Jorge Messi was more than just Lionel Messi’s dad. It was he who led the Argentine superstar through the early and toughest years of his career, and later on he became his long-time agent and one of the most influential people in his transfer from Rosario to Barcelona.
Jorge passed away in August 2026 at the age of 68, following treatment for an unspecified illness, in Rosario. The Messi family had already requested privacy and harshly condemned the health rumors before his death. The exact cause of his death was never made public.
Who Was Jorge Messi? Wife, Family and Profession
Jorge was married to Celia María Cuccittini, Lionel’s mother, and they had four children: Rodrigo, Matias, Lionel, and Maria Sol. Jorge was a chemical technician and steelworker in Argentina and had played soccer as a midfielder in Newell’s Old Boys’ youth team.
(Photo by Chandan Khanna / AFP via Getty Images)
His greatest professional opportunity, however, was his son. Jorge took Lionel to Barcelona when he was 13 and took care of a lot of his son’s contract, business, and commercial affairs. He continued to be a significant presence during Lionel’s time at Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, and finally Inter Miami.
Jorge Messi’s Tax Evasion Scandal
The biggest legal issue that Jorge has faced is a Spanish tax dispute over Lionel’s image-rights income from 2007 to 2009.
In 2016, a Barcelona court found both father and son guilty, with each receiving a 21-month prison sentence. Spain’s Supreme Court later reduced Jorge’s sentence to 15 months, and the final sentence was a fine of €180,000 or almost $200,000 USD.
MORE: Lionel Messi’s Net Worth and Salary: Is He a Billionaire?
Lionel Messi’s Emotional Tribute to Late Father
When Jorge passed away, Lionel wrote an emotional goodbye.
“Pa, todavía no puedo creer que te hayas ido,” Lionel Messi wrote. “You left too soon. We still had so much to enjoy together.”
He also shared that Jorge had been encouraging him to play in the 2026 World Cup, stating, “You had been asking me to play the last World Cup.” Messi later called his father “dad, friend and representative”, which is a testament to the extraordinary role Jorge played throughout his life.
Messi plays his last game for Argentina against Benin on October 6. The Argentina legend will pay tribute to his father one last time in the famous blue and white colors.
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