Published: August 8, 2026 at 3:57 PM
Updated: August 8, 2026 at 4:34 PM
Healthcare organization in Argentina, reports Jorge Messi died on Saturday at Sanatorio Centro in Rosario lead-art-block.fullscreen-enterExpand
Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi (10) celebrates after scoring his side’s third goal during the first half of a Leagues Cup soccer match against Atletico de San Luis, Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell) (Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.) (Rebecca Blackwell/AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
MIAMI — Inter Miami CF released a statement on Saturday afternoon after Lionel Messi’s 68-year-old father died in Argentina.
Grupo Centro, the healthcare organization that owns Sanatorio Centro, a hospital in Rosario, Argentina, announced Jorge Messi died on Saturday morning.
“Our hearts are with our captain, Leo, and the entire Messi family,” a spokesperson for Inter Miami CF wrote in the team’s statement.
The South American Football Confederation, CONMEBOL, and Rosario’s Club Atlético Newell’s Old Boys also released condolences messages.
FILE PHOTOS: Lionel Messi sits in court with his father Jorge Horacio Messi in Barcelona, Spain, June 2, 2016. REUTERS/Alberto Estevez/Pool/File Photo | Jorge Messi watches his son play on July 6, 2011. REUTERS/Marcos Brindicci/File Photo
Jorge Messi was a midfielder who reached the youth ranks of Newell’s Old Boys. He was his son’s agent and was involved in Leo Messi’s contracts with Barça, Paris Saint-Germain, and Inter Miami CF.
“I had the privilege of knowing and working with Jorge. He was a man of his word, and my thoughts and prayers are with his family during this difficult time. Miami has embraced the Team Messi family as our own, and we mourn with them today,” Francis X. Suarez, a former Miami mayor, wrote in a statement on X.
During the FIFA World Cup, Lionel Messi told reporters that he was in tears over “a reason unrelated to sports” after going “through some difficult, complicated days.”
In June, Messi’s family released a statement reporting that Jorge Messi was “experiencing a health issue.”
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La CONMEBOL lamenta profundamente el fallecimiento de Jorge Messi, padre del futbolista argentino Lionel Messi.
Acompañamos con respeto y afecto a Lionel, a su familia, amigos y seres queridos en este momento de profundo dolor.
Que descanse en paz. pic.twitter.com/QpTWIAgdBU
— CONMEBOL.com (@CONMEBOL) August 8, 2026
El Club Atlético Newell’s Old Boys despide con profundo dolor y pesar a Jorge Messi, quien falleció a los 68 años de edad en la ciudad de Rosario.
Reconocido hincha leproso, empresario y padre del capitán del seleccionado argentino, Lionel Andrés Messi.
Jorge fue el sostén y la… pic.twitter.com/8dFPMRdM9Z
— Newell’s Old Boys (@Newells) August 8, 2026
My deepest condolences to Leo Messi and the entire Messi family on the passing of his father, Jorge.
I had the privilege of knowing and working with Jorge. He was a man of his word, and my thoughts and prayers are with his family during this difficult time. Miami has embraced…
— Francis X. Suarez (@FrancisSuarez) August 8, 2026
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Andrea Torres