Football Star Lionel Messi Mourns Father Jorge's Passing

Argentine football legend, Lionel Messi, on Sunday paid his last respects to his father, Jorge Messi, who served as the global star’s emotional bedrock and long-time agent since his formative years. Jorge Messi, aged 68, passed on following a battle with cancer.

The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner arrived in Miami on Saturday evening via a private flight, accompanied by his wife, Antonela Roccuzzo, and their children. Since his arrival, he has remained surrounded by his immediate family. A private burial ceremony, expected to be attended by a few of his teammates from the Argentine national squad, is slated for later on Sunday at a cemetery in Perez, a town adjacent to Rosario.

At the entrance of El Prado cemetery in Perez, heartfelt handwritten messages from fans were displayed, reading, “Stay strong, Leo, we love you” and “Stay strong, Messi family,” alongside a large floral wreath. Messi's teammates rallied around their captain after the announcement that Jorge Messi had died late Friday at a clinic in Rosario.

Boca Juniors midfielder Leandro Paredes spoke to journalists after his team's match on Saturday, stating, “It will surely do him good for us to be there. I need to speak with a few of my teammates to see if we go now or sometime tomorrow.” Reports from some media outlets indicated that midfielder Rodrigo de Paul, a close friend and Inter Miami teammate of Messi, would also travel to Argentina. De Paul, after scoring a goal in Miami’s 2-1 defeat to Monterrey on Saturday, honored his friend by removing his shirt to reveal Messi’s number 10 jersey.

The official cause of death was not disclosed, but local media had previously reported Jorge Messi’s struggle with cancer. His noticeable absence from the World Cup in June had already drawn attention. During the tournament, Messi’s family had appealed to the media for “humanity” amidst persistent rumors regarding Jorge’s health. After an emotional moment where he burst into tears following a goal against Algeria, the 39-year-old Messi had conceded he was dealing with “a situation outside of sports.”

He later acknowledged, “I went through a few difficult, complicated days, but I am grateful to the entire delegation and my teammates, because they stood by me, as always.” Immediately after the World Cup final defeat against Spain, Messi returned to Rosario to spend several days with his family.

Jorge Messi was an instrumental figure throughout his son’s career, beginning as his first coach. He made significant sacrifices, leaving everything behind to accompany his son to Spain. A former metalworker in Rosario, located 340 km north of Buenos Aires, Jorge managed youth teams at the small local club Grandoli. It was he who introduced Argentina’s future captain to football at the age of four on vacant lots where local children played.

His life took a dramatic turn in 2000 when Barcelona extended an invitation to the then 13-year-old prodigy to relocate to Catalonia. This move allowed young Lionel to continue treatment for a growth hormone deficiency while playing for the club’s youth teams. Jorge left his job in Argentina, along with his wife and three other children, to settle in Spain with Lionel.

Messi once recounted the early struggles: “When we arrived in Barcelona, I used to lock myself in my room to cry alone, and my father did the same — either without me seeing him or thinking I didn’t see him. We pretended we were both fine, but we were struggling.” His father later transitioned into the role of agent, negotiating monumental contracts for him across clubs like Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, and Inter Miami.

Since Saturday, the football community has been inundated with messages of sympathy, including those from clubs Messi played for and the Spanish Football Federation. The Argentine Football Association (AFA) has mandated a minute of silence before matches and the wearing of black armbands at games across all age groups for the upcoming week.