The Rosario-based Club Atlético Newell’s Old Boys announced his death through a social media update, mentioning that he had been receiving treatment in recent months for an unspecified ailment.
The post referred to him as “the cornerstone and the individual who, with vision, rigor, and affection, supported the journey of the greatest player of all time, alongside his wife, Celia Cuccittini.”
The South American Football Confederation, CONMEBOL, also expressed its condolences in a statement, noting their “respect and affection for Lionel.” Lionel Messi guided Argentina to a second-place finish in this year’s World Cup. In the team’s opening match against Algeria, he showed strong emotions after netting the first of his three goals.
He later mentioned that he cried for “reasons unrelated to sports.” “I faced some challenging and complicated days,” he stated. “I am thankful to the delegation and all my teammates for always being by my side, providing strength so I could be alright.”
Media reports at that time angered the Messi family, prompting them to later release a statement confirming that “Jorge is experiencing a health issue,” without detailing the specifics of his condition.
“A person’s health and the peace of their loved ones should not be fodder for speculation or irresponsible media attention,” the statement read, also expressing “discontent at the lack of sensitivity, respect, and scruples with which some have handled a strictly private family matter.” Jorge Messi was a chemical technician and worked in steel production. He played soccer as a midfielder and reached the youth ranks of Newell’s Old Boys, but had to leave the sport to fulfill his mandatory military service in Argentina.
He played a crucial role in his third son’s career, functioning as his agent and managing his business dealings. He was the one who accompanied a young Messi to Barcelona in the early 2000s for the trial that would pave the way to La Masia, the Catalan club’s youth academy. Lionel Messi made his professional debut in 2005 and went on to secure eight Ballon d’Or awards. He led Argentina to the 2022 World Cup championship.
“My dad was always there for me,” Lionel Messi shared in a 2007 interview with Radio del Plata. “Sometimes I would shut myself in my room to cry when we got to Barcelona, or my dad would do the same without me knowing, or thinking I didn’t see him. We pretended we were both fine, but we weren’t. My dad even asked me what I wanted to do when we were feeling down, whether I wanted to stay or go back; I wanted to stay, and he stayed with me.” His father managed his contracts with Barça and later his transfers to Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Miami, while also overseeing the management of his illustrious son’s image rights and various real estate, hotel, and restaurant investments.
In 2016, both father and son were found guilty of tax evasion in Spanish courts but evaded prison time as the sentence was under two years.
