Rabat – Lionel Messi has raised fresh doubts over his playing future following the death of his father, Jorge Messi, saying the loss has left him uncertain about continuing his career “for much longer.”
Jorge Messi died on Saturday, August 8, at a hospital in Rosario, Argentina, at the age of 68. Newell’s Old Boys, the Rosario club where Lionel began his football journey, confirmed his death and said he had undergone treatment in recent months for an unspecified illness.
In an emotional message published on Instagram on Wednesday, the 39-year-old Inter Miami forward reflected on the central role his father played throughout his life and career.
“I don’t know how to carry on,” Messi wrote before acknowledging that he now has doubts over how much longer he wants to keep playing football.
No retirement decision has been announced, and Messi remains under contract with Inter Miami through the 2028 Major League Soccer season after signing an extension last October.
World Cup became deeply personal
Messi revealed that his father’s deteriorating health had weighed heavily on him throughout the 2026 World Cup.
Jorge had repeatedly encouraged his son to take part in what was expected to be his final World Cup, but his condition worsened just days before the tournament began and prevented him from attending. Messi said he kept hoping Argentina would advance far enough to give his father time to recover and potentially watch him play.
The emotions became visible during Argentina’s opening game against Algeria. Messi scored a hat-trick in a 3-0 victory but broke down in tears after his opening goal. He later explained that he had been experiencing “difficult, complicated days” for reasons unrelated to football.
Argentina eventually reached the final, where their attempt to retain the World Cup ended with a 1-0 extra-time defeat to Spain. Messi later revealed that he had desperately wanted to win another title for his father but struggled physically during the final weeks of the competition.
Father, agent and lifelong confidant
Jorge’s influence extended far beyond his role as a parent.
A chemical technician who worked in the steel industry in Rosario, he also played football at youth level before eventually dedicating himself to supporting his son’s career. He accompanied Lionel to Barcelona in the early 2000s for the trial that opened the door to the club’s La Masia academy.
Jorge later became Messi’s representative and business manager, negotiating contracts with Barcelona and playing an important role in his subsequent moves to Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Miami.
That partnership accompanied one of football’s most decorated careers. Messi made a club-record 778 appearances for Barcelona and scored 672 goals before leaving in 2021.
He subsequently spent two seasons with PSG before joining Inter Miami in 2023.
The Argentine Football Association also paid tribute to Jorge following his death, ordering moments of silence at matches across the country and black armbands for players, referees and coaching staff. CONMEBOL similarly expressed its condolences to Messi and his family.
Messi ended his message by saying his father’s influence would continue through his own family, particularly in the way he raises his children.
For now, his immediate football future remains uncertain. His Inter Miami contract gives him the option of continuing beyond this season, but his latest comments make clear that the death of the person who accompanied him from his earliest training sessions to the highest level of the sport has forced him to reconsider how much longer he wants to play.
