black ink. It's an extreme approach, time-consuming and painful, but very powerful visually.
For Messi, this choice seems to reflect a desire for simplification. From multiplicity to unity, from accumulation to purity. A decision that closely resembles the evolution of his game: more sober, more precise, more essential.
The number 10 and the football: the only survivors
In the black ocean of his left leg, two elements remain visible: the number 10 and a football. They have been left in negative in the ink, like two untouchable symbols. Even when everything changes, the 10 and the ball remain.
The right arm: a masterpiece of faith and loyalty
If the left leg is the territory of mystery, Messi's right arm is his personal cathedral. Created mainly in realistic Black & Grey by his regular tattooist Roberto Lopez, it combines architecture, spirituality and symbols of resilience.
La Sagrada Familia: a tribute to Barcelona
On the right elbow and forearm, a detailed representation of the Sagrada Familia rose window pays homage to Barcelona. The Catalan city is not just where Messi played: it's the city that welcomed him, trained him, nurtured him and propelled him into legend.
So this tattoo is much more than an aesthetic reference to Gaudí. It's a gesture of gratitude to the city that shaped him.
The lotus flower: a symbol of his success in the face of adversity
Among the floral motifs on the right arm, the lotus flower holds an important place. In many traditions, it symbolizes the beauty born of mud, the elevation above difficulties.
For Messi, born in Rosario with a growth hormone deficiency and now the greatest player of his generation, the metaphor is obvious: greatness born of adversity.
Clock and gears: time standing still for genius
On the right forearm, a frozen clock surrounded by gears evokes the idea of suspended time. Certain moments become eternal: a World Cup final, a Ballon d'Or, a mythical goal. In Messi's case, the clock evokes the timelessness of genius.
The face of Jesus: an expression of his deep faith
At the top of his right arm, a portrait of Jesus Christ affirms Messi's Catholic faith. Discreet but constant, this faith has always been with him. He often expresses it after his goals, when he raises his eyes to heaven.
Love for Antonella and his children: family at the heart of the ink
If faith structures part of his collection, family is the real emotional center. Antonella Roccuzzo and their three sons - Thiago, Mateo and Ciro - appear in various places on her body.
Antonella's eye on the bicep: "she sees everything".
On the inside of the right bicep, a realistic eye represents Antonella. The symbol is powerful: wherever he goes, her gaze is with him. A discreet, intimate tribute, but extremely meaningful.
Red lips on the hip: a well-kept secret
One of Messi's most personal tattoos is above his hip: red lips, replicating those of his wife. Hardly visible, rarely photographed, this tattoo remains one of the most intimate in his entire collection.
Birthdates and first names: a permanent fixture
The birthdates of his children and Antonella appear in various places on his arms and legs. These more discreet tattoos function as the coordinates of her life: the days that changed everything.
💡 Did you know?
Roberto Lopez, Messi's tattoo artist, says Lionel is very involved in every project. One day, Messi even took the tattoo machine to make a small "10" on his tattoo artist's wrist.
Roberto Lopez: the man who draws on the living legend
Roberto Lopez is Lionel Messi's main tattoo artist. Specializing in Black & Grey realism, he designed the entire right arm with him, and accompanied the blackout process on the left leg.
Their relationship goes beyond the professional. With Messi, Lopez built an extremely coherent collection, where each piece dialogues with the others without ever upsetting the overall balance.
💡 Did you know?
The complete blackout of Messi's left leg is one of the longest and most painful projects in his collection. Covering such a large surface in dense black requires several sessions and excellent healing between each pass.
Summary table: locations and meanings of Messi's tattoos
| Design / Inscription | Location | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Mother's face (Celia) | Left shoulder blade | First tattoo, tribute to Celia Maria Cuccittini |
| Full blackout | Left leg | Overlay of old motifs, aesthetic simplification |
| Number 10 | Left shin | His legendary number, preserved in the blackout |
| Football | Left leg | The essence of his life and career |
| Thiago's hands | Left calf | Fingerprints of his eldest son, now buried under the blackout |
| Jesus Christ | Upper right arm | Expression of his Catholic faith |
| Sagrada Familia rose window | Right elbow | Tribute to Barcelona |
| Sagrada rose | Right forearm | Sagrada room extension, beauty and passion |
| Lotus flower | Right arm | Resilience and success born of adversity |
| Clock and gears | Right forearm | Suspended time, immortal moments |
| Antonella's eye | Right bicep (inside) | His wife's gaze that accompanies him everywhere |
| Red lips | Hip | Intimate declaration of love to Antonella |
| Birth dates | Arms and legs | Dates linked to Antonella, Thiago, Mateo and Ciro |
How to get inspired by Messi's style with ephemeral tattoos?
Messi's aesthetic - Black & Grey realism, religious motifs, symbolic numbers and family references - lends itself very well to adaptation in ephemeral tattoos.
To capture the spirit of his style, you can opt for :
a sober number 10 on the calf or forearm, a thin religious cross, a rose or lotus in black and grey, or a realistic eye on the bicep to recapture the family symbolism of his tattoos.
FAQ: everything you need to know about Lionel Messi's tattoos
Why does Messi have a black leg?
Messi's left leg is covered with a blackout tattoo, a technique that involves covering an old tattooed area with a large surface of black ink. He chose this solution to hide several old designs he no longer wished to keep.
Who is Messi's tattoo artist?
His main tattooist is Roberto Lopez, a Spanish artist specializing in Black & Grey realism. He is responsible for the large pieces on the right arm and the blackout on the left leg.
What does the tattoo on Messi's elbow mean?
It's the rose window of the Sagrada Familia, a direct homage to Barcelona, the city that welcomed him, trained him and accompanied him to legend.
Does Messi have a World Cup tattoo?
Messi has not publicly confirmed a tattoo dedicated specifically to the 2022 World Cup, although several observers believe that some recent developments in his collection could echo it.
What is Messi's most expensive tattoo?
Technically, the full blackout on the left leg represents the most expensive piece in terms of time and sessions. Artistically, the entire right arm is probably the most ambitious project in his collection.
