Thank you Jorge Messi, for blessing the world with Lionel Messi, the greatest football player of all time. Your legacy will forever live on, and you will never be forgotten.
He delivered a World Cup campaign for the ages at 39yrs old while battling his father's terminal illness and a wave of undeserved vitriol on the Internet.
You're so strong, Lionel Messi 😭
At the age of 68, after a long battle with a serious illness, Jorge Horacio Messi, Leo Messi’s father, has passed away, confirms @DiarioOle 💔😓
"His health had been deteriorating for some time. He fought through his illness both during and after the World Cup. That is why, following the final against Spain, Leo urgently traveled to Rosario to spend time with his father, whom he had not seen for almost two months.
"Messi’s tears after scoring his first goal against Algeria were the first indication of the difficult situation his father was going through. At one point during the tournament, Leo even considered leaving to go see him.
"Jorge spent time both hospitalized and at his home in Rosario, always accompanied by Celia, who also did not travel. His children Rodrigo, Matías and María Sol came and went to be by his side and support him. Lionel remained in frequent contact to stay updated on his condition, which at times appeared to improve, though the overall situation remained serious."
Messi delivered that World Cup campaign while his father was living his final days and a massive hate campaign was raging against him. Yet, he never said a single bad word about anyone. He carried his pain in silence and still chose kindness🥲
They were threatening to k!ll Messi during the World Cup while he was emotionally down because of his father’s health. Now, he’s broken because his father is gone!
May God heal this man. It hasn't been easy for him. 💔