Jorge Messi, the father and agent of eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi, has died aged 68, his son’s childhood club Newell’s Old Boys announced on Saturday .
Argentinian media reported Jorge Messi had passed away on Friday in a hospital in Rosario after a long illness . The family confirmed to Reuters that he spent his final months alternating between a medical centre in Rosario and his home, accompanied by his wife Celia and his children Rodrigo, Matías and María Sol .
Jorge Messi was his son’s first coach in Argentina and his sole companion when he first moved to Barcelona as a child, before later becoming his agent . He remained closely involved in his son’s career, handling his professional affairs and serving as one of his representatives .
“My father helped me enormously. He is very critical of me. That made me always want to push myself further,” Lionel Messi told DirecTV Sports in 2022 . On another occasion, the global soccer star said: “I always needed my dad’s approval, ever since I was a kid. After every match, I’d ask him what he thought of how I played” .
“His constant companionship and behind-the-scenes leadership were essential in backing every step of Lionel,” Newell’s Old Boys said in a social media post .
During the recent World Cup, Lionel Messi broke down in tears while celebrating his first goal and later explained that his emotions were due to “something unrelated to football” after going through “a few difficult, complicated days” . Days later, the family issued a statement regarding Jorge’s health situation, informing the public that he was undergoing medical treatment .
Jorge generally kept a low profile despite his son’s fame, with his role largely behind the scenes . Messi has not publicly commented on his father’s reported death as of Saturday .
