It is no secret that Argentine Lionel Messi holds a special place in his heart for his family, and the star footballer’s New Year’s message reflected the same.

Instead of reflecting on the outgoing year, Messi, who had an eventful 2023 after becoming Time's Athlete of the Year for 2023 wherein he debuted for David Beckham-owned Inter Miami in the Major League Soccer (MLS), chose to instead look forward and welcome the New Year by sharing a family portrait.

“Feliz [happy] 2024!!” read the caption on Messi’s Instagram post featuring his wife Antonella Roccuzzo and three sons Thiago, Mateo, and youngest Ciro. 

The star footballer bid farewell to 2023 after having a notable impact on the football world — especially his decision to join the MLS which, since then, has brought notable limelight to the league.

However, the acclaimed striker will be sitting out on nearly half a dozen matches in the upcoming season owing to his commitments with the Argentina national team throughout 2024 — most notably in the Copa America scheduled for June and July this year.

Messi will miss at least five MLS matches from June 15 to July 6. Additionally, there's a possibility of him missing two early-season games for Miami in March, coinciding with a FIFA international break. The specific matches Argentina will play during this period are yet to be confirmed.