Havana, August 8 (RHC) – Argentine football star Lionel Messi arrived in Rosario today to be with his family following the death of his father, Jorge, who guided and supported him throughout his career.
Jorge Messi passed away at the age of 68 after suffering from a delicate health condition in recent months, including a hospital stay during part of the 2016 World Cup.
It has been reported that there will be no public wake, as the family opted for a private ceremony with close family and friends before the burial on Sunday at the Parque del Solar cemetery in Villa Gobernador Gálvez, a city within Greater Rosario, Santa Fe province.
After arriving in Rosario tonight from Miami, Messi will join his mother, Celia Cuccittini, his siblings Rodrigo, Matías, and María Sol, and the rest of his loved ones.
Clubs, federations, and organizations within world football expressed their condolences, including the Argentine Football Association, CONMEBOL, FC Barcelona, and various institutions connected to the Argentine captain’s sporting history.
Club Atlético Newell’s Old Boys, from Rosario, where “La Pulga” (Messi) began his rise to football stardom, issued an official statement on Saturday expressing their deep sorrow and grief over the passing of Jorge Messi.
The club, located in Parque Independencia, of which Jorge and his entire family are well-known fans, highlighted his pivotal role in the Argentine star’s career.
“Jorge was the pillar of strength and the person who, with vision, rigor, and affection, underpinned the career of the greatest player of all time… Thank you for teaching him to love these colors,” Newell’s posted on their official X account.
Social media overflowed with messages of condolence for Lionel, his mother Celia, and the entire Messi family. In matches of the fourth round of the Argentine Clausura Tournament, tributes were paid before kickoff, with players wearing black armbands.
“It’s shameful to think there was an anti-Messi sentiment in Argentina,” wrote President Javier Milei on his Instagram account, referring to an alleged campaign against the national team captain during the World Cup.
“During these last two months, Messi sought to bring joy to the Argentine people while his father lay dying and had only a few days left to live. He is the greatest human being in the history of the country,” the president emphasized.
