Jorge Messi, the father of Argentina and Inter Miami star Lionel Messi, has died at the age of 68 after a long illness, according to reports from Argentine media and Spanish outlet Marca.
Jorge Messi reportedly died at a hospital in Rosario, Argentina. There has been no immediate official confirmation of his death or details about his illness.
Jorge played an important role in Lionel Messi’s career from the beginning.
When Lionel moved from Argentina to Spain as a child to join Barcelona’s youth academy, Jorge accompanied him during the early months of the move. The rest of the family remained in Rosario at the time.
Jorge later became involved in managing his son’s career and served as one of his representatives.
He remained involved in major decisions throughout Lionel’s career, from his early days at Barcelona to his rise as one of the greatest players in football.
Despite his son’s worldwide fame, Jorge generally stayed away from the spotlight. He worked mostly behind the scenes as Lionel developed from a young Barcelona player into one of the most successful footballers in history.
Lionel Messi, 39, had not publicly commented on his father’s reported death as of Saturday.
Jorge Messi’s death follows a long illness. Argentine media and Marca have not reported the specific cause of death.
