Jorge Messi, Lionel Messi’s father, has passed away at the age of 68, according to several media reports. He played a major role in shaping Lionel’s football career and also worked as his representative, handling several of his son’s football-related matters away from the pitch. The Argentina football team captain has often acknowledged the influence his father had on his journey to the top of the game.
Key Factors
What followed was an extraordinary career, with Messi winning a record eight Ballon d’Or awards and finally leading Argentina to World Cup glory in 2022. Meanwhile, Jorge’s health kept him from travelling to the United States for the 2026 World Cup, meaning he could not be there to watch Lionel represent Argentina, as he had done four years earlier in Qatar. The tournament was also an emotional one for Lionel, as the Argentine revealed he was dealing with matters away from football.
Leo went on to become one of the greatest footballers in history, but his father Jorge played a huge role in his journey, both as a parent and as his agent. Jorge also handled many of Lionel’s business affairs and was by his son’s side during the early stages of his career. He travelled with the young Messi to Barcelona in the early 2000s for the trial that eventually opened the doors to La Masia, the club’s famed youth academy. “Sometimes I would lock myself in my room to cry when we arrived in Barcelona, or my dad would do the same without me seeing him, or thinking I didn’t see him. We pretended we were both OK, but we weren’t. My dad even asked me what I wanted to do when we were feeling down, if I wanted to stay or go back, and I wanted to stay, and he stayed with me,” he added. That was evident during Argentina’s game against Algeria. After scoring the opening goal of his World Cup hat-trick, Messi was overcome with emotion and broke down in tears during his celebration.
“My dad was always by my side,” Lionel Messi said in a 2007 interview with Radio del Plata. Asked about the moment at his post-match press conference, he said it was “something unrelated to football” and admitted he had gone through “a few difficult, complicated days.”
Evidence and Data
Jorge, who also worked as Messi’s representative, had been in poor health in recent months. He was surrounded by his wife, Celia, and his children Rodrigo, Matías and María Sol during this difficult period. Jorge played an important role in Messi’s career from his early days and remained one of the most influential figures in the footballer’s life. The Inter Miami star also spent time with his family in Argentina after the FIFA World Cup, taking a break from football to be with his father. Messi stayed in Rosario and spent valuable time with Jorge before returning to the United States. He made his return to action for Inter Miami a week ago, but the time he spent with his family came during a difficult period. “I always needed my dad’s approval, ever since I was a kid. Messi, meanwhile, went through an emotional period during the competition. After scoring his first World Cup hat-trick against Algeria, Messi broke down in tears while celebrating his opening goal. Jorge’s condition had kept him away from the tournament, with his health becoming a concern for the family during what was otherwise a memorable World Cup for Lionel.
Lionel Messi’s emotional battle at 2026 World Cup Lionel Messi’s emotional battle at 2026 World Cup Jorge was also unwell during the 2026 World Cup and was unable to travel to the United States to watch Argentina, unlike the 2022 tournament when he was present to support his son.
He spent much of his final months moving between a medical centre in Rosario and his home as he received treatment, according to the family. After every match, I’d ask him what he thought of how I played,” Messi said previously. Speaking at the press conference later, the Argentine star explained that the tears were caused by “something unrelated to football” and came after he had experienced “a few difficult, complicated days. A few days later, the Messi family released a statement addressing Jorge’s “health situation” and confirmed that he was undergoing medical treatment.
He scored a brace in the last match he played earlier this week.
