Lionel Messi shared an emotional personal letter on Instagram dedicated to his late father and longtime representative, Jorge Messi, who died at the age of 68 following a long illness, according to Kenh14. Jorge Messi passed away at a hospital in Rosario, Argentina, with a funeral held at a cemetery in Rosario, as reported by sports.yahoo.com and thethaovanhoa.vn.
Lionel Messi Pens Emotional Tribute After Father Jorge Messi Passes Away at 68
Following the bereavement, the global football star received supportive messages from across the sport, including warm public encouragement from Cristiano Ronaldo, who wrote on Instagram that he was sending a huge hug to Leo and his family during those difficult times and urged him to stay strong, according to thethaovanhoa.vn. Clubs and players worldwide also issued statements of support, while Inter Miami held a moment of silence before a match, as noted by sports.yahoo.com.
Reflecting on the 2026 World Cup and Physical Limits
In his tribute, Messi detailed the immense emotional strain he experienced during the 2026 tournament, noting that his father’s health began to deteriorate just days before the competition started, preventing him from traveling, according to Kenh14 and sports.yahoo.com.
Messi revealed that he was motivated to push as far as possible in the tournament to buy time for his father to recover and watch a match. Argentina ultimately reached the final—where they lost 1–0 to Spain after extra time—with Messi scoring eight goals in the tournament, according to sports.yahoo.com and thethaovanhoa.vn.
Messi wrote that they had made it to the final, but his father couldn’t be there, explaining that his physical limits were reached as his legs gave out during the title match, according to sports.yahoo.com.
A Lifelong Pillar and Career Guide
Beyond his role as a business manager and agent, Jorge Messi was remembered by his son as a foundational presence who drove him to practices straight from work and never missed a match, according to Kenh14 and sports.yahoo.com.
Messi shared in his letter that his father had been a father, a friend, and a manager. He added that his father was always exactly who he needed to be in any given moment, and that he never got anything wrong.
Uncertainty Surrounding Playing Future and Inter Miami Leave
In the wake of the personal loss, Messi has not set a return date to club action, leaving his immediate professional future uncertain, according to Thanh Niên. Inter Miami ownership—including managing owner Jorge Mas and co-owner David Beckham—along with the club, granted the forward permission to stay with his family in Argentina for as long as needed without pressure to return, as reported by Thanh Niên.
The pause affects Messi’s ongoing club statistics with Inter Miami, where he has recorded 92 goals in 107 appearances since July 2023, alongside a broader career milestone tracking toward 1,000 career goals, according to Thanh Niên. Messi admitted in his letter that the loss has left him questioning whether he will continue playing soccer for much longer, according to sports.yahoo.com.
