Former NFL quarterback Tom Brady and the sports world received sad news as soccer icon Lionel Messi mourned the loss of his father, Jorge Messi. The 68-year-old died in Rosario, Argentina, after dealing with an undisclosed illness.
Jorge was also Messi’s longtime agent and one of the most important figures in his journey from Rosario to Barcelona and eventually the top of world soccer. His absence was already felt during the 2026 World Cup, with Messi later revealing how difficult it was to play without him there.
Messi eventually put those emotions into words on Wednesday. The Inter Miami superstar shared a deeply personal tribute that gave fans a glimpse into what Jorge meant to him.
Photo by Evrim Aydin/Anadolu via Getty Images
Messi described his father as his “dad, friend and representative” while reflecting on the pain of losing someone who had been beside him for so much of his life.
“You left far too soon,” Messi wrote, while also acknowledging that he knew his father had been suffering. He recalled how Jorge kept asking him to play in one more World Cup and how he wanted to give his father the chance to see him compete again.
The tribute drew messages from athletes and sports figures around the world. Among them was Brady, who left three heart emojis in the comments as a simple show of support for Messi during the difficult moment.
Brady and Messi are no strangers to each other. The two legends met publicly earlier this summer, when Brady asked Messi about the famous photograph of him holding a baby Lamine Yamal in 2007.
Now, Brady has joined the many figures offering support to Messi as he mourns his father and reflects on a relationship that shaped both his life and historic career.
