Argentina captain and football legend Lionel Messi travelled to El Prado cemetery in Rosario on Saturday to say a final goodbye to his father.
Jorge Messi passed away at the age of 68 in the early hours of Saturday at a hospital in Rosario. He had reportedly been receiving treatment for an undisclosed illness over the past few months.
Jorge played an important role throughout his son’s football journey. He became Lionel Messi’s agent and also helped manage many of his business matters away from the pitch.
When Lionel was still young, Jorge travelled with him to Barcelona for his trial at La Masia. His support helped Messi begin a legendary career that would later include eight Ballon d’Or awards and Argentina’s 2022 World Cup title.
Carlos Ibañez, who owns a kiosk near the Messi family’s former home, described Jorge as “an excellent person”.
“Jorge sacrificed a lot for the family. Imagine that he worked many hours. He always worked outside and made many sacrifices for all of this,” he said.
News of Jorge’s death came after Messi had previously spoken about dealing with difficult personal circumstances during this year’s World Cup.
Following the tournament, Messi spent some time in Argentina with his father before returning to Inter Miami around a week ago.
The Messi family had asked for privacy regarding Jorge’s health after reports about his condition began appearing in the media.
Several football clubs and organisations sent messages of support to Messi and his family. These included Real Madrid, Newell’s Old Boys, where Lionel played as a youngster, and South American football’s governing body, CONMEBOL.
The Argentine Football Association also ordered a minute of silence at matches across the country. Players, referees and coaching staff were also required to wear black armbands as a mark of respect.
Inter Miami also paid tribute to the father of their absent captain before Saturday’s Leagues Cup defeat to Monterrey, holding a minute of silence before the match began.
