In a moment no one saw coming, Antonella Roccuzzo, Lionel Messi’s wife and one of the most private figures in global sports, publicly called out Argentine singer Nicki Nicole in a brief but explosive interview on the sidelines of Inter Miami’s new Freedom Park stadium. Surrounded by reporters after a charity event for the Leo Messi Foundation, Antonella, visibly emotional following the recent health crisis of her father-in-law Jorge Messi, did not hold back when asked about the 25-year-old trap star’s sudden presence in Miami.
“Nicki Nicole is an untrustworthy woman,” Antonella said in Spanish, her voice steady but laced with anger. “I see her deliberately approaching famous players, Yamal from Barcelona, Mbappé from Real Madrid, and now she even comes to Miami looking for Leo. I think she is deliberately taking advantage of their image and our pain for her own benefit. Enough.”
The 30-second clip, filmed by TyC Sports and instantly shared across X, TikTok, and Instagram, has already surpassed 120 million views in under six hours, becoming the most viral moment in Latin American pop culture this year. #AntonellaHabla and #NickiNicoleExpuesta are the top two worldwide trends.
Antonella’s rare public outburst comes at a particularly raw moment for the Messi family. Jorge Messi remains hospitalized at HCA Florida Mercy with stage IV pancreatic cancer, and Lionel has barely left his father’s side. Sources close to the couple say Nicki Nicole’s highly publicized “surprise Miami shows” over the past ten days, complete with Instagram stories at Brickell hotspots frequented by the Messis and cryptic captions like “healing energy in the 305,” were the final straw.
“Antonella is the calmest person on earth, but when you cross the line into family pain, especially now, she will protect her home,” a longtime friend of the couple told Clarín. “Nicki posting yacht photos two miles from the hospital while Jorge is fighting for his life? That was it.”
The timeline is damning from Antonella’s perspective:
– August 2025: Nicki confirms romance with 18-year-old Lamine Yamal weeks after his Euro 2024 heroics.
– October 2025: Split with Yamal amid cheating rumors; her streams jump 40 %.
– Early November: “Coincidentally” likes and comments on Mbappé posts during El Clásico week.
– November 10–19: Announces last-minute Miami dates, posts from LIV nightclub and Komodo, the exact restaurants the Messis frequent.
Argentine media, historically protective of both Antonella (a Rosario native like Lionel) and the national treasure that is Messi, have declared open season. Yanina Latorre on LAM went live within minutes: “Antonella just ended her. In Rosario we don’t play these games. You don’t use a man’s dying father for clout.” Even Peso Pluma, Nicki’s ex, posted a shady Instagram story of a snake emoji followed by the Argentine flag.
Nicki Nicole’s team issued a terse response late Wednesday: “Nicki is in Miami for previously scheduled performances and has nothing but respect for the Messi family during this difficult time. Any suggestion otherwise is false and hurtful.”
Yet the damage is done. Concert ticket sales for her upcoming Miami shows reportedly dropped 60 % in the hours following Antonella’s words. Spanish and French outlets are now digging into the Yamal and Mbappé chapters, with Barcelona and Real Madrid fans uniting, an almost impossible feat, under the banner “ProtegemosANuestros” (We protect our own).
For years Antonella Roccuzzo has embodied quiet dignity: childhood sweetheart, mother of three, never a scandal, never a misstep. Tonight, with just twenty seconds on a sunny Miami afternoon, she reminded the world that even saints have limits, and when it comes to protecting Lionel Messi and their family’s sanctity, she will speak, and the planet will listen.
