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Lionel Messi has broken his silence following the death of his father, Jorge Messi, with an emotional tribute reflecting on their lifelong bond.
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The Argentina captain revealed that his father’s deteriorating health affected his preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
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Messi admitted he is now uncertain about how much longer he will continue playing football, leaving supporters concerned about his future.
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The 39-year-old is yet to confirm when he will return to Inter Miami as he takes time away from football to grieve with his family.
August 12, (THEWILL) — Lionel Messi has admitted he is uncertain about his football future following the death of his father, Jorge Messi, in an emotional message that has left supporters worried about the possibility of his retirement.
Messi broke his silence on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, after spending several days in his hometown of Rosario with his family following his father’s death.
The Argentina captain had kept away from the public eye during the difficult period before eventually sharing a deeply personal tribute to the man who played a central role throughout his extraordinary career.
Jorge Messi was far more than the footballer’s father.
He was one of the key figures behind his son’s journey from Rosario to the summit of world football, accompanying him through the earliest stages of his career and remaining one of his closest confidants throughout his rise to global superstardom.
In his emotional message, Messi reflected on how heavily his father’s illness had weighed on him during the 2026 World Cup.
Jorge had encouraged his son to play at what was expected to be Messi’s final World Cup, but his health deteriorated shortly before the tournament began.
Messi revealed that he kept hoping his father would recover sufficiently to attend a match, even telling him that Argentina would reach the final.
The reality proved much more painful.
Messi eventually helped Argentina reach the final, but the team fell short of lifting the trophy.
By then, the forward admitted he was physically exhausted and unable to produce what he had hoped to deliver.
He also revealed that one of the hardest moments came after returning home, when his father was no longer well enough to properly discuss the tournament with him.
READ ALSO: Lionel Messi’s Father Jorge Dies at 68
That personal loss has now raised questions over whether Messi still has the emotional motivation to continue his playing career.
In the most concerning part of his tribute, the Argentina star admitted that he does not know how he will move forward without his father and acknowledged that he has begun questioning how much longer he wants to play.
The comments do not amount to a retirement announcement, but they have inevitably fuelled speculation among supporters who have spent years wondering when one of football’s greatest careers will finally come to an end.
Messi’s relationship with Jorge was deeply intertwined with football.
From childhood, his father helped take him to training sessions, watched his matches and remained involved as his representative as his career developed.
Even after Messi became one of the most decorated players in football history, that family connection remained important to him.
The emotional significance of that relationship was evident in Messi’s tribute, in which he remembered Jorge as a father, friend and representative who had been there throughout every stage of his journey.
Messi also reflected on how his father’s happiness was closely connected to watching him play, something that had been true since his childhood.
That bond now makes the question surrounding Messi’s future even more difficult.
Football has been the defining constant of his life, but the person who stood beside him from the beginning is no longer there to share the final chapters.
For now, Messi is expected to remain with his family in Argentina as he mourns his loss.
There is no confirmed date for his return to Inter Miami, and the club will have to wait for the forward to decide when he is ready to resume football.
At 39, Messi is already approaching the final stage of a career that has included World Cup glory, multiple Ballon d’Or awards, Champions League triumphs and countless individual records.
Yet the next decision may have little to do with statistics or trophies.
After losing the man who helped him take his first steps in football, Messi must now decide what football means to him without his father by his side.
For millions of fans around the world, that uncertainty has made his latest message particularly heartbreaking because for the first time, Messi is openly questioning not what he can still achieve on a football pitch, but whether he still wants to remain on it.
Olumide Atiba is a sports journalist with THEWILL, known for his keen news sense and compelling storytelling. He has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, well-structured reports that resonate with readers, with a strong focus on football coverage
