López is also close friends with global superstar Lionel Messi, as López was signed by Barcelona while Messi was establishing himself in the first team. Living thousands of miles away from home at a young age, Messi bonded with Maxi as fellow Argentines, with López acting as a big brother to Messi during the latter's rise to stardom. It has long been rumored that this friendship has kept Icardi from playing international football despite his strong performances for Inter Milan and Paris Saint-Germain.