Lionel Messi has spoken publicly for the first time since his father Jorge's death, publishing a letter that sheds light on how much the 2026 World Cup campaign meant to him and how losing his father at age 68 will affect him going forward.
Messi's clubs announced the death of his father, who was suffering from an illness during the 2026 World Cup, on Saturday, Aug. 8.
After Argentina's 1-0 extra-time loss to Spain in the World Cup final, Messi flew to Rosario to see his father. The player's hope, he said in the letter, was for his father to recover and be able to travel for the final of the World Cup he had pushed his son to play in. Instead, his health had deteriorated to a point in which he was unable to recall details of the match.
"When I got there, you thought we'd lost the final on penalties. We couldn't talk at all about everything that happened. You couldn't enjoy anything," Leo Messi wrote. "We weren't champions, but you don't know how we enjoyed every game. Once again, you were right: I had to be there and play it."
#World #father
Messi's clubs announced the death of his father, who was suffering from an illness during the 2026 World Cup, on Saturday, Aug. 8.
After Argentina's 1-0 extra-time loss to Spain in the World Cup final, Messi flew to Rosario to see his father. The player's hope, he said in the letter, was for his father to recover and be able to travel for the final of the World Cup he had pushed his son to play in. Instead, his health had deteriorated to a point in which he was unable to recall details of the match.
"When I got there, you thought we'd lost the final on penalties. We couldn't talk at all about everything that happened. You couldn't enjoy anything," Leo Messi wrote. "We weren't champions, but you don't know how we enjoyed every game. Once again, you were right: I had to be there and play it."
#World #father
5 hours ago
