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Lionel Messi returned to Argentina for his father Jorge Messi’s funeral. Jorge, 68, died after battling cancer. Messi, his family, and teammates attended the private ceremony.
A jersey and signs reading “Stay strong” left by fans are seen on the fence of El Prado cemetery on the outskirts of Rosario, Santa Fe province, Argentina, on August 9, 2026, where the funeral of Argentina’s football star Lionel Messi’s father will take place.
(AFP)
Lionel Messi returned to Argentina on Sunday to bid farewell to his father, Jorge Messi, who died aged 68 after a battle with cancer.
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner arrived in Rosario late Saturday with wife Antonela Roccuzzo and their children. A private funeral ceremony was held at a cemetery in Perez, near Rosario, attended by close family members and a few of Messi’s Argentina teammates.
Fans also gathered outside the cemetery to show their support, with messages including “Stay strong, Leo, we love you” displayed at the gates.
Messi’s teammates rallied around their captain following Jorge’s death. His close friend and Inter Miami teammate Rodrigo De Paul, who travelled to Argentina, paid tribute during a match against Monterrey by removing his shirt to reveal a Messi No. 10 jersey.
Jorge had been a central figure throughout his son’s extraordinary career. A former metalworker in Rosario, he introduced Lionel to football at the age of four and coached him at local club Grandoli.
When Barcelona invited 13-year-old Messi to Spain in 2000, Jorge left his job and family in Argentina to accompany his son as he pursued his football dream while receiving treatment for a growth hormone deficiency.
Messi later recalled how difficult those early days in Spain were for both father and son, saying they would privately cry while pretending everything was fine.
Jorge eventually became Messi’s agent and played a key role in negotiating contracts throughout his son’s career at Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Miami.
His absence during the 2026 World Cup had already raised concerns about his health. Messi’s family had asked the media for “humanity” amid speculation, while the Argentina captain admitted he was dealing with “a situation outside of sports.”
Tributes have poured in from across football since Jorge’s death, with the Argentine Football Association ordering a minute’s silence and black armbands at matches across all age groups for the week.
(With AFP Inputs)
August 09, 2026, 22:45 IST
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