Lionel Messi has suggested he may retire from professional football in the wake of his father Jorge's death, revealing profound grief and doubt over his future in the sport. Jorge Messi, described as an integral figure in his son's career, died on Friday, August 7, after a battle with illness.
Messi shared a heartfelt letter to his father on Instagram, where he expressed the difficulty of accepting the loss and the uncertainty it has brought to his playing career. "I don't know what I'll do without you, I don't know how to go on. I only played football and now I have serious doubts that I'll continue doing that for much longer," Messi wrote.
He recalled his father's encouragement to play in the recent World Cup, an event Jorge was unable to attend due to his deteriorating health. Messi stated that his father's happiness was tied to seeing his family well and, privately, to watching him play. "You were by my side from the beginning, it was so close to the end. Why couldn't you hold on that little bit longer and we could have finished together?" he questioned.
Messi's father, who also served as his agent and business manager, had been dealing with an unspecified medical issue in recent months. This illness became public knowledge earlier this year when Messi was seen crying on the pitch after Argentina's World Cup group stage win, later explaining it was due to difficult personal circumstances.
Jorge Messi's passing has prompted an outpouring of tributes from the football community, including from Messi's former clubs Newell's Old Boys and Barcelona, as well as the Argentine national team.
Lionel Messi missed Inter Miami's recent match against Monterrey to return to Argentina following his father's death. He later expressed gratitude to fans on Instagram stories for their "love, respect and enormous consideration" during this "incredibly painful time."
Jorge Messi was a constant presence throughout his son's illustrious career, which began in Argentina and saw him achieve global superstardom with Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain before his move to Inter Miami. The elder Messi was also by his son's side during his tax fraud case in 2016.