Official: Lionel Messi's Father Passes Away After Illness

Reports have confirmed the death of Jorge Messi, the father of Argentine star Lionel Messi, at the age of 68 in the city of Rosario, Argentina, according to the newspaper "Sport."

The Spanish newspaper reported that Jorge Messi passed away on Friday inside a health center in Rosario, after a long period of suffering from health problems.

Jorge Messi has been closely involved in his son's journey since childhood, personally accompanying Lionel during the early months of his experience with FC Barcelona, while the rest of the family remained in Rosario.

Messi's father stood by him during that phase, becoming one of his most prominent supporters at a critical time in his career, when the player was still at the beginning of his journey and had not yet transformed into the global star he would later become.

As Lionel Messi's career has evolved, Jorge has taken on a key role in managing his professional journey, away from the media limelight, handling many aspects related to representing his son. He has accompanied him through numerous important milestones during his career.

Jorge Messi's health condition raised concerns during the 2026 World Cup, as Lionel spoke about facing tough days due to family circumstances. It later became clear that his father was receiving medical care.