Lionel Messi has shared a heartbreaking tribute to his father Jorge following his death at the age of 68, admitting the loss has left him questioning how much longer he wants to continue playing football.
Jorge Messi died in his home city of Rosario, Argentina, after a long illness, bringing to an end one of football’s most important – and fiercely close – father-son partnerships.
For most of the world, Lionel Messi’s story has been told through goals, trophies and moments of extraordinary brilliance. But standing quietly behind almost all of it was his father.
Jorge had been there from the beginning, coaching his young son before becoming his long-time agent and helping guide a career that would eventually take Messi from a childhood in Rosario to Barcelona and the very pinnacle of world football.
Now, at 39, Messi is confronting the game without the man who had been beside him throughout virtually the entire journey.
In an emotional statement posted to social media, the Argentine great opened up about the depth of his grief and revealed that his father had been unwell during this year’s World Cup.
Jorge was unable to attend the tournament – the first major tournament of his son’s career he had missed – but had encouraged Messi to play despite his deteriorating health.
Messi said he had hoped Argentina could make it all the way to the final so his father might have the chance to watch him play one last time. Argentina did reach the decider, eventually losing to Spain, but Jorge’s health meant the ending Messi had hoped for never came.
His death has now left the football superstar wondering what comes next.
Messi admitted he has “quite a few doubts” about his future in the game and suggested he may not continue playing for much longer, despite being contracted to Inter Miami through 2028.
It is an extraordinary admission from a player whose life has been intertwined with football almost from the moment he could walk.
Jorge’s influence extended far beyond contracts and negotiations. When Messi’s enormous potential became clear as a child, his family made the life-changing decision to move to Spain, where Barcelona offered the young player an opportunity that would ultimately change football history.
Jorge remained a central figure as his son won eight Ballon d’Or awards, became Barcelona’s greatest goalscorer and finally lifted the World Cup with Argentina in 2022.
His absence during the 2026 World Cup was therefore deeply felt.
Messi has since returned to the field with Inter Miami, but his tribute made clear that football feels different now.
Amid the grief, however, he also spoke of the legacy his father leaves behind – one that will continue through Messi’s own children and the values he hopes to pass on to them.
Tributes and messages of support have poured in from across the football world, including from long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo, as fans and fellow players rallied around Messi and his family.
For a player who has spent his career making the impossible look effortless, this is a loss for which there is no easy answer.
Images: Instagram
