Lionel Messi suffered a personal loss last week as his father, Jorge, died on August 8. Messi, who was training with the Inter Miami team, flew to Rosario and attended his father’s memorial services.
He returned to Miami before the game against Leon. However, he didn’t start for them and played the second half of the game. Unlike the previous game, Messi started for Inter Miami against Nashville on Saturday (August 15) and he is also leading the team. Before the fixture, Inter Miami’s manager asked for privacy for the football legend.
“I think everything needs to unfold gradually; there is deep pain involved, and this isn’t something that changes overnight. So, I believe silence is the best approach, silence, tranquility, and peace, allowing him to find his own moments. We need to stand by him, sharing in that silence; to me, silence is important, that helps one eventually find a way forward. He is truly a wonderful person, and he has a wonderful family,” he said a day before the game.
Jorge died due to prolonged illness. Jorge, who relocated to Barcelona for his son’s career, later became his business manager. Jorge couldn’t fly to North America to watch the 2026 FIFA World Cup due to a health condition.
Lionel Messi pays tribute to his father
A few days after Jorge’s death, Messi paid tribute to his father in a long social media post. He was upset that his father couldn’t see him play in their second consecutive FIFA World Cup final. Defending champions Argentina suffered a 1-0 defeat against Spain in the final.
“After every match, I waited for and missed your message. That’s when I realized how serious the situation really was. Even so, I couldn’t stop thinking about going as far as possible, to give you more time and the chance to watch one of the games. We reached the final, but you couldn’t be there. I wanted to win it so I could bring the trophy to you and show you another one. I couldn’t. My legs just couldn’t give me any more. This time I tried to push beyond what my body could handle, but I couldn’t. I never managed to feel physically right,” Messi wrote.2