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Inter Miami CF joins Lionel Messi in mourning the death of his father, Jorge."Our hearts are with our captain, Leo, and the entire Messi family," the MLS club wrote on social media. It also posted a graphic with the message in Spanish.The news of Jorge's passing circulated on Saturday, Aug. 8 when the Argentinian superstar's former clubs, FC Barcelona and Newell's Old Boys, posted their condolences. Jorge was 68 years old.The elder Messi had been dealing with a health-related issue. During this summer's World Cup, Lionel slammed inaccurate reports about his father's well-being and asked for his family's privacy to be respected."At this time, he is under medical care, recovering and evolving favorably (given) the condition he is experiencing," the Messi family said in a statement on June 18.Major League Soccer paid tribute to Jorge and said it is standing in solidarity with the Inter Miami star."MLS mourns the passing of Jorge Messi and extends its heartfelt condolences to Lionel Messi, the entire Messi family, and all who loved Jorge," the organization said in a statement posted on social media. "His devotion to his family and support throughout Lionel's remarkable journey will always be remembered. May he rest in peace."Jorge was also Lionel's agent. When his 13-year-old son needed treatment for Growth Hormone Deficiency, which clubs in Argentina declined to pay, Jorge was seeking an assurance that Lionel would have a club to play for and the treatments would be covered. After a game of tennis, two agents Jorge Messi was working with scrawled a deal on a napkin that FC Barcelona sporting director Carles Rexach signed. The rest was history, with Jorge's son winning 10 La Liga titles and four UEFA Champions League crowns with the Catalan club.Lionel Messi joined Inter Miami, which is owned by David Beckham, in 2023 after building his career with Barcelona and a stint with Paris Saint-Germain. Last month, he and Argentina finished second in the World Cup with a loss to Spain in the final. The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner then became the Leagues Cup leading scorer with two goals for Inter Miami in a match on Wednesday, Aug. 5.Contributing: John Leuzzi, Jon Arnold
