Adorable photo shows Barcelona star Lionel Messi at just 10 years old posing with wife-to-be Antonel

Lionel Messi and his wife Antonela Rocuzzo posed for the camera during a day out at the beach in this never-seen-before photo taken when Messi was just 10.

Argentinian newspaper La Capital uncovered the adorable picture, showing the Barcelona star and the mother of their three sons as children nearly twenty years ago before they were married, they were having fun in the Atlantic holiday resort of Punta Mogotes.

According to reports, the father of three was playing in a youth football tournament in the nearby city of Balcarce.

Antonela, was a close friend of Messi and had travelled to the area with her parents to see her cousin Lucas Scaglia, who was one of Messi's teammates.

The photo was taken in January 1998, showing Messi and Antonela with other children including Lucas and another team-mate called Matias Pecce.

Antonela's parents were among the parents who took the young children to Punta Mogotes during a day off from the boys' football tournament but Messi's mum and dad, Jorge and Celia, stayed in their native city of Rosario, an eight-hour drive away, according to Daily Mail.

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Lionel Messi, pictured with his wife Antonella Roccuzzo and their three sons

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My view: Lionel Messi and his wife Antonella have a great friendship and that is very important in a marriage or relationship. I think emotional connection is more important to them than material wealth.

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