Lionel Messi meets the singer he was named after by his parents

Lionel Messi, the star of Inter Miami, was thrilled to meet the American music legend Lionel Richie, whose name was given to him by his parents. Celia Cuccittini, Messi's mother, named her son after the renowned pop musician who gained popularity in the late 1970s since she was a big fan of Richie. Messi met Richie at a private event following Inter Miami's 3-1 victory against LAFC to guarantee their place in the Concacaf Champions Cup semifinals.  

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The legendary artist posted glimpses of their encounter on social media with the caption, "When Lionel meets Lionel!"  Richie joked about the surprising parallel between two completely different universes during his conversation with Messi. 

Jorge, Messi's father, originally intended to name his son Leonel, but changed the "e" to "i" in honor of Richie, according to a story by beIN Sports. Messi's mother, Celia, verified the amusing fact in an interview before the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

"His mother named him after me.. and now here we are. Great meeting you after all these years, Lionel Messi," Richie wrote on Instagram. He posted multiple photos of Messi smiling and shaking hands with his namesake while wearing a white training jacket. According to beIN Sports, the 75-year-old pop icon acknowledged that Messi couldn't sing and that he had no football expertise, a revelation that devastated them both. 

Lionel Messi hoping to maintain their perfect start 

Richie had long been anticipating this moment. The vocalist of Dancing On The Ceiling stated in a 2015 interview that he would love to greet Messi. “Our meeting is going to happen. They named him after me, how about that? I love it, "Richie said.

However, Richie wasn't convinced at first by the origin of Messi's name. After conducting some research, Richie realized that it was true, even though at first he thought it was simply a rumor.  It's crazy, too!"  When they play Chicago Fire on Sunday, Inter Miami will be hoping to maintain their perfect start to the season.  Messi has been playing well so far this season, with three goals and two assists in four games.