Jorge Messi, father and agent of Lionel Messi, dies at 68 in Rosario

Death in Rosario

Jorge Messi, father and lifelong agent of Lionel Messi, died in the early hours of Saturday, 8 August 2026, at the Sanatorio Centro medical clinic in Rosario, Argentina. He was 68. The clinic's medical director, Dr. Carlos Mackey, issued a statement confirming the death occurred at 02:00 local time (05:00 GMT). Several media outlets described the death as occurring on Friday night. Jorge had been battling a long, unspecified illness, and in his final months alternated between the medical centre in Rosario and his home, accompanied by his wife Celia Cuccittini, 66, and his children Rodrigo, Matías and María Sol.

A father's role

Born in 1958 in the province of Santa Fe, Jorge Messi was a central figure in his son's career from the beginning. He served as Lionel's first coach on the informal pitches of Rosario, and when a young Lionel needed growth hormone treatment while at Newell's Old Boys youth academy, Jorge arranged the move to Barcelona at age 13. He became his son's representative, negotiating contracts and managing transfers, while maintaining a deliberately low public profile. He rarely gave interviews or appeared at public events, preferring a discreet role behind the scenes. His absence from several recent moments in Lionel's career had drawn attention from fans.

World Cup emotion

During the 2026 World Cup, held in the United States, Mexico and Canada, Lionel Messi broke down in tears after scoring a hat trick in Argentina's 3-0 opening-match victory over Algeria. At a press conference, he explained that his tears were due to "something unrelated to football" after going through "a few difficult, complicated days." There was speculation that his emotional reaction during Argentina's last-16 victory over Egypt was also connected to his father's deteriorating condition. Days later, the family issued a statement regarding Jorge's "health situation," informing the public that he was undergoing medical treatment. At the time, the family said Jorge's condition showed favourable evolution.

Lionel's bond with his father

Lionel Messi had spoken publicly about the deep bond with his father, describing how he sought his judgment after every match.

I always needed my dad's approval, ever since I was a kid. After every match, I'd ask him what he thought of how I played.

In another interview, he recalled the difficult early days in Barcelona when Jorge asked him whether he wanted to continue or return to Argentina.

My dad came to ask me what I wanted to do when things were bad, whether I wanted to continue or we go back, and I wanted to continue and he stayed with me.

Controversy and next steps

Jorge Messi's life was not without controversy. In 2013, he and Lionel were accused by Spanish authorities of using companies in the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Belize and Uruguay between 2007 and 2009 to channel the footballer's image rights and avoid tax payments. The case was resolved with multimillion-dollar fines but no prison time for either party. Lionel Messi spent time with his father after the World Cup before rejoining Inter Miami, for whom he returned to action a week ago. Inter Miami are scheduled to play Monterrey at home on Saturday in the 2026 Leagues Cup, though the MLS club have not yet announced whether Messi will feature. Newell's Old Boys, where Lionel began his career, posted a farewell message on social media, describing Jorge as the person who "with vision, rigour and affection, sustained the career of the best player of all time alongside his wife, Celia Cuccittini."