June 19, 2026
Argentine television host Florencia Peña has resigned from her role at Luzu TV after falsely reporting that Lionel Messi’s father, Jorge Messi, had died, sparking widespread outrage and criticism over the dissemination of unverified information about the football star’s family.
The incident occurred on Thursday during a live broadcast of Luzu TV’s El Show del Verano, just two days after Messi inspired Argentina to a 3-0 victory over Algeria in their opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
During the programme, Peña announced what she described as breaking news, saying, “I don’t want to break bad news, but Messi’s father just died.” She further speculated that the Argentina captain would have to leave the World Cup, adding, “Right in the middle of the World Cup, he’s going to have to leave.”
However, the Messi family quickly debunked the report, confirming that Jorge Messi was alive and receiving medical treatment for an undisclosed health condition.
