Messi Leaves Future in Doubt, Opens Up in Deep Sadness for the First Time After Father's Death, Reveals What Saddened Fans
On 12 August 2026, Lionel Messi, the Argentine football star, spoke out for the first time after Jorge Messi, his father and a crucial figure in his football career, passed away on Friday, 7 August, following a long illness.
Recently, Lionel Messi hinted he might retire from professional football by posting a deeply sorrowful letter about his father on his personal Instagram, stating:
"Dad, I still can't believe you've gone. I can't accept it yet. It's really hard to imagine not seeing or talking to you anymore."
"I know you suffered a lot, and your passing freed you from pain, but it was just too soon. There was still so much we could have enjoyed together."
"You kept urging me to play in the last World Cup, but just days before the tournament started, your condition worsened severely. It was the first time you couldn't come to cheer me on from the stands. But Mom always told me you'd get better and be strong enough to travel. So I told you we'd reach the final, so you'd come to watch."
"After every match, I looked for messages from you and thought about you. I began to realize how bad things really were, but I kept pushing to reach the deepest rounds, hoping to buy time for you to see at least one match. We made it to the final, but you couldn't come..."
"I wanted to win, to bring the trophy to you, to show you a new title, but I couldn't. My legs just couldn't go on. I forced my body to the limit, but it was no use, and I never felt better."
"When I got home, Dad misunderstood that we lost on penalties in the final. We didn't talk about what happened. He wasn't happy about anything. We weren't champions. But Dad, do you know how happy we were with every match we played? And once again, you were right that I had to be there and play."
"I'm sharing this because it's the only thing we hadn't talked about. Everything else, he probably already knew since we talked every day and tried to meet whenever my schedule allowed."
"I don't know what to do without you. I don't know how to move forward. My life has been football, but now I seriously question how much longer I can keep playing. You've been by my side from day one. We're so close to the end. Why didn't you hold on just a little longer so we could finish this together?"
"I know your happiness was seeing the family happy — Mom, the kids, and especially, quietly, watching me play football."
"It's always been that way since I was a child. Dad took me to practice as soon as work ended. Many times, Mom brought me because Dad was still working."
"And of course, Dad never missed any of my matches. He was anxious and suffering watching me play but also very happy, even if he seldom praised me directly."
"Dad was not just a father but a friend and personal manager. He was always right at every moment and never made a wrong decision. Even when we argued or disagreed, he was always the one who was right. Everything ended exactly as he said."
"I will miss Dad so much, but he will always be in my heart, especially in how I teach and raise my children, just as my parents raised me."
"Rest well, Dad. Please watch over us from above like you did here. Thank you for everything."
"Love you, Dad."
*Thanks for the photo from Instagram: leomessi