Argentine football star Lionel Messi’s “wedding of the century” is taking place in his hometown of Rosario.
Messi, 30, is marrying his childhood sweetheart Antonela Roccuzzo, 29, in a civil ceremony at a luxury hotel.
Football stars and celebrities are among 260 guests attending the ceremony. Hundreds of police have been deployed ahead of the event.
Messi, the Argentina and Barcelona star, first met Antonela Roccuzzo before he moved to Spain aged just 13.
Among the guests at Friday’s wedding are Messi’s Barcelona teammates Luis Suárez, Neymar, Gerard Piqué and his wife, Colombia’s pop star Shakira. A number of guests flew into Rosario on private jets.
Argentina’s Clarín newspaper has variously called the wedding “the wedding of the year” and “the wedding of the century”.
Earlier, crowds gathered at the local airport to try to spot some of the famous guests.
A private security firm is working inside the hotel to keep out potential gatecrashers.
About 150 journalists have received accreditation to enter a special press area, but will not have full access to the venue, said organisers.
Where did the bride and groom meet?
Messi met his future wife when he was just five years old. She is the cousin of his best friend, Lucas Scaglia, who also became a professional football player.
Messi accepted an offer to play for Barcelona when he was 13, on condition that they pay for treatment for his growth hormone deficiency.
He has spoken about the difficulties he faced on leaving behind his loved ones and former club.
The couple, who now live in Barcelona, have two sons together.
In May, his appeal against a 21-month jail term for tax evasion in Spain was rejected. He is unlikely to go to prison as the sentence can be served under probation or possibly avoided by paying a fine.
