Marked by His Father's Death, Lionel Messi Announces 'Doubts' About Continuing His Career

Lionel Messi, the 39-year-old Argentine football icon, has revealed profound doubts about his future in the sport, sharing his emotional turmoil in a poignant Instagram message addressed to his late father. The star player is grappling with the recent death of his father, Jorge Messi, who passed away on August 8.

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I don't know what I'm going to do without you, I don't know how to go on. I only played football and now I have many doubts about continuing for a long time. You were by my side from the beginning, there was so little left before the end. Why didn't you hold on a little longer so we could finish together?

In his deeply personal post, Messi conveyed his uncertainty about continuing his career without his father's guidance. "I don't know what I'm going to do without you, I don't know how to go on. I only played football and now I have many doubts about continuing for a long time," he wrote, addressing his father directly. He expressed his grief and disbelief at his father's premature departure, lamenting the unfulfilled shared future.

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Dad, I still can't believe you're gone. I'm not falling, or rather, I don't want to fall. It's very hard for me to imagine that I won't see you anymore, that we won't talk anymore. I know you were suffering and that it's better this way, but you left too soon. We still had so much to live together.

Messi's father was not only a paternal figure but also his long-time agent, playing an instrumental role in shaping his illustrious career. The footballer reminisced about his father's consistent wisdom and support, stating, "You were a father, a friend, and my agent. You were always the right person at every moment and you never made a mistake about anything." He acknowledged that even during disagreements, his father's advice ultimately proved correct.

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You were a father, a friend, and my agent. You were always the right person at every moment and you never made a mistake about anything. Despite some reproaches or arguments, you were always right. In the end, things always turned out as you said.

The emotional message comes after a period of significant personal and professional challenges for Messi. His father's illness had prevented him from attending the World Cup final, a moment that deeply affected the player, who was seen in tears after scoring his first goal in a subsequent match. Messi had previously alluded to difficult times away from the sport, underscoring the profound impact of his father's absence.

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The truth, and it's totally unrelated to sports, is that I've had difficult days.