Jorge Messi, father and long-time representative of Argentina captain Lionel Messi, has died at the age of 68.

Jorge died at about 10pm on Friday at a sanatorium in Rosario, Argentina, following a prolonged illness, according to Argentine news outlet Infobae, as reported by MARCA on Saturday.

He was married to Celia Cuccittini, with whom he had four children – Lionel, Rodrigo, Matias and Maria Sol.

Jorge played a pivotal role in his son’s journey from a promising youngster at Newell’s Old Boys to one of the greatest footballers in history.

He was particularly instrumental in helping Lionel access the medical treatment he needed after the youngster was diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency.

When efforts to secure the treatment in Argentina proved unsuccessful, Jorge helped facilitate Lionel’s move to Barcelona at the age of 13.

He later stayed with his son in Spain during the early and challenging stages of Lionel’s European career, while the rest of the family remained in Rosario.

Recalling those difficult years in a 2007 interview, Lionel said his father had asked him whether he wanted to continue pursuing his football dream in Spain or return home.

“My old man was always by my side. We lived through many bad moments,” Messi recalled.

He added: “My old man asked me, what do you want to do, do you want to continue or shall we go back? I wanted to continue and he stayed with me.”

The decision proved significant as Messi went on to establish himself at Barcelona, where he became a global superstar and one of the most decorated players in football history.

Beyond his role as a father, Jorge was also a key figure in managing his son’s professional affairs, including contract negotiations and commercial deals with major global brands.

Despite his influence, Jorge largely stayed away from the spotlight and gave relatively few interviews throughout his son’s career.

In one of those interviews, he delivered an emotional message to Lionel as the youngster was beginning to emerge as a global football star.

“You know very well that we have gone through many good and not-so-good moments,” Jorge said, reflecting on their journey.

He said the difficult experiences they shared had strengthened the family and expressed pride in Lionel not only as a footballer but also as a person, describing him as “an excellent person”.

Jorge’s health became a subject of public attention during the 2026 World Cup after Lionel appeared emotional following Argentina’s opening match.

After scoring a hat-trick, Messi was asked about his emotional reaction and said it was related to matters outside football.

“It is for a reason completely unrelated to sport. I had some difficult, complicated days,” he said.

Asked later about the situation within his family, Messi said: “The truth is, more than anything, because of the family.”

The Messi family subsequently said Jorge was “under medical supervision, recovering and progressing favourably within the condition he presents”.

Born in Argentina, Jorge trained as a chemical technician and began working at Acindar, an Argentine steel company, in the 1980s, eventually rising to become a manager.

He had also pursued football as a youngster, playing as a midfielder in Newell’s Old Boys’ youth system before leaving the sport after being called up for military service.

Jorge Messi’s death marks the passing of a man who largely remained behind the scenes but whose influence was central to the development, career and management of Lionel Messi, helping guide his son through some of the most difficult stages of his journey to football greatness.