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Messi Bids Farewell to His Father and Career Mentor in Emotional Family Funeral
Argentine star Lionel Messi, surrounded by family and teammates, is preparing to bid farewell to his father Jorge Messi (68), who died after an illness. A private family funeral is scheduled for Sunday in Pérez, near his hometown of Rosario in northern Buenos Aires.
Messi arrived Sunday on a private flight from the United States with his wife Antonela and their children, following the announcement of his father’s death late Friday–Saturday at a clinic in Rosario. Officials said no further details about the cause of death have been released so far.
Messages of condolence and tributes appeared around El Prado cemetery, and several of Messi’s teammates gathered to show their support. Players and clubs from both Argentina and Spain indicated they would travel to offer condolences. After a match with Inter Miami, teammate Rodrigo De Paul honored Messi by removing his shirt to reveal a number-10 Messi jersey.
Jorge Messi was a pivotal figure in his son’s life: his first coach, the parent who moved everything to accompany him to Spain in 2000 for treatment and development, and later his agent who negotiated his professional contracts. Jorge left a stable job in Rosario’s metal industry and relocated with the family to Barcelona, becoming a central pillar of Lionel’s career.
Their relationship was not without legal controversy: father and son faced tax investigations in Spain between 2013 and 2019, some of which were resolved with fines and settlements, and later allegations were dropped in 2021.
The funeral arrangements and an official statement are expected to clarify details surrounding Jorge Messi’s death, as tributes continue to pour in from clubs, teammates, and fans.
