A right-footed Lionel Messi? Argentine's son Mateo scores five for Inter Miami Under-9s

By
published

Lionel Messi's son Mateo scored five goals in a game for Inter Miami's Under-9 team – and even imitated his father's celebration

Lionel Messi in action for Inter Miami against Kansas City in April 2024.
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Lionel Messi may be an unrepeatable talent, but his son Mateo is already showing signs of developing some similar skills to his famous father.

Messi has won just about everything there is to win in football, having led Argentine to the World Cup at Qatar 2022 to go with his Olympic gold medal from 2008 and a Copa America title from 2021.

At club level, the Barcelona legend has won it all, with 34 trophies at the Catalan club and another three pieces of silverware at Paris Saint-Germain.

Lionel Messi with sons Thiago, Mateo and Ciro after winning the Ballon d'Or in October 2023.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner is now winding down his hugely successful career with MLS side Inter Miami and at the age of 36, he is turning on the style for fans in North America.

His three sons are clearly enjoying themselves out in Florida, too. Ciro, the youngest, joined Mateo and his father for a kickabout on the pitch following Inter Miami's draw against Nashville in August last year, while 11-year-old Thiago recently impressed for Inter Miami's Under-13 team in their Easter International Cup win earlier this month.

And footage of Mateo has now gone viral after the eight-year-old scored five goals for Inter Miami's Under-9 team – including a couple of spectacular efforts – and even celebrated like his father.

There are clearly similarities between Messi's middle son and Leo himself in terms of their playing style, but there is also one key difference between the two: Mateo is right-footed. 

Watching the video is a little like seeing some of that early footage of Messi at Newell's, except the Argentina captain was much more comfortable with his left back then.

The three boys clearly have much to live up to if they choose careers in football, as they will be following in the footsteps of the greatest player of all time. But they have the genes and if they get stuck, their old man can show them a thing or two.

More Lionel Messi stories

Lionel Messi makes retirement statement, as he ponders next career step

Cristiano Ronaldo is 'selfish' – Wayne Rooney explains why Lionel Messi is the GOAT

'Why not?' Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi targeting quadruple with Inter Miami

Ben Hayward
Ben Hayward
Weekend editor

Ben Hayward is a European football writer and Tottenham Hotspur fan with over 15 years’ experience, he has covered games all over the world - including three World Cups, several Champions League finals, Euros, Copa America - and has spent much of that time in Spain. Ben speaks English and Spanish, currently dividing his time between Barcelona and London, covering all the big talking points of the weekend on FFT: he’s also written several list features and interviewed Guglielmo Vicario for the magazine.