Guwahati: Jorge Messi, Lionel Messi’s father, has died aged 68 at a medical clinic in Rosario, Argentina, after a long illness.
The Inter Miami and Argentina forward had earlier said his family was going through a difficult period but did not disclose details about his father’s condition. After scoring against Algeria in June, Messi became emotional.
When asked about his tears, he said they had nothing to do with football and that he had been going through some difficult days. His comments led to speculation about Jorge’s health, while varying reports about his condition later prompted the Messi family to issue a statement asking for privacy.
The family said Jorge was receiving medical treatment and recovering. It also expressed concern over reports and rumours about his health and criticised the way some outlets had handled the matter.
The family later thanked those who had expressed concern and support and asked the public and media to respect Jorge’s privacy and that of his relatives.
Reports about his father’s health coincided with a change in Messi’s football commitments. He did not feature in the Major League Soccer (MLS) All-Star Game in late July, with media reports saying he had travelled to be with Jorge.
He returned to the Inter Miami lineup a few days later for an MLS fixture. His absence from the All-Star event came as he was dealing with personal difficulties away from football.