Lionel Messi has revealed that his late father, Jorge, urged him to compete in one final World Cup before the Argentina captain flew out to the 2026 tournament hosted across the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Messi published a tribute to his father on Instagram after Jorge passed away in the early hours of August 8, 2026, following a prolonged illness at a hospital in Rosario, Argentina.
Messi's Promise to His Father
In the Instagram post, the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner described the private conversation that shaped his entire World Cup campaign. "You kept asking me to play in one last World Cup," Messi wrote. He explained that his father's health had deteriorated before the tournament began. His mother had reassured him that Jorge would recover, but Messi grew alarmed when his father stopped responding to his messages after matches.
Messi said he set himself a personal target during the competition: reaching the final. He believed getting that far would buy his father enough time to recover and travel to watch one of the games in person. "I kept telling you we were going to reach the final so you could make the trip. I couldn't stop thinking about going as far as possible, to give you more time and the chance to watch one of the games," he wrote.
Argentina's Final Defeat
Argentina did reach the final, Messi's third World Cup final with La Albiceleste, but Jorge was not there to witness it. Spain defeated Argentina, denying Messi the chance to deliver his father a second World Cup trophy. "We reached the final, but you couldn't be there. I wanted to win it so I could bring the trophy to you and show you another one. We didn't become champions, but you have no idea how much we enjoyed every match. Once again, you were right: I had to be there and play in it," Messi added.
The Inter Miami forward had led Argentina into the tournament as defending champions, having lifted the trophy in Qatar in 2022. Despite guiding his country to another final, the defeat left a visible mark on the 37-year-old, who admitted after the tournament that recovering from the loss would take time. Messi's future with the national team now remains unclear, with no confirmed commitment to continue beyond the 2026 World Cup.
Ronaldo Sends Message to Messi
Legit.ng previously reported that Cristiano Ronaldo sent a message of support to Messi after the former Barcelona captain's father sadly passed away at 68. Ronaldo wrote a comment under Messi's Instagram post, in which he sent a message of support to the Messi family at a difficult moment. The gesture underscored the mutual respect between the two football icons, even as Messi mourned his father's passing. The 2026 World Cup final defeat marked the end of an era for Messi, whose international career now hangs in the balance as he contemplates his next steps with Argentina.
