Argentine football legend Lionel Messi has published a deeply emotional tribute honouring his late father, Jorge Messi, reflecting on their profound bond and the pivotal influence he had throughout his life and career.
Jorge Messi passed away at the age of 68 in Rosario after a lengthy illness. Expressing his grief, the football icon posted a photo alongside his late father on Instagram.
Messi revealed that his father had urged him to participate in the 2026 World Cup despite his failing health, while Messi held out hope that Jorge would be well enough to attend the final.
“Dad, I still can’t believe you’re gone. It hasn’t sunk in, or rather, I don’t want it to sink in. It’s so hard to imagine that I won’t see you again, that we won’t talk anymore. I know you were suffering and that this is for the best, but you left too soon. We still had so much left to enjoy together. You kept asking me to play in that last World Cup, but just days before it started, your condition took a turn for the worse. It was the first time you wouldn’t be at a tournament, but Mom kept telling me you’d improve and be well enough to travel. I kept telling you we’d make it to the final so you could come,” Messi wrote.
Defending champions Argentina advanced to the 2026 World Cup final before losing 1-0 to Spain. Messi noted how the absence of his father’s post-match messages served as a stark reminder of his declining health.
“After every match, I’d wait for your message and miss hearing from you. That’s when I realised how serious the situation really was. Even so, I kept thinking about going as far as possible to buy time so you could see a game. We made it to the final, but you couldn’t be there. I wanted to win it so I could bring it to you and show you a new trophy. I couldn’t do it; my legs just gave out. This time I tried to push past my physical limits, but I couldn’t. I never felt right,” he said.
“When I got back, you thought we’d lost the final on penalties. We never got to talk about what happened. You didn’t get to enjoy any of it. We didn’t become champions, but you have no idea how much we enjoyed every match. Once again, you were right: I had to be there and play. I’m telling you this because it was the one thing we didn’t get to talk about–you already know everything else. We spoke every day and saw each other whenever my commitments allowed,” he added.
Lionel Messi confirms ‘uncertainty’ over his future
The loss has left Messi contemplating his future in football, admitting that playing without his father’s support feels difficult.
“I don’t know what I’m going to do without you; I don’t know how to go on. All I ever did was play soccer, and now I have serious doubts about whether I’ll keep doing it for much longer. You were by my side from the very beginning, and we were so close to the end. Why couldn’t you hold on just a little longer so we could finish this journey together? I know your happiness came from seeing your family, your wife and children, doing well, and above all, without anyone else knowing, watching me play,” he wrote.
“It was always like that, ever since I was little. You’d take me to every practice right after getting home from work. Mom would take me to many of them because you were working. Of course, you never missed a single match. You suffered so much watching me, yet you enjoyed it too, even if you rarely heaped praise on me. You were a dad, a friend, and an agent. You were always exactly who you needed to be in any given moment, and you never put a foot wrong. Beyond the occasional argument or disagreement, you were always right. In the end, things always turned out just the way you said they would,” Messi reflected.
“I’m going to miss you terribly, but you’ll always be with me, especially in how I raise my own children, because I’m teaching and bringing them up just the way you and Mom did with me. Rest in peace, and watch over us from up there just as you did down here. Thank you for everything. I love you, Dad,” Messi concluded.
