Lionel Messi has paid an emotional tribute to his late father, Jorge Messi, reflecting on their close relationship, his father’s influence on his football career and the difficult moments surrounding his final World Cup.
In a deeply personal letter, Messi admitted that he was struggling to accept that his father was gone and that they would never speak or see each other again.
“Dad, I still can’t believe that you’ve gone,” Messi wrote, describing his father’s passing as something he found extremely difficult to comprehend.
Messi acknowledged that his father had been suffering and that his passing may have brought an end to that pain, but said he still felt Jorge had left too soon.
Messi Recalls His Father’s World Cup Wish
One of the most emotional parts of Messi’s letter centred on the 2026 just concluded World Cup.
According to Messi, Jorge repeatedly asked him to play in what would become another World Cup campaign. However, his father’s condition deteriorated severely in the days before the tournament.
It was the first major tournament Messi attended without his father being present.
Messi revealed that his mother continued to reassure him that Jorge would recover and eventually be well enough to travel. Holding onto that hope, Messi promised his father that Argentina would reach the final so he could make the trip.
After every match, Messi waited for his father’s message, but eventually realised how serious his condition had become.
Despite the circumstances, Messi remained determined to go as far as possible, hoping Argentina’s progress would give his father enough time to recover and perhaps watch him play.
Argentina eventually reached the final, but Jorge could not make the journey.
I Wanted to Win It to Bring It to You
Messi revealed that winning the World Cup had taken on an even deeper meaning for him.
“I wanted to win it to bring it to you and show you a new one,” he wrote.
However, Argentina lost the final to Spain, with Messi admitting that his body had reached its limits during the tournament.
“My legs wouldn’t give any more,” he recalled.
Messi said he had tried to push himself beyond what his body could handle but never managed to feel physically well throughout the competition.
He also remembered returning home and learning that his father had initially thought Argentina had lost the final on penalties.
The two were unable to properly discuss everything that had happened.
A Father Who Was Always There
Beyond football, Messi's letter painted a picture of a father who had been present throughout his journey from childhood to becoming one of the greatest footballers in history.
Jorge took Messi to training sessions whenever his work allowed him to do so, while his mother also helped whenever his father was working.
Messi recalled that his father never missed his matches and experienced the highs and lows of watching his son compete.
“You were dad, friend and representative,” Messi wrote.
He also described Jorge as someone who always seemed to know what was best for him, even when their relationship involved disagreements and arguments.
According to Messi, his father’s advice repeatedly proved right in the end.
Messi Questions His Future in Football
The loss has also left Messi questioning what comes next.
“I don’t know what I’m going to do without you, I don’t know how to go on,” he wrote.
The Argentina captain admitted that football had been the centre of his life and that he now had doubts about whether he would continue playing for much longer.
His words underline just how significant Jorge was, not only as his father but also as a constant figure throughout his extraordinary career.
You’ll Always Be Present
Messi said he will continue to carry his father’s influence into the next generation by raising his own children in the same way he was raised.
He promised that Jorge would remain present in his family and in the way he raises his children.
“I’m going to miss you a lot, but you’ll always be present,” Messi wrote.
The football icon ended his tribute with a final message of love and gratitude to his father, thanking him for everything he had done throughout his life.
“Rest in peace and look after us from above the way you did down here. Thank you for everything.
I love you, Dad.”
Source >> Fabrizio Romano