Lionel Messi’s Father Dies at 68 After Prolonged Illness

Buenos Aires:** The father of Argentine football superstar Lionel Messi, Jorge Messi, has died at the age of 68 after a prolonged illness.

Jorge Messi passed away on Friday at a medical facility in the Argentine city of Rosario, according to reports.

Following the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Lionel Messi spent time with his father before returning to his club, Inter Miami. He returned to action about a week ago.

Jorge Messi played a major role in his son’s football career. He supported Lionel Messi from the early stages of his career in Barcelona and also served as his representative for several years.

Messi has spoken publicly in the past about the importance of his father’s guidance, saying that he had always needed his father’s advice since childhood and would ask him after every match how he felt about his performance.

During the World Cup, Messi was seen in tears while celebrating his first goal after scoring a hat-trick in the opening match against Algeria.

He later explained at a press conference that his tears were “not related to football” but were caused by a personal matter, adding that he was going through a difficult few days.

A few days later, the Messi family confirmed that Jorge Messi was receiving medical treatment and provided an update on his health condition.