Lionel Messi shares emotional message after his father’s passing; Cristiano Ronaldo sends his support

Lionel Messi has spoken for the first time since his father, Jorge Messi, passed away at the age of 68. He published an emotional letter on Instagram that prompted Cristiano Ronaldo, his longtime rival in soccer, to send his support during these difficult times.

“Dad, I still can’t believe that you’ve gone. I don’t fall, or rather, I don’t want to fall. It’s very hard for me to imagine that I’m not going to see you anymore, that we’re not going to talk anymore. I know you were suffering and that it’s for the best, but you left too soon. We still had a lot left to enjoy together,” Messi wrote in the opening lines of his tribute.

In the comments, Cristiano Ronaldo posted a supportive message for the Argentine star: “Huge hug to you and your loved ones in this difficult moment, Leo. Stay strong.“

Lionel Messi played the 2026 World Cup for his father

Throughout the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Lionel Messi was noticeably emotional whenever he scored or won a match with Argentina. In his farewell letter to his late father, Jorge Messi, the captain confirmed that his feelings were tied directly to his father’s deteriorating health in Rosario.

“You kept asking me so much to play this last World Cup, and just days before it started was when you got the worst. It was the first time you weren’t going to be at a tournament, but Mom told me you’d get better and be well enough to travel. I told you we were going to make it to the final so you could come,” Messi wrote.

“Every time a match ended, I waited for and missed your text. That was when I realized how bad things really were. Even so, I couldn’t stop thinking about going as far as possible, just to buy time so you could watch a match. We made it to the final and you couldn’t be there. I wanted to win it to bring it to you and show you a new one. I couldn’t; my legs just had nothing left to give. This time I tried to push through what my body could handle, but I couldn’t. I was never able to feel right.”

Is Lionel Messi retiring?

In the tribute, Messi revealed that his primary motivation for competing in the tournament was to give his father one final joy by attempting to bring home another trophy. He also admitted that he pushed his body past its physical limits during the competition, noting that his legs simply could not give any more.

While Messi has not formally announced his retirement, he confessed to having “serious doubts” about continuing his playing career following this personal tragedy.