Lionel Messi’s emotional World Cup moment was reportedly linked to a major health scare involving his father, Jorge Messi.
The Argentina captain shares a famously close bond with his 68-year-old dad, who not only remains a central figure in his personal life but also serves as his agent and the key manager of his vast business interests away from football.
According to reports in the Argentine media, Jorge has been dealing with serious health problems in recent months — details that emerged shortly after Messi’s unusual public show of emotion.
The revelation surfaced on Tuesday night following scenes in Kansas City, where Messi broke down on the pitch after netting the first World Cup hat-trick of his career in Argentina’s 3-0 victory over Algeria in their tournament opener.
Speaking after the match, Messi made clear that his tears had nothing to do with football. He said: ‘No, honestly it’s something completely unrelated to sports. It’s been a few difficult days, complicated.’
Only hours later, journalist Eduardo Feinmann shared the reported explanation during an interview on Radio Mitre, one of Argentina’s most widely heard radio stations.
Lionel Messi broke down in tears after scoring the first of his three goals against Algeria
He was watched by his wife and three children and revealed that he is going through some personal struggles
‘This has to do with his father. His father is not in good health,’ he said. ‘For quite some time now, several months, since last year.
‘And this week there were some situations that slightly worsened his health, and Messi is going through this internal struggle. In other words, like any human being.’
It has been reported that Jorge suffered a ‘medical episode’ at his home in January of this year, and he was hospitalized as a result.
In the aftermath, he is said to have undergone cardiovascular and neurological tests, but no official diagnosis has been shared by the family, who have kept Jorge’s health out of the media until now.
Lionel is the third of four children of Jorge and his wife Celia Cuccittini, and the pair remain together to this day. They married in 1978 and split their time between Rosario and Miami, where their footballing superstar son currently plays.
Before becoming Lionel’s agent, Jorge worked for a steel manufacturer in Villa Constitucion, meeting his wife as a young man in Rosario – where the family then grew up.
Messi has two older brothers, Rodrigo and Matias, and a younger sister, Maria Sol.
It has been revealed that Messi’s father Jorge has been suffering with a ‘serious’ health issue
Jorge, 68, operates as Messi’s agent and business manager, and the pair are extremely close
It is unclear whether Jorge has more grandchildren than the three given to him by Lionel and his wife Antonela Roccuzzo – Thiago, Mateo and Ciro.
In Kansas City on Tuesday night, Messi had the ball in the net four times – his first ‘goal’ was ruled out for offside – and each goal reminded the world that he is still among the very best.
Watched by his wife Antonela and their children, Messi proved that he is in town to add to the World Cup he won in 2022.
Speaking after the game, he added: ‘I had some difficult, complicated days, but I’m grateful to the entire delegation, to all my teammates because they were always by my side, as always, giving me a lot of strength to be okay, and that’s all.’
He did not elaborate on his difficulties but instead spoke of an ‘amazing’ experience on what was his 200th cap for Argentina.
Messi’s childhood sweetheart Antonela Roccuzzo has supported him throughout his career
Jorge is still married to Lionel’s mother, Celia Cuccittini, and that has been the case since 1978
Messi drew level with Miroslav Klose at the top of the all-time World Cup scorer charts, with 16 goals.
‘Like I say, everything I’m experiencing now is amazing. I was lucky enough to achieve all my dreams, at a level, or even more, than I could have reached individually and as part of a team.
‘Today I’m enjoying this, being part of a wonderful group, feeling good, and thankfully, being able to enjoy it on the field the way I’ve always loved to.
‘And honestly, everything I’ve experienced is so much more than I could have imagined when I was a kid.’
