Jorge Messi, the father and agent of soccer star Lionel Messi, has died at the age of 68.
According to Argentine media outlet Infobae, Jorge Messi passed away on August 7 at 10 p.m. local time in a hospital in Rosario, Argentina, after a prolonged illness.
Jorge Messi played a crucial role in Lionel's development into a world-class soccer player. When Lionel was diagnosed with a need for growth hormone treatment while playing for the youth team of Newell's Old Boys, Jorge took it upon himself to find a solution. Unable to find one in Argentina, he moved to Spain with 13-year-old Lionel.
He remained by Lionel's side during the process of joining FC Barcelona. Even after some family members returned to Argentina due to difficulties adapting to life in Europe, Jorge stayed in Spain when Lionel expressed his desire to continue playing soccer.
In a 2007 interview, Lionel recalled, "My father was always by my side. We went through a lot of tough times. He asked me if he should stay or go back, and I said I wanted to keep going. My father stayed with me."
Jorge later became Lionel's agent, handling various contracts and negotiations while maintaining a low profile and working behind the scenes.
Jorge's health issues became known around the time of the 2026 North American World Cup. After Lionel scored in the tournament's opening match, he revealed that the family had faced difficulties. The Messi family later stated that Jorge was receiving treatment under medical supervision and was recovering, but he ultimately passed away after a long battle with illness.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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