Jorge Messi, the father and longtime representative of Argentine football icon Lionel Messi, has died at the age of 68 following a prolonged illness.

He passed away in the early hours of Saturday at a medical clinic in Rosario, Argentina, where he had spent recent months receiving treatment, alternating between the facility and his family home.

He was accompanied throughout by his wife, Celia, and his children, Rodrigo, Matias, and Maria Sol.

The medical centre where he died confirmed his passing but declined to disclose details of the illness that led to it, citing patient privacy regulations and a request from the family.

Concerns about Jorge’s health had first surfaced publicly during the 2026 World Cup, when Lionel Messi became visibly emotional after scoring in Argentina’s opening match against Algeria and later admitted to reporters that he had been dealing with difficult personal circumstances away from football. Days later, the Messi family confirmed that Jorge was undergoing medical treatment, without specifying his diagnosis, and pushed back firmly against premature reports at the time claiming he had already died, describing the speculation as an invasion of a strictly private family matter.

Jorge Messi was far more than a father figure in the background of his son’s career; he played a central role in shaping it from its earliest days in Rosario.

When a young Lionel needed treatment for a growth hormone deficiency while coming through the ranks at Newell’s Old Boys, it was Jorge who searched for a club capable of supporting both his son’s football development and his medical needs, a search that eventually led the family to Barcelona.

He went on to serve for years as his son’s agent and remained a trusted voice throughout Lionel’s career. “I always needed my dad’s approval, ever since I was a kid. After every match, I’d ask him what he thought of how I played,” Messi once said of their relationship.

Tributes poured in from across the football world following confirmation of his death. Newell’s Old Boys, the club where Lionel began his youth career, credited Jorge’s steady presence and behind-the-scenes leadership as essential to every step of his son’s rise.

The Argentine Football Association ordered a minute of silence at matches nationwide, with players, coaches, and match officials wearing black armbands, while flags at AFA facilities were lowered to half-staff. Inter Miami, Lionel’s current club, and Paris Saint-Germain, his former club, both extended condolences to the Messi family, as did South American football’s governing body, CONMEBOL. Lionel Messi is expected to travel from Miami to Rosario to be with his family for a private wake.