Argentina superstar Lionel Messi has admitted he has “serious doubts” about continuing his football career for much longer following the death of his father, Jorge Messi.
Messi, who inspired Argentina to World Cup glory in 2022, made the disclosure on Wednesday in an emotional social media tribute to his father, who died last week at the age of 68.
“I don’t know what I’ll do without you, I don’t know how to go on. I just played football, and now I have serious doubts about continuing to do so for much longer,” the 39-year-old said.
Jorge Messi, who also served as his son’s agent, died shortly after the 2026 World Cup, during which his absence became a major source of emotional strain for the Argentina captain.
Messi, whose contract with Major League Soccer side Inter Miami runs until the end of the 2028 season, reflected on his father’s deteriorating health during the tournament.
“You kept asking me to play in one last World Cup, yet just days before it started, your condition took a turn for the worse. It was the first time you wouldn’t be there for a tournament,” Messi wrote.
“I kept telling you we would reach the final so you could make the trip.
“Every time a match ended, I waited for and missed your message. That’s when I realised the situation was really bad.
“We made it to the final, but you couldn’t be there. I wanted to win it to bring it to you and show you a new one. I couldn’t; my legs just gave out.
“This time I tried to push past my physical limits, but I couldn’t. I never felt right,” he added, in his first comments since Argentina’s 1-0 defeat to Spain in the final in New Jersey.
Messi returned to Argentina immediately after the defeat and spent several days with his family in Rosario, about 340 kilometres north of Buenos Aires.
He recalled how he realised that his father had been unable to fully experience Argentina’s World Cup campaign.
“When I arrived, you thought we had lost the final on penalties. We couldn’t talk about anything that had happened. You couldn’t enjoy any of it,” Messi said.
“We didn’t become champions, but you have no idea how much we enjoyed every match. Once again, you were right: I had to be there and play.”
‘Father, friend and agent’
Messi, competing in his sixth World Cup, scored eight goals as Argentina reached the final.
After bursting into tears following his goal against Algeria in the group stage, he had previously revealed that he was dealing with “a situation outside of sports”.
On Sunday, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner said farewell to his father at a private ceremony attended by close family members and several Argentina teammates in Perez, near Rosario.
The cause of Jorge Messi’s death was not disclosed, although local media reported that he had been battling cancer.
In his tribute, Messi highlighted his father’s central role in both his personal life and football career.
“You were a father, a friend, and an agent. You were always exactly who you needed to be in every moment, and you never put a foot wrong,” he wrote.
Jorge was Messi’s first coach and made significant sacrifices to support his son’s career. In 2000, he left his job, wife and three other children in Argentina to accompany 13-year-old Lionel to Barcelona, where the youngster continued treatment for a growth hormone deficiency while joining the club’s youth academy.
Jorge later became Messi’s agent, negotiating contracts throughout his career, including his moves from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain and eventually Inter Miami.
“You were always like that, right from when I was little. You’d take me to every training session as soon as you got home from work,” Messi recalled.
“You never missed a single match. You suffered while watching me play, yet you enjoyed it too — even though you never lavished me with praise.
“Rest in peace, and watch over us from above just as you did down here. Thank you for everything.”
AFP
