Lionel Messi said goodbye on Sunday to his father, Jorge, who died at 68 after reportedly battling cancer and had been the Argentina captain’s emotional support and representative since he was a child.
Family and teammates gather in Rosario
- Messi arrived in Argentina late on Saturday on a private aircraft from Miami, accompanied by his wife, Antonela Roccuzzo, and their children.
- A private funeral attended by close relatives and several Argentina teammates was held on Sunday at El Prado cemetery in Perez, a town beside Rosario.
- Fans left handwritten tributes at the cemetery entrance, including messages such as “Be strong, Leo, we love you” and “Strength to the Messi family”, along with a substantial floral arrangement.
- Argentina players moved quickly to support their captain after Jorge Messi’s death was announced. He passed away late on Friday at a medical clinic in Rosario.
- Leandro Paredes, the Boca Juniors midfielder, said after his side’s match on Saturday that the squad’s presence would probably help Messi. He added that he would discuss with teammates whether they should travel immediately or the following day.
- Rodrigo de Paul, a close friend of Messi and his teammate at Inter Miami, also travelled to Argentina, according to reports.
- De Paul scored in Inter Miami’s 2-1 loss to Monterrey on Saturday before removing his shirt to show a No. 10 Messi shirt underneath.
Only a small group of supporters stood outside the cemetery. Among them was 15-year-old Lucas Blanco, who attached a banner reading “Stay strong, Messi” to the gates.
Carlos and Ana, who had driven from Tres Arroyos, south of Buenos Aires, said they had covered 700 kilometres to support the Argentina icon. They said Messi had given the country immense happiness and that they now wanted to offer him some comfort in return.
Concerns over Jorge Messi’s health
The precise cause of death has not been made public, although reports in Argentina said Jorge Messi had been living with cancer.
His absence from the World Cup in June had previously prompted widespread attention. During the tournament, Messi’s family appealed for “humanity” as speculation about Jorge’s condition continued.
Messi, 39, broke down after scoring against Algeria and acknowledged that he was coping with a matter unrelated to football.
He later described having endured several painful and complicated days, while thanking the Argentina delegation and his teammates for standing beside him as they had done before.
Following Argentina’s defeat by Spain in the World Cup final, Messi immediately returned to Rosario to spend several days with his family.
Jorge Messi’s role in his son’s career
Jorge was a central figure in Messi’s rise. He coached his son first and abandoned his own life in Argentina to accompany him to Spain.
At a small Rosario club called Grandoli, the metalworker ran youth teams. When Lionel was four, Jorge introduced him to football on the vacant lots where local children played.
The family’s path changed in 2000, when Barcelona invited the 13-year-old prospect to move to Catalonia. The club offered him the chance to continue treatment for a growth hormone deficiency while developing in its youth system.
Jorge gave up his job, his wife and his three other children in Argentina so he could settle in Spain with Lionel.
Messi later recalled that, after arriving in Barcelona, he would shut himself away to cry, while his father did the same when he believed his son was not watching. Both acted as though they were coping despite the hardship.
Jorge subsequently became Messi’s agent, negotiating his son’s contracts at Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Miami.
Condolences have come from across football, including the clubs Messi represented and the Spanish Football Federation. The Argentine Football Association instructed teams at every age level to hold a minute’s silence before matches and wear black armbands throughout the week.
Flags and written tributes were also placed on the fence outside Messi’s childhood home in Rosario.
