Lionel Messi’s Father Has Passed Away

Jorge Messi, the father of Argentine football legend Lionel Messi, has died. He died at a clinic in his hometown of Rosario on Friday night after a long illness. He was 68 years old at the time of his death. Lionel Messi’s family confirmed his death to Reuters.

The family said Jorge spent the last few months of his life in the hospital in Rosario and on his own. During this difficult time, his wife Celia and three other children – Rodrigo, Matias and Maria Sol – were always by his side.

Messi rushed to be with his ailing father immediately after the World Cup. He spent some time with his family and rejoined club Inter Miami, and returned to the competitive field a week ago.

Jorge was a shadow throughout Messi’s career. He was a great guardian and source of strength from his son’s early days at Barcelona to the end. He also served as Messi’s agent for many years.

Messi once said about the depth of his relationship with his father, “From a very young age, I needed my father’s approval for anything. After every match, I would ask my father how I felt about my game.”

The Argentina captain scored a hat-trick in the opening match of the current World Cup against Algeria. However, while celebrating the first goal, he was seen breaking down in tears on the field with a mixture of joy and pain.

Later, in a press conference, Messi explained the reason for his tears, saying, “I couldn’t hold back my emotions after going through some difficult and complicated days. It had nothing to do with football.”

A few days later, Jorge Messi’s family officially announced that he was undergoing treatment.