Lionel Messi Returns to Rosario With Wife and Children for Father Jorge Messi’s Funeral After His Death at 68

Lionel Messi has returned to Argentina to say goodbye to one of the most important figures in both his personal life and legendary soccer career.

The 39-year-old Inter Miami and Argentina star traveled back to his hometown of Rosario following the death of his father, Jorge Messi, who died at age 68 on Friday, August 7.

According to Agence France-Presse, Messi arrived in Argentina on Saturday, August 8, and returned to Rosario ahead of a private funeral ceremony for his father.

The funeral proceedings were scheduled to take place in the nearby town of Perez, where family members, friends and several people close to Messi gathered to pay their respects.

Messi was reportedly accompanied by his wife, Antonela Roccuzzo, and their three sons, Thiago, Mateo and Ciro.

A small number of his teammates were also said to be in attendance.

The gathering was kept largely private, reflecting the deeply personal nature of the loss for a family that has spent decades navigating global fame while maintaining strong ties to Rosario.

Jorge Messi died in his hometown at around 10 p.m. on Friday, August 7, according to reports from Argentine and Spanish media outlets including Infobae, El Español and La Nación.

His death came approximately two months after the Messi family publicly confirmed that he had been dealing with an undisclosed health issue.

In June, the family issued a statement explaining that Jorge was under medical observation and was recovering within the circumstances of his condition.

At the time, the family emphasized that only close relatives had reliable information regarding his health and asked the public and media to avoid spreading unverified claims.

They also appealed for “responsibility, prudence, and compassion.”

Despite those cautious words of optimism, Jorge died several weeks later.

For Lionel Messi, the loss is particularly significant because his father was far more than a parent.

Jorge played a central role in shaping the career of one of the greatest soccer players in history.

Before becoming closely involved in his son’s professional life, Jorge worked as a supervisor at a steel manufacturing plant.

But as Lionel’s extraordinary football ability became increasingly clear during childhood, Jorge assumed a much larger role in guiding his future.

When Messi was just 13 years old, Jorge traveled with him from Argentina to Barcelona.

The move would transform the course of football history.

Messi joined FC Barcelona’s youth system and eventually developed into the club’s greatest-ever player, winning major trophies, breaking scoring records and becoming one of the most celebrated athletes of his generation.

Throughout that journey, Jorge remained closely involved.

He served for years as Lionel’s representative and agent, helping negotiate some of the most significant contracts of his career and participating in major decisions surrounding his future.

Their professional relationship occasionally placed Jorge under intense public scrutiny, especially during high-profile contract negotiations and major transfers.

But behind those headlines was a father-son partnership that had begun long before Messi became an international superstar.

Jorge had been present when Lionel was still a young boy from Rosario with extraordinary potential but an uncertain future.

He was there when the family made the enormous decision to move to Europe.

And he remained one of the key figures in Messi’s professional life as his son grew from a Barcelona academy prospect into a World Cup champion and global icon.

That history made the scenes outside the cemetery especially emotional.

According to AFP, fans gathered near the cemetery gates and left flowers, soccer memorabilia and written messages of support for Messi and his family.

One message read, “Stay strong, Leo, we love you.”

Another offered encouragement to the entire Messi family.

Among those waiting outside was 15-year-old Lucas Blanco, who explained why he wanted to be there.

“He has brought so much joy to this country, now it’s our turn to give a little back and offer him some comfort,” Blanco told AFP.

The sentiment reflected the extraordinary relationship between Messi and Argentina.

For years, the football star carried enormous expectations as the country searched for another World Cup triumph.

After experiencing several heartbreaking defeats in international tournaments, Messi ultimately led Argentina to Copa América glory and then to victory at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

That triumph transformed his already enormous status in Argentina and cemented his connection with millions of supporters.

Now, during one of the most painful moments of his personal life, some of those same supporters gathered simply to show that the affection could flow in the opposite direction.

Messi’s fellow players also showed their support.

Inter Miami midfielder Rodrigo De Paul delivered one of the most visible tributes following a match against Monterrey on Saturday.

After the game, De Paul removed his shirt to reveal Messi’s No. 10 jersey underneath, offering a public gesture of solidarity with his longtime Argentina teammate.

Boca Juniors midfielder Leandro Paredes also spoke about the possibility of traveling to support Messi.

“It will surely do him good for us to be there,” Paredes said following Saturday’s match, according to AFP.

He added that he needed to speak with several teammates to determine whether they would travel immediately or the following day.

The response from Messi’s teammates illustrates how closely connected Argentina’s national-team core has become over the years.

Many of those players have repeatedly described Messi not only as their captain but as a central emotional figure within the squad.

During his father’s funeral, that relationship appears to have extended beyond football.

Inter Miami FC had not immediately issued a detailed public statement regarding Messi’s absence or his father’s death when contacted for comment.

For the club, however, football was clearly secondary to the circumstances surrounding its star player.

Jorge Messi’s death closes an extraordinary chapter in the story behind Lionel Messi’s rise.

His son’s career is often remembered through iconic images: the Barcelona shirt, Ballon d’Or trophies, Champions League celebrations, Argentina’s World Cup triumph and the move to Inter Miami.

But behind many of those moments stood the man who had helped guide him since childhood.

Jorge was there when Lionel left Rosario for Barcelona at 13.

He helped manage negotiations as his son became one of football’s most valuable athletes.

And he remained deeply connected to Lionel’s career throughout decades of unprecedented success.

Now Messi has returned to the city where that journey began.

Not as a World Cup champion.

Not as an eight-time Ballon d’Or winner.

Not as the global superstar recognized across nearly every continent.

But as a son returning home to mourn his father.

Surrounded by Antonela, their children, relatives, teammates and a community offering flowers and messages of support, Lionel Messi is facing a loss that no trophy or victory can make easier.

For years, Jorge Messi helped his son navigate the pressures of becoming one of the most famous athletes in the world.

This weekend in Rosario, the football world stepped quietly aside as Lionel Messi said goodbye to the man who had been beside him from the beginning.