Updated

Updated · The Associated Press · Aug 8

Jorge Messi Dies at 68, Ending Decades as Lionel Messi’s Agent and Career Architect

Updated

Updated · The Associated Press · Aug 8

Jorge Messi Dies at 68, Ending Decades as Lionel Messi’s Agent and Career Architect

Q: Will Messi step away from the 2026 Leagues Cup to mourn the profound loss of his guiding pillar?

It is likely Messi will miss or at least reconsider Saturday’s Leagues Cup match, but there is no official confirmation yet. The facts point that way. Jorge Messi was not only his father but his longtime agent, confidant and the central figure behind his move to Barcelona and much of his career. Reports during the World Cup already linked Lionel Messi’s emotional state to his father’s deteriorating health, and he had also previously missed the MLS All-Star Game to spend time with him. That history suggests this loss is deeply personal and could prompt time away. Inter Miami, however, has not announced whether Messi will be unavailable for the Monterrey game. The club also has a separate sporting concern: Messi was recently diagnosed with a left hamstring overload, and his return to full activity depends on his recovery. That injury alone already created uncertainty around his immediate schedule. So the most accurate answer is that stepping away would be understandable and plausible, but as of now it remains unconfirmed. The decisive factors are likely to be family arrangements in Argentina, his own wishes, and Inter Miami’s handling of both his bereavement and fitness status. Until the club or Messi’s camp speaks publicly, any stronger claim would be speculation.

Q: What secret illness claimed the life of the fiercely private man who engineered football's greatest career?

The exact illness has not been officially disclosed. Jorge Messi’s family said only that he had been battling a long illness and had been under medical supervision in Rosario, while repeatedly asking for privacy and warning against speculation. Some outlets and social-media posts have claimed he had cancer, but that has not been confirmed by the family or in the most authoritative reporting. The most solidly sourced accounts, including family statements and major wire reports, describe his condition as an undisclosed or unspecified illness. What is clear is that Jorge Messi had been seriously ill for months, moving between a clinic and his home in Rosario during treatment. Reports during the 2026 World Cup linked Lionel Messi’s emotional distress to his father’s worsening condition, though Lionel himself said his tears were for reasons unrelated to football and did not publicly identify the illness. So, the answer is that no “secret illness” has been publicly named with certainty. The publicly verified record is that Jorge Messi died after a prolonged, private illness; any more specific diagnosis, including cancer, remains unconfirmed.

3 articles · Updated · The Associated Press · Aug 8

Rosario club Newell’s Old Boys said Jorge Messi died Saturday in a hospital in the Argentine city after months of treatment for an unspecified illness; he was 68.
The death follows weeks of concern during the 2026 World Cup, when Lionel Messi appeared emotional after Argentina’s opener and later said he had been going through “difficult, complicated days” for reasons unrelated to soccer.
The Messi family then confirmed only that Jorge Messi had a health issue and rebuked media speculation, calling it a private family matter.
Jorge Messi, a former steelworker and youth player at Newell’s, guided his son to Barcelona in the early 2000s, negotiated moves to PSG and Inter Miami, and managed image rights and investments.
His influence stretched across Lionel Messi’s rise from La Masia to eight Ballon d’Or awards and Argentina’s 2022 World Cup title, making him a central figure in one of soccer’s biggest careers.