The family of Lionel Messi announced on Thursday that his father, Jorge Messi, is facing a health issue.
The family provided a statement to ESPN, indicating, “He is currently under medical supervision, recovering, and making positive progress in his condition.”
They also addressed the swirling rumors regarding Jorge’s health, emphasizing that any information not sourced from official channels should be disregarded.
While the specifics of Jorge Messi’s illness, who is 68 years old, were not disclosed, the family expressed their displeasure with the insensitivity and lack of respect shown by some individuals regarding this personal matter.
“In light of various reports, rumors, and speculation circulating in recent hours, we want to convey our strong disapproval of the way this private family issue has been handled,” the statement read.
“We would also like to clarify that only his closest family members have accurate and trustworthy information about Jorge’s condition. Therefore, any claims or statements not originating from the family and its official channels should not be deemed valid or true. In such times, we ask for understanding, prudence, and compassion.”
“An individual’s health and the well-being of their loved ones should not be subjected to speculation or careless media interest. We truly appreciate the expressions of love, respect, and concern that have been shown, and we kindly ask that the privacy and confidentiality of Jorge and his family be honored during this period. Any significant updates will be shared promptly by the family through the appropriate channels.”
During Argentina’s opening match against Algeria in the 2026 World Cup, Lionel Messi was emotional after scoring his first goal, later revealing that his tears were due to personal matters unrelated to football.
“Why did I cry? It was something completely unrelated to football,” Messi explained.
“I experienced some challenging days, but I’m grateful for the support from the entire team and my teammates, who provided me with the strength I needed to get through it.”
In Argentina’s 3-0 victory over Algeria, Messi made history by jointly holding the record for the most goals at a men’s World Cup, alongside Miroslav Klose (16 goals) and surpassing Pelé (21) for the most goal contributions in men’s World Cup history, totaling 24 (16 goals, 8 assists).
Jorge Messi has been instrumental in guiding his son’s soccer career as his agent and managing his business interests off the field.
He played a critical role in taking young Messi to Barcelona for a trial at La Masia, the club’s youth academy, in the early 2000s.
Jorge also handled Messi’s contracts with Barcelona and facilitated his transfers to Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Miami, while overseeing his son’s image rights and various investments in real estate, hotels, and restaurants.
In 2016, both Messi and his father were convicted in Spain on charges of tax evasion but avoided prison time since the sentence was under two years.
While Messi is at Argentina’s base camp in Kansas City, awaiting their next group match against Austria on Monday in Dallas, his family expressed their heartfelt gratitude for the outpouring of affection, respect, and concern they’ve received.
“We kindly ask that the privacy and confidentiality of Jorge and his family be honored during this time,” the statement concluded.
This report includes information from The Associated Press.