Jorge Messi, Lionel Messi’s father, passed away at the age of 68, bringing a deeply personal moment of grief to the Messi family. A long time advisor to the Argentina captain, he was battling illness for some time and has ultimately breathed his last.
His death has also prompted fans to look back at the special bond between the football superstar and the man who stood by him during the early stages of his career. He was by his side when Messi lifted the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, and several pictures are now doing the rounds on social media.
The above picture is of Jorge posing with Messi after he won his first Ballon d'Or in 2009. Lionel was 22 at the time, having established as a focal point of Barcelona and guiding them to the treble under Pep Guardiola. Jorge acted as his agent and advisor, ensuring that his son was amongst the highest paid in the history of the game.
Following Jorge’s death, the old photographs have taken on a new emotional meaning. What once looked like ordinary family snapshots now preserve memories of a father-son relationship that accompanied Messi through some of the most important chapters of his life.
He even often shared pictures of the family on his Instagram account, with rare pictures of Messi holidaying with the extended family.
Jorge Messi’s legacy will forever be connected to Lionel’s extraordinary career. But beyond the football headlines, these unseen pictures tell a simpler story of a father and his son growing up together and sharing a dream. They are now cherished memories of a bond that remained part of Messi’s journey from a young boy in Rosario to a global icon.
