BREAKING: Lionel Messi’s father, Jorge Messi dies at 68

Jorge Messi, the father and longtime representative of Argentine football icon Lionel Messi, has died at the age of 68.

According to Argentine publication Infobae, Jorge passed away around 10pm on Friday at a medical facility in Rosario, Argentina, after battling a prolonged illness.

Jorge, who was married to Celia Cuccittini, was the father of four children Lionel, Rodrigo, Matias and Maria Sol. He played a significant role in shaping Lionel’s football career from his early days at Newell’s Old Boys to his emergence as one of the greatest players in the history of the sport.

One of his most important contributions came when Lionel was diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency as a child and required costly medical treatment.

After attempts to secure the necessary treatment in Argentina were unsuccessful, Jorge helped facilitate Lionel’s move to Spain, where the youngster joined Barcelona at just 13 years old.

Jorge remained beside his son during the challenging early years in Europe, even as other members of the family stayed behind in Rosario.

Reflecting on those difficult years during a 2007 interview, Lionel recalled how his father gave him the choice of continuing his football journey in Spain or returning home.

“My old man was always by my side. We lived through many bad moments,” Messi recalled.

He added, “My old man asked me, what do you want to do, do you want to continue or shall we go back? I wanted to continue and he stayed with me.”

The decision proved crucial as Lionel went on to become a Barcelona legend before achieving further success with Paris Saint-Germain, Inter Miami and the Argentina national team.

Beyond helping his son develop as a footballer, Jorge also handled several aspects of Lionel’s professional life, including business dealings and commercial negotiations with major international brands.

Although he was closely involved in his son’s career, Jorge generally maintained a low public profile and rarely granted interviews.

During one of his limited media appearances, he spoke about the challenges he and Lionel had experienced together and expressed pride in the person his son had become.

“You know very well that we have gone through many good and not-so-good moments,” Jorge said.

He also told Lionel that the family’s difficult experiences had made them stronger, adding that while he considered his son an outstanding footballer, he also believed Lionel was “an excellent person”.

Concerns about Jorge’s health became more public during the 2026 World Cup after Lionel appeared emotional following Argentina’s opening game.

Following his hat-trick, Messi was asked about his emotional state and explained, “It is for a reason completely unrelated to sport. I had some difficult, complicated days.”

When questioned further about the situation, he said, “The truth is, more than anything, because of the family.”

The Messi family later disclosed that Jorge was “under medical supervision, recovering and progressing favourably within the condition he presents”.

Before becoming involved in his son’s football career, Jorge trained as a chemical technician and began working for Acindar, an Argentine steel company, during the 1980s. He eventually rose to become a manager at the firm.

Jorge had also been involved in football during his younger years, playing as a midfielder in Newell’s youth setup. His playing ambitions ended after he was called up for military service.

His passing represents the loss of a man who largely operated away from the cameras but whose influence was instrumental in helping Lionel Messi overcome early obstacles and build one of football’s most remarkable careers.I can also give you 10 Daily Post-style headlines for this story.