Jorge Messi, Father of Lionel Messi, Passes Away in Rosario Hospital

Jorge Messi, the father of renowned soccer star Lionel Messi, passed away on Saturday in a hospital located in Rosario, Argentina, at the age of 68. Club Atlético Newell’s Old Boys, based in Rosario, confirmed his death through a social media announcement. They noted that he had been receiving treatment for an unspecified illness in recent months. The club’s statement celebrated him as ‘the pillar and the person who, with vision, rigor and affection, supported the career of the best player of all time, alongside his wife, Celia Cuccittini.’

The South American Football Confederation, CONMEBOL, issued a statement expressing condolences ‘with respect and affection for Lionel.’

Lionel Messi recently led Argentina to the runner-up position in this year’s World Cup. During the team’s first match against Algeria, he was visibly moved after scoring the first of his three goals. He later revealed that his emotions were due to reasons ‘unrelated to sports.’ ‘I went through some difficult, complicated days,’ Messi commented. ‘I am grateful to the delegation, to all my teammates, because they were always by my side wishing me strength so that I would be OK.’

At the time, media speculation about Jorge Messi’s health condition frustrated the Messi family. They issued a statement confirming that Jorge was dealing with a health issue, without further specifics. The statement criticized media outlets, noting, ‘A person’s health and the peace of mind of their loved ones should not be the subject of speculation or irresponsible media interest.’

Professionally, Jorge Messi was a chemical technician and also worked as a steelworker. He had a passion for soccer, playing as a midfielder and reaching youth levels at Newell’s Old Boys. However, he left the sport to fulfill his mandatory military service in Argentina. He significantly influenced his son Lionel’s career, acting as his agent and business manager. Jorge accompanied young Messi to Barcelona in the early 2000s, paving the way for his entry into La Masia, the youth academy of the Catalan club. Lionel debuted professionally in 2005 and has achieved eight Ballon d’Or titles while leading Argentina to the World Cup championship in 2022.

Lionel Messi once reflected on his father’s impact in a 2007 interview with Radio del Plata. ‘My dad was always by my side,’ he stated. ‘Sometimes I would lock myself in my room to cry when we arrived in Barcelona, or my dad would do the same without me seeing him, or thinking I didn’t see him. We pretended we were both OK, but we weren’t. My dad even asked me what I wanted to do when we were feeling down, if I wanted to stay or go back, and I wanted to stay, and he stayed with me.’

Jorge Messi handled Lionel’s contract negotiations with clubs such as Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, and Inter Miami, managing his image rights and investments in real estate, hotels, and restaurants.

In 2013, both Lionel and Jorge Messi faced accusations from a Spanish prosecutor concerning concealed earnings from the player’s image rights. Jorge Messi paid over 5 million euros on August 14 to cover claimed back taxes and interest.