Sad Blow For Messi As Father Passes Away At 68

Jorge Messi, father and longtime representative of Argentina captain Lionel Messi, has died at the age of 68.

Spanish newspaper MARCA reported the death on Saturday, citing Argentine outlet Infobae, which said Jorge died at about 10 p.m. on Friday at a medical facility in Rosario, Argentina, following a prolonged illness.

Jorge was married to Celia Cuccittini and had four children — Lionel, Rodrigo, Matias and Maria Sol.

Beyond being the father of one of football’s most celebrated players, Jorge played a significant role in shaping and managing Lionel Messi’s career from his early years.

He was instrumental in helping his son secure medical treatment after Lionel was diagnosed with a growth-related condition as a child.

When securing the required treatment in Argentina proved challenging, Jorge helped facilitate Lionel’s move to Barcelona at the age of 13.

He remained with his son in Spain during the difficult early stages of his European career, while other members of the family stayed behind in Rosario.

Messi later spoke about the sacrifices his father made during that period.

“My old man was always by my side. We lived through many bad moments,” Messi said in a 2007 interview.

Recalling one particularly difficult moment, Messi said his father gave him the choice of continuing his football journey in Spain or returning to Argentina.

“My old man asked me, what do you want to do, do you want to continue or shall we go back? I wanted to continue and he stayed with me,” he recalled.

The decision proved crucial as Messi progressed through Barcelona’s academy and eventually became one of the most successful footballers in history.

As his son’s career and global profile grew, Jorge became increasingly involved in handling his professional and business affairs.

He represented Messi in major negotiations and commercial agreements while generally keeping a low public profile.

Despite his influence behind the scenes, Jorge rarely gave interviews or sought public attention.

In one of his reflections on his son’s career, he recalled the challenges the family had overcome and praised Lionel for his character away from football.

Jorge described his son not only as an exceptional footballer but also as “an excellent person,” noting that the difficulties they experienced together had strengthened the family.

Concerns about Jorge’s health reportedly became public during the 2026 World Cup after Messi appeared emotional following Argentina’s opening match.

After scoring a hat-trick, the Argentina captain explained that his emotions were connected to personal circumstances rather than the result of the match.

“It is for a reason completely unrelated to sport. I had some difficult, complicated days,” Messi said.

Asked about the circumstances, he later added, “The truth is, more than anything, because of the family.”

The Messi family subsequently disclosed that Jorge was under medical supervision and was recovering at the time.

Jorge trained as a chemical technician and began working for Argentine steel company Acindar in the 1980s, eventually rising to a managerial position.

He also had a background in football, playing as a midfielder in the youth setup of Newell’s Old Boys before abandoning the sport after being called up for military service.

His influence on Lionel Messi’s early development and subsequent career remained significant, particularly during the crucial years when the young footballer moved from Argentina to Spain in pursuit of treatment and a professional career.