Jorge Messi, the father of Argentine footballer Lionel Messi, died last week at the age of 68 at a clinic in the city of Rosario, Argentina, after a long battle with illness.
In a touching message published on his Instagram account, Messi expressed the depth of his loss, saying: "I don't know what I will do without you. I don't know how to go on. I only know football in my life, but now I have many doubts about my ability to continue playing any longer."
Messi wrote to his father: "You were by my side from the beginning, and stayed until almost the end. Why couldn't you hold on a little longer so we could end it together?" Jorge Messi was not just a father who monitored his son's career from afar. He accompanied Messi from his early days at Barcelona, becoming one of his main sources of support, representing Messi for years, and being present in many important decisions and moments in the captain of Argentina's national team's career.
Messi, aged 39, revealed that his father's wish was one of the reasons he participated in the last World Cup, where Argentina finished in second place after losing to Spain in the final match after extra time. "You always asked me to play in the World Cup, and a few days before it started your condition began to worsen. That was the first time I played in a tournament without you by my side," Messi wrote.
Messi added that his father's health condition left a deep emotional impression during the tournament. In the opening match against Algeria, he scored three goals but cried while celebrating the first goal. He later explained that his tears were related to "something that had nothing to do with football," referring to the "difficult and complicated days" he was going through.
Although Argentina failed to win the title, Messi said that the decision to participate in the tournament was the right one. He also acknowledged that his body was no longer able to deliver what was needed to win a second world championship. "My feet are no longer able to go on. This time I tried to push myself beyond my physical limits, but I couldn't. I never felt good," he said.
Messi closed his message by affirming that his father's legacy would remain present in raising his children, saying: "I will miss you greatly, but you will always be present, especially in raising my children, because I will teach and raise them in the way you raised me."
