I will miss you so much: Messi publishes heart-wrenching tribute to father Jorge

Lionel Messi has broken his silence following the death of his father Jorge with a deeply emotional open letter, admitting that he does not know how he will carry on and revealing genuine doubts over whether his playing career will last 'much longer'.

Jorge Messi passed away at the age of 68 on August 8, just weeks after the family had released a statement during the World Cup saying he was 'experiencing health issues' and 'under close medical attention'. The Barcelona legend posted a two-page letter on Instagram in Spanish, dedicating his run to the World Cup final to a father who could not be present after his health deteriorated in the days before the tournament began.

A father, a friend and an agent

In the letter, translated in full, the 39-year-old inter Miami star writes of his heartbreak and the unique bond he shared with the man who was simultaneously his parent, his confidant and his business representative.

'I don't know what I'm going to do without you, I don't know how to carry on. All I ever did was play football, and now I have a fair few doubts as to whether I'll carry on doing it for much longer. You were by my side from the start, we were so close to the end (of his career). Why didn't you hang on just that little bit longer so we could finish it together?'

Jorge Messi played an outsized role in his son's life and career. A former supervisor at a metal factory in Rosario, he helped coach at the local Grandoli soccer club where Lionel played his first games as a child before moving on to Newell's Old Boys. He accompanied the 13-year-old Lionel to Spain for his trial at Barcelona in September 2000, paving the way for a move to La Masia and a 21-year career at the Catalan club, where Messi scored a club-record 672 goals in 778 appearances before joining Paris Saint-Germain in 2021 and Inter Miami in 2023.

The World Cup final without his father

Messi's letter also reveals the emotional toll of the tournament itself. After Argentina's group-stage win, Messi had said his tearful reaction to scoring two goals was down to 'some difficult, complicated days'. He describes how his father asked him to play his last World Cup and fell gravely ill just days before it began, and how he promised they would reach the final so his father could travel.

'Every time a match ended, I'd wait for your message and miss it. That's when I realised the situation was really bad. Even so, I couldn't stop thinking about getting as far as possible, to give you time to watch a match. We reached the final and you couldn't be there. I wanted to win it so I could take it to you and show you another trophy. I couldn't do it, my legs wouldn't carry me any further.'

He recalls that when he returned home, his father initially thought Argentina had lost the final on penalties, meaning the two could never fully share the experience. 'When I got back, you thought we'd lost the final on penalties. We couldn't talk about any of what had happened. You couldn't enjoy any of it. We didn't win the title, but you have no idea how much we enjoyed every match.'

Outpouring of tributes

The announcement prompted an outpouring of condolences from across the football world, including from Messi's long-term rival Cristiano Ronaldo, who posted on Instagram: 'A huge hug to you and your loved ones during these difficult times, Leo. Stay strong.'

Closing his letter, Messi pays tribute to a father he says was always right throughout their many disagreements, and promises to pass on his lessons to his own children.

'I'm going to miss you so much, but you'll always be present, and above all in bringing up my children, because I'm teaching and raising them as you both did with me. Rest in peace and look after us from up there, just as you did here. Thank you for everything. I love you, dad.'