Rosario mourns passing of Lionel Messi’s father, Jorge Messi, at 68

By Lewis Hartnell — 8 August 2026 — 3 min read

Jorge Messi, the father of football star Lionel Messi, passed away on Friday night in Rosario, Argentina, at the age of 68. His death followed a long illness, as confirmed by the footballer’s family to a news agency. Reports from various outlets in Argentina and Spain, including Infobae and El Espanol, also reported his passing.

Jorge Messi spent his final months moving between a medical centre in Rosario and his home, accompanied by his wife Celia and his children Rodrigo, Matias, and Maria Sol. The family had previously issued a statement during the World Cup regarding Jorge’s “health situation,” informing the public that he was undergoing medical treatment.

A pillar of support

Jorge Messi was a constant presence throughout his son Lionel’s career, providing crucial support from his early years at Barcelona. For several years, he also served as Lionel’s representative. Lionel Messi himself has spoken about his father’s influence, stating, “I always needed my dad’s approval, ever since I was a kid. After every match, I’d ask him what he thought of how I played.”

His role extended to fundamental decisions in Lionel’s football journey. When neither Newell’s Old Boys nor River Plate were willing to cover the costs for Lionel’s necessary growth treatment, Jorge took the significant step of moving his son to Europe. This led to the famous agreement to sign for Barcelona, which was reportedly penned on a napkin with then-sporting director Carles Rexach on December 14, 2000, at the Pompeia Tennis Club.

Lionel subsequently joined La Masia, Barcelona’s youth academy, and went on to become a prominent player for the club, scoring 672 goals in 778 appearances with Jorge acting as his agent.

Tributes and family moments

Newell’s Old Boys, Lionel Messi’s childhood club, paid tribute to Jorge Messi in a social media post. The club expressed deep sorrow and grief, acknowledging Jorge as a “recognized” fan. They highlighted his role as “the pillar and the person who supported with vision, rigor, and affection the career of the greatest player of all time alongside his wife, Celia Cuccittini.” The statement further added that his “constant companionship and behind-the-scenes leadership were essential in backing every step of Lionel, from his beginnings at Malvinas to the pinnacle of world football glory.”

The club’s message concluded by thanking Jorge for teaching Lionel to love their colours and extended condolences to Celia, Lionel, Rodrigo, Matías, María Sol, and all their loved ones. At the time of publishing, the Messi family had not released an official statement regarding the matter, though leading Argentine publications such as La Nacion and Ole subsequently reported on the passing.

During the World Cup, Lionel Messi experienced mixed emotions, including tears while celebrating his first goal after scoring a hat-trick in the opening match against Algeria. He later explained in a news conference that his tears were due to “something unrelated to football” after going through “a few difficult, complicated days.” Former Argentina teammate Juan Pablo Sorin, now a pundit, also questioned Messi about his emotional displays during the tournament, asking if the tears were for his family and the national team. Messi responded that they were “for the family more than anything” and acknowledged a “difficult moment.”

Lionel Messi spent time with his father after the World Cup before rejoining his club, Inter Miami, for whom he returned to action a week ago.

Source: aljazeera.com