Jorge Messi, Father of Soccer Star Lionel Messi, Passes Away at 68

Jorge Messi, father of renowned soccer star and Argentina’s national captain Lionel Messi, passed away on Saturday in Rosario, Argentina. He was 68 years old.

His death was confirmed by the Rosario-based Club Atlético Newell’s Old Boys. They noted Jorge had been undergoing treatment for an unspecified illness. The club recognized him as a guiding force behind Lionel Messi’s illustrious career, alongside his wife, Celia Cuccittini.

CONMEBOL, the South American Football Confederation, extended their condolences to Lionel Messi and his family, expressing respect and affection.

Lionel Messi led Argentina to the World Cup finals earlier this year. During the tournament’s first match against Algeria, Messi was visibly emotional after scoring, citing personal difficulties unrelated to sports. He appreciated his team’s support during these challenging times.

I went through some difficult, complicated days, he shared. I am grateful to the delegation, to all my teammates, because they were always by my side wishing me strength so that I would be OK.

At that time, media reports stirred anger in the Messi family, prompting them to issue a statement indicating Jorge’s health issues, without divulging details. They criticized speculative media coverage as insensitive and intrusive.

Jorge Messi’s background included work as a chemical technician and steelworker. He played soccer at the youth level for Newell’s Old Boys but left the sport to fulfill military service requirements. He later became a pivotal figure in Lionel Messi’s career, serving as his agent and handling business matters.

Jorge accompanied Lionel to Barcelona in the early 2000s, enabling his entry into La Masia, Barcelona’s youth academy. Lionel debuted professionally in 2005, securing eight Ballon d’Or titles and leading Argentina to the 2022 World Cup victory.

My dad was always by my side, Lionel stated in a 2007 interview. We pretended we were both OK, but we weren’t. My dad even asked me what I wanted to do when we were feeling down, and I wanted to stay, and he stayed with me.

Jorge managed Lionel’s contracts, including transfers to Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Miami, as well as his image rights and investments. In 2013, both were accused of concealing earnings from image rights by a Spanish prosecutor. Jorge settled more than 5 million euros to cover the alleged back taxes and interest on August 14.