Now Reading: Lionel Messi’s father Jorge dies at 68 in Rosario
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Lionel Messi’s father Jorge dies at 68 in Rosario
Jorge Messi, father and longtime agent of footballer Lionel Messi, died on August 7 at 68 in a Rosario hospital, Argentine outlet Infobae reports. He had been battling a chronic illness treated…
The Story in Brief
Jorge Messi, father and longtime agent of footballer Lionel Messi, died on August 7 at 68 in a Rosario hospital, Argentine outlet Infobae reports. He had been battling a chronic illness treated at a clinic in Rosario; the family has not confirmed the exact cause of death. Jorge fought cancer, according to Infobae, and was hospitalised when he died, with the family disclosing in June he was under medical supervision but 'progressing favourably'.
Jorge played a central role in Lionel's career, from moving with him to Spain at 13 to secure Barça's growth-hormone treatment for his son to negotiating historic contracts as his agent. He is survived by wife Celia and children Rodrigo, Matías, Lionel and María Sol.
The Indian Opinion
Coverage of Jorge Messi's death leans heavily on sentimental accounts of his role as agent and father, but flattens a complex man into a one-dimensional saint. The narrative that he 'shielded' Messi from distractions conveniently skips over the tax fraud case that landed both of them in court, or the aggressive contract negotiations that soured his relationship with Barcelona's board. The real test will be how the family handles the inevitable disclosure of the full medical records. Until then, the hagiography serves the social media football machine better than the truth.
Sources (2): livemint.com, hindustantimes.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
