Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi is stepping away from football at a deeply painful moment in his personal life.
The Argentina captain has reportedly taken an indefinite break from football following the death of his father, Jorge Messi.
According to reports from Argentine media, Inter Miami have given Messi as much time away from the club as he needs, with no specific date currently set for his return.
Jorge Messi died at the age of 68 after a prolonged illness. He passed away at a clinic in Rosario, Argentina, and had been one of the most important figures in Lionel Messi’s personal and professional life.
Messi travelled from Miami to Argentina after receiving news of his father’s death. He arrived in Rosario with his wife Antonela Roccuzzo and their three children before joining his mother and siblings.
The funeral was held privately on August 9 at the El Prado cemetery in Pérez, a city near Rosario.
The ceremony was attended by close family members and was conducted under strict security measures. No football players or AFA officials attended, reflecting the family’s decision to keep the farewell private.
Messi’s return to Argentina came after a difficult period that had already seen the superstar dealing with his father’s health problems.
During Argentina’s opening World Cup match against Algeria, Messi scored a hat-trick but broke down in tears after his first goal.
He later explained that his emotions were connected to personal difficulties rather than the match itself. The family subsequently confirmed that Jorge Messi was receiving medical treatment.
Now the reason behind the emotional period has become clearer.
Jorge Messi played a central role in Lionel’s football journey. He was not only his father but also his longtime representative and adviser. When Lionel was just 13 years old, Jorge moved with him to Barcelona as the young footballer began the next stage of his career.
That decision eventually became the foundation of one of football’s greatest stories.
From Barcelona’s youth system to becoming one of the most decorated players in football history, Lionel Messi’s career was closely connected to his father’s guidance. Jorge also remained his son’s representative throughout his professional career.
Messi himself has previously spoken about how much his father’s opinion mattered to him. He recalled seeking his father’s approval after matches when he was a child and wanting to know what Jorge thought about his performance.
That relationship makes the loss particularly significant. Jorge was one of the few people who had been with Messi before the fame, trophies and global recognition.
He knew the player before the world knew Lionel Messi.
The immediate impact on Messi’s football career is uncertainty. Reports indicate that he will remain away from Inter Miami indefinitely while he mourns his father.
He already missed the club’s Leagues Cup match against Monterrey following the death. There is currently no confirmed date for his return to Major League Soccer. That means Inter Miami may have to prepare for a period without their biggest star.
For Messi, however, football is clearly not the priority at this moment.
His return will depend on when he feels ready to resume professional football.The situation is also significant because Messi remains a central figure for both Inter Miami and Argentina. At 39, every period away from competitive football naturally attracts attention.
But there is little doubt that the circumstances surrounding this absence are different. This is not a tactical break or a normal injury.
It is a family tragedy.
The football community has responded with messages of sympathy. The Argentine Football Association announced that a minute of silence would be observed across Argentina’s football divisions in Jorge Messi’s memory.
Players, coaches and referees were also expected to wear black armbands as a mark of respect.Barcelona also paid tribute to Jorge Messi and highlighted his role in the beginning and most successful years of Lionel’s career with the club.
Other major football institutions and clubs, including Real Madrid and Messi’s boyhood club Newell’s Old Boys, also expressed condolences.
Fans in Rosario gathered near the cemetery and around Messi’s childhood home to leave flowers and messages of support.
“Fuerza Leo” became a common message among supporters.
For Argentina, Jorge Messi was more than the father of a football legend.
For Lionel, he was a guide who had been present through the most important stages of his life.
From a young boy leaving Rosario for Barcelona to an eight-time Ballon d’Or winner and World Cup champion, Messi’s journey was shaped in part by the support of his father.
Now, the football world is waiting. But there is no need for Messi to rush back. The pitch can wait.
His family cannot.
When Lionel Messi eventually returns to Inter Miami, it will be after taking the time he needs to process one of the most painful losses of his life. For now, football can only offer its condolences and give one of its greatest players the space to grieve.
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