Messi's father Jorge dies aged 68 after illness

What the report says

Lionel Messi’s father and long-time agent, Jorge Messi, has died at the age of 68 after what BBC Sport described as a long illness. According to the report, he died in hospital in Rosario, Argentina, in the early hours of Saturday morning. The news comes after the Messi family had acknowledged health concerns during the summer but did not provide details at the time.

Jorge Messi played a central role in his son’s career from an early stage. BBC Sport reported that he represented Lionel Messi from the age of 14 and was a constant presence as the forward developed from his early days in Argentina to his rise at Barcelona and later with Inter Miami. He was also in Qatar to see Argentina win the 2022 World Cup, completing Messi’s long pursuit of international success.

The report notes that Jorge supported Newell’s Old Boys, the Rosario club where Lionel began playing as a child before moving to Spain after Barcelona signed him as a teenager. The family later shared that Jorge had been dealing with a private health issue, and they had previously criticised inaccurate public reporting about his condition.

Newell’s Old Boys and the Argentine Football Association both issued tributes, describing him as an important supporter of Messi’s career and offering condolences to the family. The death is significant because Jorge was widely seen as one of the key behind-the-scenes figures in Messi’s journey to becoming one of football’s most decorated players.