Argentina captain and 2022 World Cup winner Lionel Messi has admitted he has “serious doubts” about continuing his football career for much longer following the death of his father and longtime agent, Jorge Messi.
“I don’t know what I’ll do without you, I don’t know how to go on. I just played football, and now I have serious doubts about continuing to do so for much longer,” Messi, 39, wrote on social media.
Jorge Messi died last week at the age of 68 after a prolonged illness. His death came during a difficult period for the Argentina star, whose father was unable to attend the 2026 World Cup because of his worsening health.
Messi, whose contract with Inter Miami runs until the end of the 2028 season, reflected on his father’s final months and the impact his absence had on him during the tournament.
“You kept asking me to play in one last World Cup, yet just days before it started, your condition took a turn for the worse. It was the first time you wouldn’t be there for a tournament,” Messi wrote.
“I kept telling you we would reach the final so you could make the trip.
“Every time a match ended, I waited for and missed your message. That’s when I realised the situation was really bad.
“We made it to the final, but you couldn’t be there. I wanted to win it to bring it to you and show you a new one. I couldn’t; my legs just gave out.
“This time I tried to push past my physical limits, but I couldn’t. I never felt right,” Messi said in his first comments since Argentina’s 1-0 defeat to Spain in the World Cup final in New Jersey.
Following the final, Messi returned to Rosario, where he spent several days with his family before his father’s funeral.
He recalled how Jorge was unable to fully experience the tournament despite Argentina reaching the final.
“When I arrived, you thought we had lost the final on penalties. We couldn’t talk about anything that had happened. You couldn’t enjoy any of it,” he said.
“We didn’t become champions, but you have no idea how much we enjoyed every match. Once again, you were right: I had to be there and play.”
Messi scored eight goals during his sixth World Cup campaign as Argentina reached the final.
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner had previously spoken of dealing with “a situation outside of sports” after becoming emotional following his goal against Algeria in the group stage.
Jorge Messi was laid to rest on Sunday during a private ceremony attended by close family members and a number of Argentina teammates in Perez, near Rosario.
Although the cause of his death was not officially disclosed, local media reported that he had been battling cancer.
Messi paid tribute to his father’s influence on both his personal life and football career.
“You were a father, a friend, and an agent. You were always exactly who you needed to be in every moment, and you never put a foot wrong.”
Jorge was Messi’s first coach and played a pivotal role in his early career. In 2000, he left Argentina with his son after Barcelona invited the then-13-year-old Messi to Spain to continue treatment for a growth hormone deficiency while joining the club’s youth system.
He left behind his job, wife and three other children in Argentina to settle in Spain with Lionel.
Jorge later became Messi’s agent, overseeing major stages of his career, including his moves from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain and eventually Inter Miami.
“You were always like that, right from when I was little. You’d take me to every training session as soon as you got home from work,” Messi recalled.
“You never missed a single match. You suffered while watching me play, yet you enjoyed it too — even though you never lavished me with praise.
“Rest in peace, and watch over us from above just as you did down here. Thank you for everything.”
