Jorge Messi, father of Lionel Messi, dies at 68

Jorge Messi, father and longtime representative of Lionel Messi, died on August 8, 2026, at age 68 in Rosario, Argentina, after a long illness. His death prompted an outpouring of condolences from football institutions worldwide, including the AFA, Conmebol, Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Newell's Old Boys, where he was a lifelong fan. Source: Newell's Old Boys via El Nacional Source: Clarin

The reaction

AFA president Claudio "Chiqui" Tapia praised Jorge Messi's role in Lionel's life, saying, "Jorge hizo todo bien. Estuvo cuando había que estar, acompañó cuando había que acompañar y sostuvo cuando más hacía falta." Source: La Voz The Argentine national team sent "un abrazo" to the family, while Barcelona thanked Jorge for "confiarle los inicios y los años de máximo esplendor de la carrera futbolística de su hijo Leo." Source: Excelsior Real Madrid also expressed condolences, a notable gesture given the club's rivalry with Barcelona. Source: La Voz

The legacy

Jorge Messi was instrumental in Lionel's career, from his early days at Newell's to his move to Barcelona at age 13, where Jorge stayed with him while the rest of the family remained in Argentina. Source: La Vanguardia He later became his son's representative, negotiating contracts and managing his affairs. Source: El Nacional However, his legacy is not without controversy: in 2016, both father and son were convicted of tax fraud in Spain, with Lionel stating, "Los maneja mi papá. Confío en él. Yo me dedico a jugar a fútbol." Source: ABC

What's next

Lionel Messi, who was in Miami, has flown to Rosario and will miss Inter Miami's Leagues Cup match against Monterrey. Source: Clarin The question of who will manage Messi's career now arises, with speculation about top agencies like Rafaela Pimenta, Jorge Mendes, or CAA Stellar, or Messi handling it himself. Source: Excelsior The AFA has ordered a minute of silence and black armbands in all Argentine football matches. Source: Clarin