Lionel Messi admits he 'would love to have a daughter' with wife Antonela Roccuzzo despite the couple 'not trying' for another baby

Lionel Messi has reiterated his desire to have a baby girl with wife Antonela Roccuzzo, despite admitting they are not currently trying to have another child.

Messi, who married Roccuzzo back in 2017 after first meeting each other at the age of five, already has three sons with his childhood sweetheart; Thiago, 11, Mateo, 8, and Ciro, 6.

In September of last year, the Argentina and Inter Miami captain suggested that they could try for a fourth baby after confessing that he would like to have a daughter.

And despite the couple not actively trying to make that happen, nine months on Messi has doubled down on that ambition.

'I would love to have a girl/daughter but right now, we're not trying,' he said in an interview with ESPN Argentina. 'There's nothing concrete right now.'

Messi's eldest son Thiago is already following in his father's footsteps after joining Miami's academy in August.

Nine months ago the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner revealed that Thiago is more of a mama's boy, with his three sons all having very different personalities.

'Thiago, when he comes on the field to play, he doesn’t look at you,' he said. 'Mateo. He comes on, he greets the crowd, applauds. They’re different characters.'

Messi's three sons have been forced to live in as many countries over the past four years after their dad waved goodbye to Barcelona, spent two miserable years at Paris Saint-Germain and then moved to Miami.

In his ESPN interview, the 36-year-old explained why life was so difficult for him in Paris, with difficulties off the field reflecting his form on it.

'In Paris the neighbors were a pain in the a**,' he recalled. 'They rang the doorbell and told the boys not to make any noise playing football. Besides, it was ten o'clock...

'But I don't have anything against them [in Paris] either. It didn't turn out the way they wanted it and the way I wanted it. 

'I had a hard time because the change was very difficult for us, it affects my mood a lot and it reflected on the pitch. 

'And in Paris, on a personal level, it was not good.'

After not living up to his legendary reputation in France, Messi completed a blockbuster transfer to Miami last summer and immediately hit the ground running.

The Barca legend inspired David Beckham's franchise to its first ever trophy win in the Leagues Cup, while also making it to the US Open Cup final.

Away from soccer, however, Leo and Antonela tend to stay in at their $11million mansion as they don't know the city all too well yet.

'No, the truth is that we don't go out much either,' he said recently when asked about his lifestyle in Miami. 'We live in the area where the club is located and we have a short drive to Miami. 

'We go out, we've gone out a couple of times, but I still don't know it well.'