According to local media reports, the father of Argentina football legend Lionel Messi, Jorge Messi, has died from a long illness at the age of 68.
It was reported by Spanish sports newspaper Marca on Saturday that Jorge Messi had passed away in a hospital in the Argentine city of Rosario.
There is no information about the disease he’d allegedly been stricken with.
It is known that Messi’s career in football has been greatly influenced by his father, Jorge Messi. From a young age is a testament to his dedication and support.
Lionel Messi’s father followed him when he left his family as a little kid to join Barcelona’s famed youth academy, with the rest of the family staying where they were born, Rosario.
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In addition to being a father, Jorge was very actively involved in managing Lionel’s career.
He was involved in many of his son’s career-related matters and was one of his representatives, continuing to be a crucial figure behind the scenes in Messi’s journey to global fame.
From his teenage years at Barcelona to becoming one of the greatest footballers ever, Jorge had a significant role to play in major decisions.
Jorge had a relatively low profile and did not do interviews with the media and stayed away from cameras.
He influenced people primarily outside of the public eye, especially in his son’s career and professional interests.
Lionel Messi, who has enjoyed an extraordinary career with Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, Inter Miami and Argentina, has maintained a close relationship with his father over the years.
Messi has not made any public statement yet about his father’s death.
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