Lionel Messi has broken his silence after his father, Jorge, died at 68 last week after a long-term illness.
In a lengthy Instagram statement in Spanish, the Argentina great detailed Jorge’s impact on his soccer career, what he went through during the World Cup and even hinted at a potential retirement.
“All I ever did was play football, and now I have quite few doubts as to whether I’ll carry on doing it for much longer,” Messi wrote. “You were by my side from the start, we were so close to the end. Why didn’t you hang on just that little bit longer so we could finish it together?”
The younger Messi, now in his 23th season as a professional, has previously kept coy about when he will end one of the most decorated careers in the history of the sport.
But he missed Inter Miami’s most recent match after Jorge’s passing, and there’s no timetable for when he might return to the pitch. His contract with the south Florida club runs through the 2028 season.
Prior to his death, Jorge served as Messi’s agent and moved his family to Spain when the then-13-year-old signed a contract with Barcelona.
“Of course, you never missed a single match,” Messi said. “How you suffered watching me and how you enjoyed it, even though you never showered me with praise.
“You were a dad, a friend and an agent. You were always the person you needed to be at every moment, and you never got anything wrong. Despite the odd reproach or argument, you were always right. In the end, things always turned out as you said they would.”
Jorge’s battle with illness became a storyline during the World Cup, when the Messi family released a statement regarding his health and recovery.
Lionel was seen crying mid-match after scoring two goals against Algeria in the group stage.
Messi revealed in his statement that Jorge took a turn for the worse in the days leading up to the tournament, the first one he missed during Messi’s career.
He wanted to advance to the final in hopes that Jorge’s health would improve enough to travel to the U.S. Argentina ultimately made the final, with Messi scoring eight goals on the way, before losing 1-0 to Spain.
“When I got back, you thought we’d lost the final on penalties. We couldn’t talk about any of what had happened,” he wrote. “You couldn’t enjoy any of it. We didn’t win the title, but you have no idea how much we enjoyed every match. Once again, you were right: I had to be there and play.”
Messi returned home to Argentina following the tournament to spend time with his family before heading back to Miami. He played one game, recording a shot on goal against Columbus, before Jorge’s death Friday.
“I’m going to miss you so much, but you’ll always be present, and above all in bringing up my children, because I’m teaching and raising them as you both did with me,” he wrote.
“Rest in peace and look after us from up there, just as you did here. Thank you for everything.
“I love you, dad.”
