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The Spanish League has just begun, and once again the favorites are Lionel Messi and Barcelona. However, Messi isn’t the only professional soccer player in his family. Messi’s cousins have made headlines during the last 30 days in Brazil.
Maximiliano Biancucchi Cuccitini plays as striker for Bahía and turns 31 in September, while his brother Emanuel, who is 27 years old, plays midfielder for Vasco da Gama. Both are sons of Messi’s mother’s sister.
Family resemblance? Maxi (left) and Emanuel (right) (Photo: conmebol.com)
Maxi has bounced around South and Central America, playing in Paraguay, Mexico and Brazil.
Emanuel’s rights are owned by 1860 Munich of Germany, but he’s spent most of his career in Brazil and Paraguay.
Maximiliano is only 5’5,” but he handles the ball well and scores goals (not as many as his cousin, obviously).
Recently, Maxi made headlines because his goal allowed Bahía, a second division team, to beat Sport Recife, a First Division team, 1-0 in the first game of the Copa Sudamericana second round.
On July 1, after nine matches, he scored his first goal for Vasco da Gama to beat Aval 1-0.
Emanuel also scored a goal on July 15, in the Brazil Cup against America RN.
Although, as a midfielder, Emanuel is not expected to score often, his performance in general has not been as desired recently and he has played in just eight of the 26 games for Vasco de Gama played since April.
Soccer is obviously in Messi’s family’s blood, even if some members are more famous than others.
