In a super wholesome meet-up at Chase Stadium, Lionel Richie finally met the Lionel Messi—and it turns out the connection runs deeper than just a shared name. Messi’s mom, Celia, was a big fan of Richie back in his Commodores days and revealed in a 2010 interview that his music actually inspired her son’s name. She originally liked “Leonel,” but with a little twist from Messi’s dad, “Lio” was born.
After Inter Miami’s big win over LAFC in the Concacaf Champions Cup, the two legends crossed paths backstage. Richie, now 74, posted the moment online with the caption, “When Lionel meets Lionel! Mom named him after me… And here we are,” adding a laughing emoji. He even joked, “I can’t play soccer, and he can’t sing—so let’s be best friends!”
It was a short but meaningful moment for both stars, finally bringing full circle a fun and heartfelt backstory.
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