‘I don't know how to go on’: Lionel Messi opens up after father Jorge's death

Lionel Messi has opened up about the loss of his father, Jorge Messi, in an emotional Instagram tribute, recalling their close relationship, his father's role in his football career and the World Cup dream they had hoped to share.

Jorge Messi, 68, died in Rosario last Friday after a prolonged illness. He was not only Messi's father but also his long-time agent and one of the key figures in his journey from a young footballer in Argentina to a global star.

Sharing a photograph with his father on Instagram, Messi said he was still struggling to accept the loss.

"Dad, I still can't believe you're gone. It hasn't sunk in—or rather, I don't want it to sink in. It's so hard to imagine that I won't see you again, that we won't talk anymore," Messi wrote.

He said he understood that his father had been suffering but felt he had died too soon.

"I know you were suffering and that this is for the best, but you left too soon. We still had so much left to enjoy together," he added.

'You kept asking me to play in that last World Cup'

Messi revealed that Jorge had repeatedly urged him to play at the 2026 World Cup despite his deteriorating health. The Argentina captain had hoped his father would recover sufficiently to travel and watch the tournament.

"You kept asking me to play in that last World Cup, but just days before it started, your condition took a turn for the worse," Messi wrote.

It was the first World Cup that Jorge was unable to attend. Messi said his mother continued to reassure him that his father would improve, leading him to believe they could still reach the final and have Jorge travel to watch a match.

Argentina eventually reached the final, where they lost 1-0 to Spain. Messi played a major role in the team's campaign, finishing the tournament with eight goals and four assists.

But after every match, Messi said, he was reminded of his father's absence.

"After every match, I'd wait for your message and miss hearing from you. That's when I realised how serious the situation really was," he wrote.

Messi said he continued pushing Argentina forward in the hope that his father might still be able to watch them play.

"We made it to the final, but you couldn't be there. I wanted to win it so I could bring it to you and show you a new trophy," he said.

He added that he ultimately could not overcome the physical demands of the final.

"I couldn't do it; my legs just gave out. This time I tried to push past my physical limits, but I couldn't. I never felt right," Messi wrote.

'I don't know what I'm going to do without you.'

The loss has also left Messi questioning what comes next in his football career.

"I don't know what I'm going to do without you; I don't know how to go on. All I ever did was play soccer, and now I have serious doubts about whether I'll keep doing it for much longer," he said.

Messi recalled how Jorge had remained by his side from the earliest days of his career and said his father's greatest happiness came from seeing his family doing well and watching him play.

"You were by my side from the very beginning, and we were so close to the end. Why couldn't you hold on just a little longer so we could finish this journey together?" Messi wrote.

Jorge's influence on Messi's career began long before the Argentine became a global star. He took his son to training sessions and matches while working at a steel factory and later became his agent.

Messi remembered those early years, saying his father would take him to training after work and never missed his matches.

"You were a dad, a friend, and an agent. You were always exactly who you needed to be in any given moment," Messi wrote.

Jorge was also closely involved in Messi's move from Newell's Old Boys to Barcelona at the age of 13. The move eventually took the teenager to Spain, where Barcelona helped cover the cost of treatment for his growth hormone deficiency. Jorge later became a central figure in managing his son's professional career.

Messi vows to carry his father's values forward

Despite the grief, Messi said his father's influence would remain part of his life, particularly in the way he raises his own children.

"I'm going to miss you terribly, but you'll always be with me—especially in how I raise my own children, because I'm teaching and bringing them up just the way you and Mom did with me," he wrote.

He ended the tribute with a message of gratitude.

"Rest in peace, and watch over us from up there just as you did down here. Thank you for everything. I love you, Dad," Messi said.

Messi also thanked fans and well-wishers for their support following Jorge's death, while asking people to respect his family's privacy as they grieve.

"I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for all the affection, respect, and immense consideration shown to me and my family during this painful time," he wrote in an Instagram Story.