Messi Says He Has Doubts About How Much Longer He Will Play After His Father’s Death

Summary:

• Lionel Messi expressed uncertainty about his future in football following the death of his father, Jorge Messi.

• Jorge Messi, who managed his son’s career, passed away at 68 after missing the 2026 World Cup.

• The Argentina captain reflected on his father’s influence on his career and the support he provided throughout the years.

Lionel Messi said Wednesday he is unsure how much longer he will keep playing, days after the death of his father and longtime agent, Jorge Messi. The 39-year-old Argentina captain posted the message on Instagram as an open letter addressed to his dad.

“All I ever did was play football, and now I have serious doubts about whether I’ll keep doing it for much longer,” Messi wrote in Spanish, according to a translation of the post.

Jorge Messi died Saturday at 68 at Sanatorio Centro, a medical center in Rosario, Argentina, where he had been receiving care. Dr. Carlos Mackey, the hospital’s medical director, confirmed the death and said no further details would be released out of respect for the family’s privacy. The funeral was held Sunday, and Messi returned to the United States on Tuesday night.

Much of the letter deals with the 2026 World Cup. Messi wrote that his father had pushed him to play in the tournament and that his condition worsened in the days before it began, the first time Jorge would miss one of his son’s tournaments. Messi said he kept hoping to advance far enough that his father would recover in time to travel and watch a match. Argentina reached the final and lost to Spain on July 19 in New Jersey.

He also described realizing how serious the situation had become when his father’s post-match messages stopped coming.

Jorge Messi managed his son’s career for decades and negotiated his contracts at Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Miami. A chemical technician who worked as a steelworker, he played in the youth ranks at Newell’s Old Boys in Rosario. He traveled with his 13-year-old son to Barcelona in 2000 for the trial that opened the door to La Masia.

Messi is under contract with Inter Miami through the 2028 season. He has not announced any decision about his future.