Messi to be father for third time

Argentinean football star, Lionel Messi, is set to be a father for the third time, his wife Antonela Roccuzzo, confirmed on Sunday via Instagram.

Roccuzzo posted a family of Messi and their two sons, Thiago and Mateo, touching her belly, with the legend "Family of 5."

The announcement was made on the same day as Argentina celebrates Mother's Day.

Messi, 30, married his childhood sweetheart Roccuzzo in July in their home town, Rosario, 300km north of Buenos Aires.

The couple already has two boys, Thiago, aged 4, and Mateo, aged 2.

The footballer also recently celebrated Argentina's qualification for the World Cup 2018 in Russia, leaving it late until the last day of qualifying when it beat Ecuador 3-1.

Messi will play his fourth World Cup next year, with some analysts saying this trophy is the only thing standing between him and being the uncontested greatest player of all time.

Messi has won numerous honors with Barcelona in the Spanish league but has fallen short in World Cups, going out in the quarter-finals in Germany 2006 and South Africa 2010, before losing in the final in Brazil 2014.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)