Portugal footballer and Lionel Messi’s long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo has offered words of support to the Argentina star after he shared an emotional note on Instagram remembering his father, Jorge Messi, who died on Friday, August 7.
“A huge hug to you and yours in these tough times, Leo. Much strength,” Ronaldo wrote in the comments section of Messi’s post.
Messi broke his silence on Wednesday, revealing how much he misses his father and expressing doubts over continuing his professional football career. The Argentina captain said his father had repeatedly asked him to play at one last World Cup, and that he wanted to fulfil that wish at the 2026 tournament.
Messi helped Argentina reach the World Cup final last month, where they lost 1-0 to Spain after extra time in New York-New Jersey.
Several people and brands, including prominent figures from the sporting world, have shared messages of condolence in the comments section of Messi’s first public post about his father’s death.
Jorge Messi died aged 68 after a prolonged illness. He had been a central figure in his son’s career, serving as his representative and remaining one of his closest confidants from the early stages of his football journey.
“Dad, I still can’t believe that you’re gone. I don’t want to accept it, or rather, I don’t want to fall apart. It’s very difficult for me to imagine that I’m never going to see you again, that we won’t talk anymore,” Messi wrote in his Instagram post.
I know you were suffering and that this is for the best, but you left far too soon. We still had so much left to enjoy together.”
MESSI HINTS AT RETIREMENT
Messi then raised the possibility of stepping away from football, revealing how much his father kept him motivated to wear the Argentina shirt.
“I don’t know what I’m going to do without you. I don’t know how to carry on. I only played football, and now I have quite a few doubts about whether I’m going to keep doing it for much longer. 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 together?”
“I know that what made you happiest was seeing your family, your wife, your children and, above all, without the others knowing, watching me play.”
“That’s how it had always been since I was little. You would take me to every training session as soon as you got home from work. My mum took me to many of them because you were working.”
“Obviously, you never missed a single match. You suffered watching me and you enjoyed it too, even though you never gave me many compliments.”
“You were my dad, my friend and my representative. You were always the person you needed to be in every situation, and you were never wrong about anything. Beyond some arguments or disagreements, you were always right. In the end, things always turned out the way you said they would.”
“I’m going to miss you so much, but you will always be present, especially in how I raise my children, because I teach and raise them the way you and Mum raised me.”
“Rest in peace, Dad, and watch over us from above like you did here. Thank you for everything.”
Messi had returned to action for Inter Miami earlier this month in the Leagues Cup, scoring twice in a 4-2 win over Atletico de San Luis on August 5. Inter Miami’s next match was against Monterrey on August 8, but Messi was not involved as he travelled to Argentina following his father’s death. The club’s Leagues Cup schedule also included a match against Club Leon on August 12.
It remains unclear when Messi will return to action for Inter Miami, with the Major League Soccer season continuing alongside the Leagues Cup.
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