Lionel Messi’s father and long-time representative, Jorge Messi, has died at the age of 68.
Jorge reportedly died at about 10pm on Friday at a sanatorium in Rosario, Argentina, following a prolonged illness.
Married to Celia Cuccittini, Jorge was the father of four children — Lionel, Rodrigo, Matias and Maria Sol — and played a pivotal role in his son’s journey from a young player at Newell’s Old Boys to one of football’s greatest stars.
He was instrumental in securing medical treatment for Lionel when the youngster was diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency and required specialised therapy.
After efforts to obtain the necessary treatment in Argentina proved unsuccessful, Jorge helped facilitate Lionel’s move to Barcelona at the age of 13.
He subsequently remained with his son in Spain during the early and challenging stages of his European career, while the rest of the family stayed in Rosario.
Recalling those difficult years in a 2007 interview, Lionel revealed that his father had asked him whether he wanted to continue pursuing his football dream in Spain or return home.
“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.”
The decision proved significant as Messi went on to establish himself at Barcelona and become one of the most decorated footballers in history.
Beyond helping to develop his son’s football career, Jorge also managed many aspects of Lionel’s professional affairs, including negotiations with major international brands.
Despite his influential position, Jorge largely remained away from the spotlight and rarely granted interviews.
In one emotional message to his son as Lionel’s profile continued to rise, Jorge recalled the challenges they had overcome together.
“You know very well that we have gone through many good and not-so-good moments,” he said, adding that those experiences had strengthened the family.
Jorge also described Lionel as not only an exceptional footballer but “an excellent person”.
His health became a subject of public 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 explained that it was unrelated to football.
“It is for a reason completely unrelated to sport. I had some difficult, complicated days,” he said.
Asked subsequently about the family situation, Messi replied: “The truth is, more than anything, because of the family.”
The Messi family later disclosed that Jorge was “under medical supervision, recovering and progressing favourably within the condition he presents”.
Jorge, who trained as a chemical technician, began working at Acindar, an Argentine steel company, in the 1980s and eventually rose to become 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.
Although he largely operated behind the scenes, Jorge Messi played a central role in the development, career management and success of Lionel Messi, helping his son navigate some of the most challenging stages of his journey to global football stardom.
