Lionel Messi Mourns Father Who Guided His Career

Lionel Messi is bidding farewell to his father, Jorge Messi, who passed away Sunday at the age of 68 after a battle with cancer. Jorge Messi served as the global football star's emotional anchor and agent since his childhood.

The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner returned to Argentina on a private flight from Miami late Saturday with his wife Antonela Roccuzzo and their children. He has remained surrounded by his close family since his arrival. A private ceremony with a few teammates from the Argentine national squad is scheduled to take place at a cemetery in the town of Perez, adjacent to Rosario, later Sunday.

Fans left handwritten messages of support outside the El Prado cemetery, including "Stay strong, Leo, we love you" and "Stay strong, Messi family," alongside a large floral wreath. Messi's teammates have rallied around their captain following the announcement of Jorge Messi's death late Friday at a clinic in Rosario.

Boca Juniors midfielder Leandro Paredes told journalists, "It will surely do him good for us to be there." He added that he needed to speak with teammates to arrange travel. Media outlets suggest that midfielder Rodrigo de Paul, a close friend of Messi and his Inter Miami teammate, would also travel to Argentina. De Paul paid tribute to Messi after scoring a goal in Miami on Saturday, revealing Messi's number 10 jersey by removing his shirt.

Jorge Messi, a metalworker from Rosario, was instrumental in his son's early career. He was Lionel's first coach, managing youth teams at the local club Grandoli, and introduced the future captain to the game at age four. His life changed course in 2000 when Barcelona invited the then 13-year-old prodigy to Catalonia. Jorge left his job, wife, and three other children in Argentina to settle in Spain with Lionel to ensure he received treatment for a growth hormone deficiency and continued his football development.

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It will surely do him good for us to be there.