London
28 °C
Manchester
Glasgow
Dublin
22 °C
Belfast
Washington
26 °C
Denver
22 °C
Atlanta
Dallas
Houston Texas
New Orleans
El Paso
Phoenix
Los Angeles
20 °C
15 °C
27 °C
2 °C
13 °C
Lionel Messi's father Jorge dies aged 68 / Photo: © AFP/File
Lionel Messi's father Jorge dies aged 68
Jorge Messi, the father and agent of Lionel Messi, has died aged 68, the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner's childhood club Newell's Old Boys announced on Saturday.
Argentinian media reported Jorge Messi had passed away on Friday in a hospital in Rosario.
"His constant companionship and behind-the-scenes leadership were essential in backing every step of Lionel," Newell's Old Boys said in a social media post.
Jorge Messi was his son's first coach in Argentina and his sole companion when he first moved to Barcelona as a child, before later becoming his agent.
"My father helped me enormously. He is very critical of me. That made me always want to push myself further," Lionel Messi told DirecTV Sports in 2022.
Messi's family asked the media for "humanity" during the recent World Cup amid persistent rumours over Jorge's health.
E.Walker--SFF
