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| Lionel Messi with his late father |
Jorge Messi, the father and long-time representative of Argentina captain Lionel Messi, has died at 68, Spanish sports outlet MARCA reported Saturday, August 8, 2026, citing Argentine news site Infobae.
Sources say Jorge passed away at about 10 p.m. on Friday, August 7, 2026, at a sanatorium in Rosario, Argentina, after a long illness.
Married to Celia Cuccittini, Jorge Messi was the father of four - Lionel, Rodrigo, Matias and Maria Sol - and played a pivotal role in Lionel’s journey from a promising youngster at Newell’s Old Boys to one of world football’s biggest stars.
He was central in securing the medical treatment Lionel needed as a child for growth-hormone therapy. When efforts to obtain treatment in Argentina failed, Jorge helped orchestrate Lionel’s move to Barcelona at 13.
During Lionel’s early and challenging years in Spain, Jorge remained by his side while the rest of the family stayed in Rosario.
In a 2007 interview Lionel recalled his father asking whether he wanted to press on with his dream in Spain or return home - a defining moment that helped shape his future.
“My old man was always by my side. We lived through many bad moments,” Messi recalled.
He added, “My old man asked me, what do you want to do, do you want to continue or shall we go back? I wanted to continue and he stayed with me.”
That decision became a defining moment in the footballer’s career as Messi went on to establish himself at Barcelona and eventually become one of the most decorated players in football history.
Jorge also became a key figure in managing his son’s affairs away from the pitch, including negotiations with major global brands.
Despite his prominent role in Messi’s career, Jorge largely avoided the spotlight and gave only a handful of interviews over the years.
In one of those interviews, he delivered an emotional message to his son as Lionel was beginning to emerge as a global football star.
“You know very well that we have gone through many good and not-so-good moments,” Jorge said.
He added that those difficult experiences had helped strengthen the family and told his son that, beyond being a great footballer, he believed Lionel was “an excellent person”.
Jorge’s health had attracted attention during the 2026 World Cup after Lionel became emotional following Argentina’s opening match.
After scoring a hat-trick, Messi was asked about his reaction and said, “It is for a reason completely unrelated to sport. I had some difficult, complicated days.”
Asked later about the family situation, Messi said, “The truth is, more than anything, because of the family.”
The Messi family subsequently said Jorge was “under medical supervision, recovering and progressing favourably within the condition he presents”.
Jorge was trained as a chemical technician and began working at Acindar, an Argentine steel company, in the 1980s, eventually becoming a manager.
He had also pursued football as a youngster, playing as a midfielder in Newell’s youth system before leaving the sport after being called up for military service.
His death marks the loss of a figure who remained largely behind the scenes but was central to the development and management of Lionel Messi’s extraordinary career.
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