Messi's father Jorge dies aged 68 after illness
Jorge Messi, the father and long-time agent of football star Lionel Messi, has passed away at age 68 following a long illness. He was instrumental in his son's career, supporting him from his early days in Argentina to his World Cup victory.
Why it matters
As the father of one of the world's most famous athletes, his death is a significant personal event for a global cultural icon.
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Jorge Messi helped his son Lionel win the Ballon d'Or a record eight times and the best player of the tournament trophy as Argentina won the 2022 World Cup
Lionel Messi's father Jorge has died at the age of 68 following a long illness.
Jorge, who had also been the Argentina forward's agent since he was 14, passed away in a hospital in his hometown of Rosario, Argentina, in the early hours of Saturday morning.
After speculation about his health during this summer's World Cup, the Messi family issued a statement saying he was dealing with a "health-related situation" but did not disclose the nature of his condition.
Jorge helped his son become arguably the best player of all time and was in Qatar to see Lionel end his quest to lead Argentina to their third World Cup triumph in 2022.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in