Soccer legend Lionel Messi has lost his father just weeks after leading Argentina to the World Cup final. Jorge Messi died in the early hours of Saturday morning at a clinic in Rosario, Argentina, at the age of 68, according to multiple reports. Jorge had served as his son’s agent since Lionel was 14 and had reportedly been battling a long illness. During Argentina’s World Cup opener, a 3-0 win over Algeria, Lionel was seen crying on the field and later said his tears “were something completely unrelated to football.” The Messi family then confirmed that Jorge was dealing with a “health-related situation,” disclosing his illness in June. The Inter Miami forward, 39, spent time with his father after Argentina finished as runners-up at the World Cup before returning to club action last week. In a social media post, Messi’s boyhood club, described Jorge as “the pillar” who, alongside his wife, Celia Cuccittini, supported his son’s career with “vision, rigor and affection.” Jorge is survived by his wife, their sons Lionel, Rodrigo, and Matías, their daughter María Sol, and their grandchildren.
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