Internet Desk: Argentine legend Lionel Messi got married to his childhood girlfriend Antonella Roccuzzo in his hometown of Rozario, Argentina. The wedding, has been described as “wedding of the century” and was attended by 260 special invitees including some of the best footballers in the world. However, no Barcelona directors, the club he has represented since moving to Spain at the age of 13, the managerial staff were present for the ceremony.
The ceremony though was kept an intimate affair with the couple getting hitched in their hometown of Rosario with the ceremony presided to by Messi’s friends and colleagues from his time at Grandoli and Newell followed by teammates from Barcelona and Argentinian national team.
The ceremony performed under a strong 450-member security presence to keep out lurkers and curious onlookers in a small town largely known for its agricultural work. Besides football players – current and former alike – the wedding was attended by Alejandro Echevarria, former Barcelona director and a key factor in bringing Messi to Spain, and player liaison Pepe Costa.
One of the most important members at the wedding was Gerard Pique, alongside his partner Shakira, who is Messi’s current Barcelona teammate and the duo have come up together in Barcelona’s youth ranks. Other players to celebrate ‘La Pulga’s marriage to Roccuzzo, 29, were Jose Manuel Pinto, Xavi Hernandez, Cesc Fabregas, Carles Puyol, Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets, Samuel Umtiti, Paco Alcacer, Ivan Rakitic, Arda Turan. Barcelona captain Andres Iniesta excused himself from attending due to personal reasons for the birth of his daughter Siena).
A mere 400 metres from the bright lights and neon of City Center, two people on a motorcycle opened fire June 17 on four women belonging to Los Monos. The attack claimed the life of Petrona Cantero, 56, the sister of Ariel Cantero, the historic leader of Los Monos, who is now serving a prison sentence.
Drug gang-linked violence has claimed more than 1,000 lives in the past five years in this gritty port city, Del Frade said. Last year, the homicide rate in Rosario was double the national average of seven per 100,000 inhabitants, according to a report from the Ministry of Security of Santa Fe province.
In the Las Flores neighbourhood, just behind the City Center complex, Los Monos holds virtually total power, according to Del Frade, who said the gang amounts to the “de facto government” there.
Historically, Rosario has long had a strong working- class, and today’s violence stems largely from widespread unemployment, political scientists and economists say.
Messi’s father, a metalworker here in the 1990s, emigrated with his family to Barcelona in 2000, amid the grave economic crisis then facing Argentina.
Today, the government in Rosario says it feels confident the safety of the illustrious visitor and his guests can be assured, regardless of the high crime rate.
“Rosario is prepared for the wedding,” said city Mayor Monica Fein. “Lionel chose to come get married here because it is his hometown and he feels comfortable here and we will do everything in our power to make it so.”
For now, the details of the planned security operation remain closely guarded. Last week, local officials met with representatives of the Messi family, but no information leaked out, including on the location of the meeting itself, which was changed at the last moment to keep journalists away.
Gustavo Leone, a Rosario official, explained that this was “a private event.” He added that if some guests want to visit Messi’s city, a private tour will be arranged, but only under conditions of strict security and confidentiality.
Some local residents, people who know every twist and turn in the city’s streets, cannot understand the decision by the soccer star — who made some 70 million euros last season, according to the Eurosport sports network — to hold his wedding celebration in such an unsafe area.
“The truth is, I’m surprised they’re doing it here, considering that Messi is one of the best-paid players in the world. I just can’t believe it,” said Micaela Llane, a 24-year-old secretary.