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

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

Jorge played a pivotal role in Lionel Messi’s rise from a young player at Newell’s Old Boys to one of football’s greatest stars.

He was instrumental in securing medical treatment for Messi when the youngster required growth hormone therapy. After efforts to obtain the treatment in Argentina proved unsuccessful, Jorge helped facilitate his son’s move to Barcelona at the age of 13.

He remained with Messi in Spain during the difficult early stages of his European career, while the rest of the family stayed in Rosario.

Recalling those years in a 2007 interview, Messi said his father had asked 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.”

Jorge later became a key figure in managing his son’s affairs, including negotiations with major international brands, although he largely stayed away from the spotlight.

His health had attracted attention during the 2026 World Cup after Messi became emotional following Argentina’s opening match.

After scoring a hat-trick, Messi said his reaction was unrelated to football and that he had experienced “difficult, complicated days” because of family circumstances.

The Messi family subsequently said Jorge was under medical supervision and recovering within the condition he presented.

Jorge, who was trained as a chemical technician, began working at Argentine steel company Acindar in the 1980s and eventually became a manager.

He had also played football as a youngster in Newell’s youth system before leaving the sport after being called up for military service.

Jorge Messi is survived by his wife, Celia Cuccittini, and their four children — Lionel, Rodrigo, Matias and Maria Sol.

His death marks the loss of a largely behind-the-scenes figure who played a central role in the development and management of Lionel Messi’s extraordinary football career.