Photo: Lionel Messi marries Antonella Roccuzzo as teammates past and present turn out for 'wedding of the century'

The stars are on show in Rosario on Friday night for what has been dubbed "the wedding of the century" in Argentina, as Lionel Messi married long-time partner Antonella Roccuzzo.

Messi, 30, married his childhood sweetheart in a civil ceremony at a luxury hotel in the heart of Rosario.

A host of footballing greats past and present, including Xavi Hernandez, Carles Puyol, Cesc Fabregas and Sergio Aguero strutted their stuff on the red carpet, to celebrate the marriage of Barcelona superstar Messi to the mother of his two children.

Over 250 guests attended the ceremony, with a host of Barcelona and Premier League stars past and present turning out on the red carpet on Friday evening.

Footballers and celebrities including pop singer Shakira gathered Friday for the "wedding of the century" in Lionel Messi's Argentine hometown as the Barcelona superstar prepared to marry his childhood sweetheart Antonella Roccuzzo.

Shakira and her husband, Messi's teammate Gerard Pique, arrived at the airport and headed to the wedding venue to join 260 guests including numerous footballers such as Messi's Barcelona strike partners Neymar and Luis Suarez.

Argentine media called it the "wedding of the century" for Rosario, the gritty northern port city where Messi, 30, and his bride 29, met when the player was nine years old.

Former Barcelona players Xavi Hernandez, Cesc Fabregas and Carles Puyol and their wives pose on a red carpet upon arrival to attend Argentine football star Lionel Messi and Antonella Roccuzzo's wedding.

The couple banned mobile phones at the ceremony, staffs were also sworn to secrecy and 450 police officers were on hand for the big day.

The couple, who now live in Barcelona, have two sons together.

See more photos from the invent :

photos of some top footballer guests with their wives and friends below:

Former Barcelona player Cameroonian Samuel Eto'o and his wife walk on a red carpet upon arrival to attend Argentine football star Lionel Messi and Antonella Roccuzzo's wedding.