Lionel Messi welcomes baby boy

Lionel Messi has today welcomed into the world his second child with long-term partner Antonella Roccuzzo.

The newborn, named in Spanish reports as Mateo, has been born in Barcelona.

Messi, 27, only returned from international duty in the United States of America yesterday, affording him just one training session ahead of Saturday’s night’s crunch La Liga clash with Atletico Madrid.

But Messi was absent from training due to “family matters” this morning as Miss Roccuzzo went into labour with their second child.

Messi and Rocuzzo have been together since 2008, but have known each other since the Argentina captain was just five years old.

They have a son, Thiago, who was born on November 2, 2012, when Messi was similarly excused from training to attend the birth.

On announcing Thiago’s birth, Messi said: "Today I am the happiest man in the world, my son was born and thanks to God for this gift!"