Messi unsure on extending career after father's death

Lionel Messi is contemplating his future in football following the recent death of his father, Jorge Messi. The football icon shared his profound grief and uncertainty in a heartfelt tribute on Instagram.

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I don't know what I'm going to do without you. I don't know how to move forward. I only played football and now I have quite a few doubts about whether I'm going to keep doing it for much longer.

"I don't know what I'm going to do without you. I don't know how to move forward," Messi wrote, addressing his late father. He questioned how he would continue without the man who was by his side from the beginning. Jorge Messi, who died at 68 after a long illness, was a constant presence throughout his son's career, offering crucial support and even acting as his representative for several years.

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You were by my side from the beginning; there was so little left until the end. Why couldn't you hold on just a little longer so we could finish it together?

Messi revealed that his father's wish was a significant reason he played in the World Cup, where Argentina finished as runners-up. He described the pain of his father's deteriorating health before the tournament and the subsequent wait for his messages after matches. "That's when I realised how real the situation was," Messi stated, recalling the mixed emotions he experienced, including tears of distress after scoring a hat-trick in the opening match.

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You always asked me to play in the last World Cup and a few days before it started was when you got worse.

Despite the deep personal loss and physical exhaustion, Messi had aimed to win the final for his father. "My legs couldn't go on anymore," he admitted, explaining his inability to secure the World Cup title. However, he pledged to honor his father's memory by raising his own children with the same values he was taught. "I will teach them and raise them the way you raised me," he promised.

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That's when I realised how real the situation was.