Messi bids emotional farewell to father Jorge Messi in private Rosario funeral

Lionel Messi has bid an emotional farewell to his father and long-time agent, Jorge Messi, who died at the age of 68 following a battle with cancer.

The Argentina football icon arrived in Rosario late Saturday aboard a private flight from Miami, accompanied by his wife, Antonela Roccuzzo, and their children, as family and close friends gathered to pay their final respects.

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A private funeral ceremony was held on Sunday at El Prado cemetery in Pérez, a town adjacent to Rosario, with only close family members and a small number of Messi’s Argentina teammates in attendance.

Outside the cemetery, fans gathered to offer their support to the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner and his family. Handwritten messages including “Stay strong, Leo, we love you” and “Stay strong, Messi family” were displayed alongside floral tributes.

For Messi, the loss marks the end of a relationship that shaped virtually every stage of his extraordinary football career.

Jorge was not only his father but also his first coach, mentor and agent. He guided his son from his childhood in Rosario through his move to Barcelona as a teenager and remained one of the most influential figures behind his career.

Messi’s teammates and former colleagues rallied around him following news of Jorge’s death late Friday at a clinic in Rosario.

Boca Juniors midfielder Leandro Paredes said Argentina’s players were considering travelling to Rosario to support their captain.

“It will surely do him good for us to be there,” Paredes said.

Rodrigo de Paul, one of Messi’s closest friends and his Inter Miami teammate, also paid tribute to the football great’s father.

After scoring in Inter Miami’s 2-1 defeat by Monterrey on Saturday, De Paul removed his shirt to reveal a Messi No. 10 jersey underneath.

The gesture reflected the support surrounding Messi during one of the most difficult moments of his life.

Fans also travelled long distances to Rosario to stand with the Argentina captain.

Fifteen-year-old Lucas Blanco was among those who gathered outside the cemetery, hanging a “Stay strong, Messi” sign on the gates.

“He has brought so much joy to this country; now it’s our turn to give a little back and offer him some comfort,” Blanco said.

Carlos and Ana, a couple who travelled about 700 kilometres from Tres Arroyos, said they wanted to show their support for Messi and his family.

“We wanted to stand by Leo during this time,” they said.

A father who shaped Messi’s journey

Jorge Messi’s influence on his son’s career began long before the world knew Lionel Messi as one of football’s greatest players.

A former metal factory worker, Jorge became his son’s first coach in Argentina and later accompanied him to Spain when Messi moved to Barcelona at the age of 13.

The decision to leave Argentina was a difficult one for the family, but Jorge remained beside his son as the young footballer attempted to establish himself at Barcelona.

Messi later recalled how difficult the early period in Spain had been for both of them.

“When we arrived in Barcelona, I used to lock myself in my room to cry alone, and my father did the same,” Messi said.

“When things were tough, my father even asked me what I wanted to do, whether I wanted to keep going or go back home. I wanted to continue, so he stayed with me.”

Jorge eventually became Messi’s agent and played a central role in negotiating his son’s contracts and managing his career throughout his time at Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Miami.

Messi has repeatedly acknowledged his father’s influence.

“My father helped me enormously. He is very critical of me. That made me always want to push myself further,” Messi said in 2022.