Lionel Messi’s father, Jorge Messi, died at the age of 68
Lionel Messi's father, Jorge, died on Friday night aged 68 at a medical clinic in the Argentine city of Rosario after a long illness.
Jorge spent his final months alternating between a medical center in Rosario and his home, accompanied by his wife Celia and his children Rodrigo, Matias and Maria Sol.
Lionel Messi spent time with his father after the World Cup in North America before rejoining his club Inter Miami, for whom he returned to action a week ago.
Thousands of people took to social media to express condolences with Messi.
Meanwhile, a video of Cristiano Ronaldo was widely circulated on social with claims that it shows the footballer expressing sorrow over the death of Jorge Messi.
However, Ronaldo has issued no verified public statement on the death of Messi’s father. Claims of Instagram Stories or other posts have also been debunked as fake or unverified.
Jorge closely accompanied his son Lionel throughout his career, beginning with his early years at Barcelona. He acted as a crucial pillar of support and, for several years, served as his representative.
During the World Cup, the Argentine captain experienced mixed emotions after scoring a hat-trick in the opening match against Algeria, breaking down in tears while celebrating his first goal.