Messi Grieves Father; Leagues Cup Loss
Lionel Messi mourns his father Jorge Messi, who died at 68 after a prolonged illness in Rosario, with heartfelt messages detailing how his father's encouragement to play in the 2026 World Cup fueled his drive and how he struggled to come to terms with the loss. Across tributes from family and clubs, Messi's posts reveal the deep emotional impact of the death, his wish for his father to have seen him at the World Cup, and the heartbreak of the final where his late father would have watched him play.