Jorge Messi, Father and Agent of Lionel Messi, Dies at 68 After Long Illness

Argentina captain and football legend Lionel Messi with his late father Jorge Messi

Jorge Messi, Father and Agent of Lionel Messi, Dies at 68 After Long Illness

Jorge Messi, the father of Argentina captain and football legend Lionel Messi, has died at the age of 68 in Rosario, Argentina, following a prolonged illness. The football community, including Newell’s Old Boys and CONMEBOL, has paid tribute to the man who was the “pillar” behind his son’s extraordinary career .

Jorge Messi, the father of Argentina captain and eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi, died on the night of August 7 at a medical clinic in Rosario, Argentina, bringing an end to a life that was inextricably linked to the rise of football’s greatest player. The confirmation of his death came from Messi’s boyhood club, Newell’s Old Boys, who described him as “the pillar and the person who, with vision, rigor and affection, supported the career of the best player of all time, alongside his wife, Celia Cuccittini” , a tribute that captured the profound impact Jorge had on his son’s journey from a young boy with a medical condition to a global icon. Jorge had been undergoing treatment in recent months for an unspecified chronic illness, with the family confirming in a June statement that he was “under medical supervision, recovering and progressing favourably within the condition he presents,” while urging privacy and condemning media speculation about his condition . The concern over his health was first publicly noted during Argentina’s 2026 World Cup campaign, when Lionel Messi broke down in tears after scoring a hat-trick against Algeria, leaving fans and commentators puzzled. The player later explained his emotions were due to “something unrelated to football” and that he had gone through “some difficult, complicated days” , revealing for the first time the extent of his father’s health struggles and the toll it was taking on him emotionally.

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Born in 1958, Jorge Messi was a chemical technician and worked as a supervisor at a metal factory in Rosario, a steady job that provided for his family but which he would ultimately leave behind to pursue his son’s dream . He also loved football, coaching youth teams at the local club Grandoli, and it was there that he first trained his son, Lionel, at the age of four, planting the seeds of a career that would redefine the sport . The defining moment in the Messi family’s life came in 2000 when Jorge made the difficult decision to leave his job and relocate with his 13-year-old son to Barcelona to allow Lionel to join the club’s youth academy and receive treatment for a growth hormone deficiency , a condition that required expensive medical care that the family could not afford in Argentina . The father and son lived through tough early years in Spain, separated from the rest of the family who remained in Rosario, enduring loneliness and uncertainty as they navigated the challenges of a new country and a new life. Lionel later recalled: “I would lock myself in my room to cry when we arrived in Barcelona, or my dad would do the same without me seeing him, or thinking I didn’t see him. We pretended we were both OK, but we weren’t” , revealing the emotional toll the move took on both of them as they struggled to adapt to their new circumstances.

Messi recounted a moment when his father asked him directly: “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” , a decision that required immense sacrifice on Jorge’s part but ultimately set Messi on the path to stardom at Barcelona. That choice set Messi on the path to stardom at Barcelona, where he would go on to become one of the most decorated players the sport has seen, winning eight Ballon d’Or awards, four UEFA Champions League titles, and the 2022 FIFA World Cup with Argentina . Jorge went on to serve as Lionel’s agent and representative throughout his entire professional career, a role that required him to navigate the complex world of football contracts, endorsements, and business deals . He was a crucial figure in negotiating contracts with FC Barcelona, overseeing his son’s record-breaking transfers to Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Miami, and managing his off-field business affairs, including image rights and a portfolio of investments in real estate, hotels, and restaurants that secured the family’s financial future for generations . Despite his outsized role, Jorge gave only a handful of interviews over the years, preferring to work in the shadows and let his son’s talent speak for itself. In one, he addressed his son directly and reflected on their journey together: “You know very well that we have gone through many good and not-so-good moments” , acknowledging the challenges they had faced as a family while also celebrating the incredible success they had achieved together.

The football community has expressed its condolences, with CONMEBOL stating: “CONMEBOL deeply regrets the passing of Jorge Messi, father of Argentine footballer Lionel Messi. We accompany Lionel, his family, friends and loved ones with respect and affection in this moment of profound grief. May he rest in peace” . Newell’s Old Boys, the club where Messi began his youth career, also paid tribute, thanking Jorge “for teaching him to love these colors” , a heartfelt acknowledgment of the role he played in shaping the player who would become the club’s most famous alumnus. His death closes the chapter on a man who worked largely in the shadows, yet whose decisions and sacrifices shaped one of the most extraordinary careers in the history of football, leaving behind a legacy that will be remembered as long as the sport is played.