Just a few days ago, Lionel Messi lost his father, Jorge Messi. While the world of soccer went on to the next game, Messi was emotionally broken. And he penned his last words for his father, talking about his journey from La Masia to Inter Miami and everything in between.
Watch What’s Trending Now!
Lionel Messi’s “Te amo, pa” post showed the pain of losing Jorge Messi, his father, who passed away at the age of 68. The Instagram tribute quickly became more than a farewell, revealing Messi’s uncertainty about continuing soccer without him.
Messi wrote, “I don’t know what I’m going to do without you, I don’t know how to go on. I only played football and now I have quite a few doubts about whether I’ll keep doing it for much longer.” [translation via Fabrizio Romano.]
He remembered waiting for Jorge’s messages after matches during Argentina’s 2026 World Cup journey, where Messi was not only handling the hopes of a nation but also the tension that his father was not feeling well.
That detail made his grief feel painfully close, especially after everything they shared on and off the pitch.
Jorge’s absence feels bigger because of the influence he had on Messi from childhood until he conquered the world. He took 13-year-old Lionel Messi to Barcelona, beginning the journey from La Masia.
Messi scored 672 goals across 778 games for Barcelona, becoming their greatest ever goalscorer. Jorge was also his agent and business manager, remaining close through every major career change.
Messi also said that he wanted to bring home the 2026 World Cup for his father, but couldn’t win it after giving his all. He says that his legs couldn’t handle any more.
At the time of writing, the post on Messi’s Instagram has over twenty-five million likes and over a million comments. Suffice it to say, the world came together to support the soccer phenom.
Since Jorge’s passing, the whole world has gathered around Messi. Cristiano Ronaldo sent Messi a heartfelt message saying, ” A huge hug to you and yours in these tough times, Leo. Much strength.”
And this is very deep because Cristiano Ronaldo knows the pain of losing a father. Ronaldo lost his father when he was just 20 years old and had just started playing for United.
Neymar also posted, saying, ” Lots of strength to you and your family. A big hug.” Clubs like Barcelona, Newell’s Old Boys, Argentina’s football association, and even Real Madrid publicly paid tribute to Jorge. Rodrigo De Paul even celebrated an Inter Miami goal wearing Messi’s shirt underneath his own. These gestures show how difficult soccer must feel for Messi without his dad watching from the stands.
Robert Lewandowski also posted, saying, “Sending lots of strength to you and your family, Leo. Parents are our first pillar of support. Rest in peace, Jorge.” Even though Lewandowski and Messi didn’t play together on the same team, they have met several times when Barca and Bayern faced off.
Inter Miami posted, saying, “Always with you, Captain,” and FC Barcelona commented, saying, “Stay strong, Leo.” These are the two clubs that are actually very close to his heart. Barcelona is the club where he conquered the World, and Miami has been his home after a rough couple of years with PSG. With Messi saying he doesn’t know how long he can play without his dad, Inter Miami might be the last place to see Messi score a goal.
Even MLB star and Toronto Blue Jays player Valdimir Guerrero Jr. commented on this and said, “Stay strong, Leo.” This shows the impact Messi has had in the few years he has been in the USA.