ROSARIO: Lionel Messi, the iconic figure of Argentine football, lost his father Jorge Messi after an extended battle with cancer at the age of 68 years. Jorge Messi was not only a significant figure in Messi’s life since he was a child but also the famous football star’s agent.

The death of Jorge Messi marks the end of a bond that has influenced every aspect of Lionel Messi’s football career, right from his early years playing locally in Rosario to becoming one of the greatest footballers in the world.

Fans Gather to Show Support on Jorge Messi's death

Argentina's football star Lionel Messi returned to Argentina via a private jet from Miami on Saturday night, arriving accompanied by his wife Antonela Roccuzzo and kids. Since his return, he has stayed only with immediate family members. A burial ceremony was held for the deceased on Sunday afternoon at a cemetery located in the township of Perez, which is next door to Rosario.

Fans' handwritten notes could be seen outside El Prado Cemetery, with messages such as “Leo stay strong” and “Messi Family stay strong” written on them, along with a huge bouquet of flowers placed in honor of the family. It was evident that fans have formed connections not just with Messi but the entire family that had stood behind him throughout his career journey.

Following the news of Jorge Messi's death in the early hours of Friday evening at a hospital in Rosario, the Argentine star’s teammates stepped forward to support their captain. “I’m sure he would appreciate all of us being there,” commented Leandro Paredes, who plays for the Buenos Aires-based club, Boca Juniors, after Saturday’s match. “Now I have to talk to some of my teammates about whether we’ll head there today or tomorrow.”

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It has been reported that the Argentine footballer, Rodrigo de Paul – who happens to be an Inter Miami teammate and a close friend of Lionel Messi – went to Argentina to join him. The midfielder dedicated a goal scored during a match against Monterrey, where his team lost 2-1 in Miami last Saturday, by removing his shirt to reveal Messi’s Number 10 jersey beneath.

There is no official confirmation regarding his cause of death; however, according to local sources, Jorge Messi had been diagnosed with cancer. Jorge Messi had made headlines even back in June due to his absence in the World Cup, when Messi himself requested journalists to “have some humanity” amid all speculations surrounding his father's poor health condition.

After breaking down in tears when scoring against Algeria at the age of 39, Messi confessed to having “handled an extra-sports situation.” According to Messi, “I had quite tough, complex days, but I must thank the whole delegation and my fellow players because they supported me as usual.” Right after losing the FIFA World Cup final match against Spain, Messi flew home to be with his family in Rosario for several days, which in retrospect revealed how much his family was going through behind closed doors.

Jorge Messi has remained a crucial mentor for his son's entire career journey, having acted as his coach initially and subsequently quitting everything to move along with him to Spain. Originally employed as a metal worker in Rosario, which lies 340 kilometers north of Buenos Aires, Jorge Messi coached several junior sides playing for the modest football club of Grandoli. It was Jorge who initiated his son's football career when Lionel Messi was merely four years old.

In 2000, the Argentine Football Club Barcelona approached the budding talent, who was only 13 years old at the time, offering him a contract in Spain to play for their youth teams and receive further medical treatment due to his growth hormone deficiency. Jorge made the difficult decision to leave his job, family, and three other children behind in order to relocate to Spain for Lionel’s sake.

"Whenever we moved to Barcelona, I would always lock myself in my bedroom crying while my dad did the same, either out of sight of each other or pretending that the other person could not see them crying. We tried putting up this brave front like everything was alright when it really wasn't," Messi explained later about these challenging years abroad.

The elder Messi went ahead to become the main agent negotiating the astronomically high salary deals for his offspring, who made his way into Paris Saint-Germain after leaving Barcelona before heading to Inter Miami. The transition from trainer to agent shows the importance of Jorge Messi throughout his offspring's professional journey.

Since Saturday, the world of football has sent out condolences, coming from football clubs where Messi once played alongside the Spanish Football Federation. AFA issued instructions calling for one minute's silence to be observed prior to any match being played this week. They also instructed teams participating in all categories to wear black armbands when playing their fixtures this week, highlighting the high esteem with which the family is regarded within the footballing community of Argentina.