Fidelia Soriwei with agency reports
Jorge Messi, the father and long-time representative of Argentine football icon Lionel Messi, has died at the age of 68 following a prolonged illness.
Argentine media outlet Infobae reported that Jorge died at about 10 p.m. on Friday at a medical facility in Rosario, Argentina.
Multiple media reports also confirmed the development on Saturday.
Widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in Lionel Messi’s life and career, Jorge played a pivotal role in helping his son overcome early challenges and pursue a professional football career.
When efforts to secure treatment for Lionel’s growth hormone deficiency in Argentina proved unsuccessful, Jorge facilitated his move to Spain at the age of 13 and remained by his side during the difficult early years at Barcelona while the rest of the family stayed in Rosario.
Reflecting on that period in a 2007 interview, Lionel Messi said, “My old man was always by my side. We lived through many bad moments.”
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.”
Jorge later became a central figure in managing his son’s career off the pitch, overseeing negotiations and commercial engagements while largely staying away from public attention.
In one of his rare public remarks, he told his son: “You know very well that we have gone through many good and not-so-good moments.”
He added that those experiences had strengthened the family and said that beyond being a great footballer, Lionel was “an excellent person”.
Concerns about Jorge’s health intensified during the 2026 World Cup after Lionel appeared emotional following Argentina’s opening match. After scoring a hat-trick, the football star explained, “It is for a reason completely unrelated to sport. I had some difficult, complicated days.”
Asked later about the situation, he said, “The truth is, more than anything, because of the family.”
The Messi family subsequently disclosed that Jorge was under medical supervision and recovering within the limits of his condition.
Born in Argentina, Jorge was trained as a chemical technician and worked at steel company Acindar, where he rose to a managerial position. He also played football in the youth ranks of Newell’s Old Boys before leaving the sport after being called up for military service.
He is survived by his wife, Celia Cuccittini, and their four children, Lionel, Rodrigo, Matias and Maria Sol. His death marks the end of a life closely linked to one of football’s most remarkable success stories.
