Jorge Messi, a central figure in his son Lionel’s career from his earliest days on the field to global stardom, had battled a prolonged illness in recent yearsynet| Related TopicsJorge Messi, the father of Argentine soccer star Lionel Messi, died overnight Friday into Saturday at age 68 in a hospital in Rosario after a prolonged illness.Jorge Messi was a central figure in his son’s career, accompanying him from his earliest days on the field through his rise to become one of the greatest players in the history of the sport.GalleryJorge Messi (Photo: Emilio Morenatti/AP, File)The bond between the two took on particular significance during Messi’s childhood. When the young Lionel was playing in the youth system at Newell’s Old Boys and needed hormone treatment for a growth disorder, Jorge was the one who tried to find a way to finance it.After failing to secure sufficient support in Argentina, he explored other options, including a possible move to River Plate, before eventually taking his son to Barcelona.The move to Spain became one of the most consequential decisions in soccer history. Messi was just 13 at the time, and Jorge stayed by his side when other members of the family struggled to adjust to life in Europe.He gave his son the chance to keep pursuing his dream and became the central figure supporting him during a period when his future was still far from guaranteed.Years later, Messi spoke about that period and his relationship with his father. He said there were days when both of them struggled deeply and would shut themselves away separately to cry so the other would not see.“My father was always by my side,” Messi said previously, describing how Jorge asked whether he wanted to keep going or return to Argentina.Messi chose to stay — and the rest is history.Jorge himself almost always preferred to remain behind the scenes. Over the years, he gave very few interviews and generally avoided the spotlight surrounding his son.Even so, his presence alongside Messi was constant, at Argentina national team matches, family events and the major turning points in his career.Jorge Messi, first from right (Photo: Lucas Uebel/Getty Images)Alongside his role as a father, Jorge also became Messi’s representative and handled negotiations on his behalf with clubs and commercial companies.He was involved in building the business operation around the Argentine star and became one of the most important figures behind the “Messi” brand.In recent years, Jorge’s health had become a concern for the family. During the 2026 World Cup, Messi himself hinted that he was going through a difficult personal period.After scoring and becoming emotional to the point of tears in Argentina’s opening match of the tournament against Algeria, he was asked about his reaction and said it was unrelated to soccer, adding that he had been through “a few difficult and complicated days.”Comments