Messi Breaks His Silence After His Father’s Death
Lionel Messi has broken his silence following the death of his father, Jorge Messi, sharing one of the most personal and heartbreaking messages of his career.
Days after losing the man who was not only his father but also his friend and representative throughout practically his entire professional career, the Argentina captain took to social media to say goodbye and reveal some of the moments they were unable to share together.
“Dad, I still can’t believe you’re gone,” Messi began.
The Argentine admitted that he is still trying to process the loss and especially regrets that his father passed away when he felt they still had so much left to experience together.
“I know you were suffering and that this is for the best, but you left us too soon. We still had so much to enjoy together,” he wrote.
The Promise Messi Wanted to Keep at the World Cup
One of the most emotional parts of his farewell is directly connected to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Messi revealed that his father constantly asked him to play in his final World Cup and explained how difficult it was to see him going through such a challenging time just days before the tournament began.
The Argentine had one hope: reaching the final would give his father enough time to recover and travel to watch him play.
“I kept telling you that we were going to reach the final so you could travel.”
And Argentina made it.
However, Jorge Messi was unable to be there.
Leo also revealed that throughout the tournament, he waited for his father’s message after every match. Knowing how difficult the situation was became another motivation to stay in the competition for as long as possible.
“We reached the final and you couldn’t be there. I wanted to win it so I could bring it to you and show you another one,” Messi recalled.
Argentina ultimately lost that final to Spain, and according to Leo, when he returned, his father believed the match had been decided on penalties. They were never able to talk about everything that had happened during the tournament.
“You Were My Dad, Friend and Representative”
Their relationship went far beyond soccer.
Messi recalled how his father took him to training sessions when he was a child, often immediately after finishing work, and how he practically never missed one of his matches.
Over the years, that relationship also extended into his professional career.
“You were my dad, friend and representative,” the Argentine wrote.
Jorge Messi accompanied his son throughout practically his entire career and played a fundamental role from his earliest days in soccer through his move to FC Barcelona.
But in his farewell, Leo chose to remember the father rather than the representative.
He spoke about the training sessions, the matches, his advice and even those disagreements that, with time, ended with Messi recognizing that his father had been right.
Messi Opens Up About His Future
Perhaps one of the most striking parts of the entire post came when Messi spoke about what comes next after losing someone who had been by his side from the very beginning of his career.
“I don’t know what I’m going to do without you. I don’t know how to keep going.”
The Argentine went even further, acknowledging that he now has doubts about how much longer he will continue playing soccer.
“I only played soccer, and now I have a lot of doubts about whether I’ll keep doing it for much longer.”
His words are not a retirement announcement, nor do they mean Messi has made a decision about his career. However, they show just how deeply his father’s death has affected him and how the loss has also led him to think about his future.
His father wanted to see him play in that final World Cup and accompanied him through practically every stage of a career that began when Leo was just a child.
Now, for the first time, Messi will have to continue without one of the people who had always been there for him.
Messi’s Farewell to His Father
Messi also made it clear that Jorge’s presence will continue to be felt within his own family.
The Argentine said he will especially remember his father through the way he raises his children, trying to pass on the same values he received growing up.
“I’m going to miss you so much, but you will always be present, especially in the way I raise my children, because I teach and raise them the way you raised me.”
His message ends without mentioning titles, records, goals or Ballon d’Ors.
Only his father.
“Rest in peace and watch over us from above just like you did here. Thank you for everything.”
And finally, his farewell:
“I love you, Dad.”
