Football clubs in Argentina and around the world paid tribute to Jorge Messi, the father of Argentine soccer star Lionel Messi, who died on Saturday.
Jorge, 68, died at Sanatorio Centro in Rosario after suffering from an undisclosed prolonged illness and health complications for several weeks.
His death was met with tributes throughout the weekend’s matches in Argentina’s top-flight football league, with the AFA mandating a minute of silence before every game and players wearing black armbands.
Every squad also posed for photos with messages of support for Messi and his family.
The tributes extended beyond Argentina.
FC Barcelona, the club where Lionel Messi played for most of his career, posted a message on its social media channels and paid tribute to Jorge before its friendly matches in Italy against Nottingham Forest and Udinese. An image of Jorge was displayed on the stadium screen during a minute of silence.
Jorge was the one who decided to accept FC Barcelona’s offer to cover his son’s treatment after he was diagnosed with growth hormone deficiency (GHD), a rare condition that prevents normal bone and tissue growth.
UE Cornellà, a Spanish club co-owned by Lionel Messi, had its players wear black armbands during their latest match, while the club posted a message on social media expressing its support for the family.
Inter Miami, Messi’s current club, did the same ahead of its Leagues Cup matchup against Mexico’s Monterrey.
During that match, Argentina midfielder Rodrigo De Paul, one of Messi’s closest friends, revealed the Argentina captain’s No. 10 jersey underneath his own after scoring the game’s opening goal.
Figures from the sports world also posted messages of support for Messi, including Rafael Nadal, Rosario Mayor Pablo Javkin, Major League Soccer (MLS), Diego Maradona’s longtime wife Claudia Villafañe, and several current and former teammates.
Messi bids farewell to his father
The Argentina national football team captain, who was in Miami when Jorge Messi passed, made an emergency trip to Argentina and attended a private farewell ceremony in Rosario with his family on Sunday.
A major security operation was put in place at the venue. Lionel Messi, his two brothers and sister, his wife Antonela Roccuzzo, and other family members and friends attended the ceremony, with most entering the grounds through an alternate gate.
Several fans left messages for Messi and his family at the cemetery entrance, while others gathered at the house where Lionel spent his childhood to hang flags and pay tribute.
Jorge’s health issues first emerged during the 2026 World Cup, when the Argentina captain was seen crying after scoring Argentina’s opening goal against Algeria. Messi later confirmed that the tears were due to “an issue completely unrelated to sports,” amid subsequent rumors about his father’s health.
At the time, Messi’s family confirmed that he was experiencing health issues after rumors of his death went viral on social media. They called for “responsibility, prudence, and humanity” while condemning the “lack of sensitivity, respect, and scruples” in some of the reporting.
