What Is The 'FIFA Princess' Meme? How Lionel Messi Got The Nickname 'FIFA's Princess' Explained
Not all football memes celebrate incredible goals or unforgettable matches. Some are born from fan rivalries, conspiracy theories and years of online arguments.One of the biggest examples from recent years is the nickname "FIFA's Princess," which has become a prevalent way for rival supporters to mock Argentinian soccer superstar Lionel Messi.AdvertisementKnown as the "Lionel Messi FIFA Princess" meme, the joke portrays Messi as FIFA President Gianni Infantino's favorite player, often depicting him wearing pink princess dresses, crowns and tiaras in AI-generated images and edits.So, where did the nickname originally come from, and why did it become so widespread during the 2026 FIFA World Cup? Let's explain.Where Does The 'Lionel Messi FIFA Princess' Meme Come From?The "FIFA's Princess" nickname first emerged during the 2022 FIFA World Cup as rival football fans accused FIFA of favoring Lionel Messi and Argentina throughout the football tournament.AdvertisementFollowing Argentina's victory in Qatar, conspiracy theories alleging biased refereeing and preferential treatment became increasingly common online as fans expressed their displeasure with the tournament's outcome.As those claims spread, critics began sarcastically referring to Messi as "FIFA's Princess," suggesting he was receiving special treatment from FIFA and its president, Gianni Infantino.The earliest known uses of the nickname appeared on X / Twitter in December 2022, right around the end of the event, although many of those original posts have since been deleted or lost to time.Among the earliest documented examples was a December 9th, 2022, tweet claiming Messi avoided punishment because he was "FIFA's princess."AdvertisementSimilar posts continued appearing throughout 2023 on Facebook, Twitter and other platforms as debates surrounding the 2022 World Cup persisted online.How Is The 'Lionel Messi FIFA Princess' Meme Used?The FIFA Princess meme typically portrays Lionel Messi dressed in pink princess gowns, tiaras or other fairy tale-inspired clothing, while Gianni Infantino showers him with praise or affection.Many versions also use AI-generated images and videos to exaggerate the joke, often depicting the two together in deliberately over-the-top scenarios and interactions.The nickname continued spreading throughout 2025 as fans referenced it during discussions about Messi's performances, awards and club matches.AdvertisementAI-generated edits imagining Messi as a literal princess also became increasingly common, expanding the joke beyond simple text posts mentioning the nickname.The meme experienced another major surge during the 2026 FIFA World Cup as controversial refereeing decisions involving Argentina reignited accusations of favoritism.Each disputed penalty, foul or VAR decision inspired new waves of posts calling Messi "FIFA's Princess" and portraying him wearing crowns, dresses or other royal attire.At the same time, Messi supporters responded with their own counter-memes, assigning similarly feminine-coded nicknames to Cristiano Ronaldo and other rival players.AdvertisementAs a result, the FIFA Princess meme became part of a broader cycle of rivalry-driven football humor that continued throughout the 2026 World Cup across sites like X, Instagram, TikTok and Facebook.What Are Some Examples Of 'FIFA's Princess' Memes?What Are Some Related Memes?Lionel Messi and Gianni Infantino MemesThe FIFA Princess meme is closely related to the Lionel Messi and Gianni Infantino memes, as both formats stem from theories that Messi receives preferential treatment from FIFA and its president.While the FIFA Princess meme depicts Messi as a pampered princess dressed in pink gowns and tiaras, the Messi and Infantino memes instead portray the two as romantically involved to satirize the perceived favoritism.AdvertisementBoth formats became especially prominent during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, frequently appearing together in edits, image macros, AI-generated content and fan rivalry posts criticizing FIFA and mocking Messi.For the full history of the FIFA Princess meme, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.
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