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The father who paved Lionel Messi’s path: How Jorge Messi helped turn a young dreamer into a football legend
Lionel Messi has often acknowledged the influence his father Jorge had on his journey to the top of the game.
Jorge Messi, Lionel Messi’s father, has passed away at the age of 68, according to several media reports. He played a major role in shaping Lionel’s football career and also worked as his representative, handling several of his son’s football-related matters away from the pitch. The Argentina football team captain has often acknowledged the influence his father had on his journey to the top of the game.
Before becoming closely involved in his son’s career, Jorge worked as a chemical technician and later as a steelworker. He was also a footballer in his younger days, playing as a midfielder and progressing through the youth ranks at Newell’s Old Boys in Rosario. However, Jorge eventually had to give up his playing career to complete his mandatory military service in Argentina.
Leo went on to become one of the greatest footballers in history, but his father Jorge played a huge role in his journey, both as a parent and as his agent. Jorge also handled many of Lionel’s business affairs and was by his son’s side during the early stages of his career. He travelled with the young Messi to Barcelona in the early 2000s for the trial that eventually opened the doors to La Masia, the club’s famed youth academy. What followed was an extraordinary career, with Messi winning a record eight Ballon d’Or awards and finally leading Argentina to World Cup glory in 2022.
A past quote from Leo offers a glimpse into the close bond he shared with his father, Jorge, who passed away today. Speaking in a 2007 interview with Radio del Plata, he recalled the difficult early days in Barcelona and how his father stood by him through the emotional struggles of adapting to a new life far from home.
“My dad was always by my side,” Lionel Messi said in a 2007 interview with Radio del Plata. “Sometimes I would lock myself in my room to cry when we arrived in Barcelona, or my dad would do the same without me seeing him, or thinking I didn’t see him. We pretended we were both OK, but we weren’t. My dad even asked me what I wanted to do when we were feeling down, if I wanted to stay or go back, and I wanted to stay, and he stayed with me," he added.
Also Read - Lionel Messi's father Jorge Messi dies at 68: Report
Jorge handled Leo's contracts and transfers
It was Jorge, who used to negotiate his contracts with Barcelona and later his transfers to Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Miami, while also managing the use of his famous son’s image rights and his numerous investments in real estate, hotels, and restaurants.
Meanwhile, Jorge's health kept him from travelling to the United States for the 2026 World Cup, meaning he could not be there to watch Lionel represent Argentina, as he had done four years earlier in Qatar. The tournament was also an emotional one for Lionel, as the Argentine revealed he was dealing with matters away from football.
That was evident during Argentina’s game against Algeria. After scoring the opening goal of his World Cup hat-trick, Messi was overcome with emotion and broke down in tears during his celebration. Asked about the moment at his post-match press conference, he said it was “something unrelated to football” and admitted he had gone through “a few difficult, complicated days.”
