Lionel Messi has lost his father, Jorge Messi, who reportedly died at the age of 68 after a long illness.
According to Argentine media outlet Infobae, as reported by MARCA, Jorge died at around 10pm on Friday at a sanatorium in Rosario, Argentina.
For many people, Jorge Messi was simply known as Lionel Messi’s father. But behind the scenes, he was one of the most important people in the football superstar’s life and career.
Jorge was there from the very beginning, when Lionel was just a young boy with a big football dream.
The father who believed in Messi
Jorge was married to Celia Cuccittini, and they had four children: Lionel, Rodrigo, Matias and Maria Sol.
When Lionel was growing up and playing for Newell’s Old Boys in Argentina, the family faced a serious problem.
Young Messi needed growth hormone treatment, but the family struggled to get the treatment in Argentina.
Jorge refused to give up.
He helped arrange Lionel’s move to Barcelona when he was only 13 years old. It was a huge decision for the family and a big risk for a young boy.
While the rest of the family stayed in Rosario, Jorge went to Spain with Lionel and stayed beside him during the difficult early years.
At that time, nobody knew whether the move would work out.
But Jorge stayed with his son.
“Do you want to continue or go back?”
Years later, Messi spoke about those difficult days.
He explained that his father had asked him whether he wanted to continue chasing his football dream in Spain or return home.
“My old man was always by my side. We lived through many bad moments,” Messi recalled.
His father then asked him whether he wanted to continue or go back to Argentina.
Messi chose to continue.
And Jorge stayed with him.
That decision changed football history.
Messi eventually became a star at Barcelona and went on to win almost everything possible in football, including the World Cup with Argentina.
Jorge was more than just Messi’s father
As Lionel’s career grew, Jorge also became heavily involved in managing his son’s affairs.
He helped with contracts, business deals and negotiations with major international companies.
But despite being the father of one of the most famous footballers on the planet, Jorge generally stayed away from the spotlight.
He was mostly the man behind the scenes.
In one of his rare interviews, Jorge spoke proudly about his son.
He said they had experienced both good and difficult moments together, but those experiences had made the family stronger.
He also said that, apart from being a great footballer, Lionel was an excellent person.
Messi’s emotional moment raised concerns
Jorge’s health had already become a concern during the 2026 World Cup.
After Messi scored a hat-trick, he became emotional during an interview.
When asked what was behind his emotions, Messi said it had nothing to do with football.
“It is for a reason completely unrelated to sport. I had some difficult, complicated days,” he said.
When asked about the family situation, Messi added:
“The truth is, more than anything, because of the family.”
The Messi family later said Jorge was under medical supervision and was recovering as his condition allowed.
Sadly, he has now passed away.
A man who had his own story
Jorge Messi was not originally a football professional.
He trained as a chemical technician and began working at Acindar, an Argentine steel company, in the 1980s. He eventually became a manager.
He had also played football when he was younger and was part of Newell’s youth system as a midfielder.
However, he left football after being called up for military service.
Years later, football would return to his life through his son.
The man behind the legend
Lionel Messi’s career is filled with trophies, records and unforgettable moments.
But before the Barcelona goals, the World Cup victory and the worldwide fame, there was a father who believed in his son.
Jorge helped him get the medical treatment he needed.
He took him to Spain when he was just 13.
He stayed with him when things were difficult.
And when Messi had to decide whether to continue or return home, Jorge stayed by his side.
Messi became one of the greatest footballers the world has ever seen.
But behind the legend was a father who never stopped believing in him.
Jorge Messi may have stayed away from the spotlight, but his role in Lionel’s journey will never be forgotten.
May he rest in peace.
