Lionel Messi has broken his silence following the death of his father, Jorge Messi, with a heartbreaking tribute in which he admits he is questioning his future in football.

Jorge Messi, father and longtime agent of the Argentina captain, died last week aged 68 at a medical clinic in Rosario after a long illness. He passed away around 10 p.m. local time on Friday, August 7, 2026, according to Argentine and Spanish outlets.

In a post shared on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, the Inter Miami forward said he is struggling to come to terms with the loss.

"Dad, I still can't believe you're gone. I can't believe I won't see you anymore, that we won't talk anymore. I know you were suffering and that's the best thing, but you left too soon. We still had so much left to enjoy together."

Messi revealed that playing in what was his last World Cup was his father's wish.

"You always asked me to play in the last World Cup, and days before it started, that's when you got worse. It was the first time you weren't going to be in a tournament," Messi wrote.

The 39-year-old added that he had hoped to reach the final so his father could watch a game. Argentina went on to finish runners-up to Spain.

"I came to you because I couldn't talk about everything that happened. You couldn't enjoy anything. We weren't champions, but you never knew how we enjoyed every game. Once again, you were right: you had to be there and play."

In the most striking part of the message, Messi questioned whether he will continue playing.

"I don't know what I'm going to do without you. I don't know how to go on. I just played soccer, and now I have a lot of doubts about whether I'll keep doing it for much longer. You were by my side from the beginning, so close to the end. Why didn't you hold on a little longer, and we could have finished together?"

Messi also paid tribute to his father's role from his childhood to his professional career, describing him as "dad, friend, and representative" who took him to every training session after work and never missed a game.

"You were always the person you had to be in every moment, and you never made a mistake... I will miss you a lot, but you will always be present, and especially in the education of my children, because I teach and educate them as you did with me. Rest in peace and take care of us from above as you did here. Thank you for everything. I love you, Dad."

Jorge Messi closely accompanied his son throughout his career, beginning with his early years at Barcelona, and served as a crucial pillar of support and his representative for several years.

His death has prompted tributes from across football. Messi's first club, Newell's Old Boys, FC Barcelona, the Argentine Football Association, and Major League Soccer all issued condolence statements.

Messi travelled to his hometown of Rosario for a private funeral ceremony on Saturday, August 8 2026.

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