Jorge Messi, the father and long-time representative of Argentina football star Lionel Messi, has died at the age of 68.
According to Argentine media outlet Infobae, as reported by MARCA on Saturday, Jorge died at around 10pm on Friday at a medical facility in Rosario, Argentina, following a prolonged illness.
Jorge was married to Celia Cuccittini and was the father of four children — Lionel, Rodrigo, Matias and Maria Sol.
He played a significant role in Lionel’s development from his early days at Newell’s Old Boys to becoming one of the most celebrated footballers in the world.
One of his most important contributions came when Lionel required growth hormone treatment as a youngster. After the family struggled to secure the necessary medical support in Argentina, Jorge helped facilitate his son’s move to Barcelona at the age of 13.
Jorge subsequently travelled with Lionel to Spain and remained by his side during the challenging early years of his career, while other members of the family stayed in Rosario.
Reflecting on those difficult years in a 2007 interview, Messi recalled the support he received from his father.
“My old man was always by my side. We lived through many bad moments,” he said.
Messi 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 crucial as Messi went on to become a Barcelona icon and one of football’s most decorated players.
Beyond his son’s football career, Jorge also handled many aspects of Lionel’s professional affairs, including commercial negotiations and relationships with major international brands.
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Despite his important position, Jorge generally kept away from the spotlight and rarely granted interviews.
In one emotional message to his son during Messi’s rise to global prominence, Jorge reflected on the challenges they had overcome together.
“You know very well that we have gone through many good and not-so-good moments,” he said.
He also described Lionel as “an excellent person”, highlighting qualities he believed extended beyond his achievements on the football pitch.
Concerns about Jorge’s health had previously emerged during the 2026 World Cup after Messi became emotional following Argentina’s opening match.
After scoring a hat-trick, Messi said his emotions were “for a reason completely unrelated to sport”, adding, “I had some difficult, complicated days.”
When asked about the situation, he later said, “The truth is, more than anything, because of the family.”
The Messi family subsequently disclosed that Jorge was “under medical supervision, recovering and progressing favourably within the condition he presents”.
Jorge, who trained as a chemical technician, began his professional career at Argentine steel company Acindar in the 1980s and eventually rose to a managerial position.
He also had a connection to football in his youth, having played as a midfielder in Newell’s youth system before leaving the sport after being called up for military service.
Jorge’s death represents the loss of a largely private figure who played a crucial role behind the scenes in shaping and managing Lionel Messi’s remarkable football journey.