CONMEBOL Mourns the Passing of Lionel Messi’s Father

CONMEBOL, the governing body of South American football, has expressed deep grief over the death of Jorge Messi, father of Argentine football wizard Lionel Messi.

Jorge Messi had been suffering from an illness for quite some time and ultimately lost the battle. He breathed his last on Friday night at a medical clinic in Rosario, Argentina, at the age of 68.

CONMEBOL issued a statement on Saturday confirming the news of the World Cup-winning Argentina captain’s father's demise and expressed condolences to the Messi family.

“CONMEBOL deeply mourns the passing of Jorge Messi, father of Argentine footballer Lionel Messi. In this moment of profound grief, we extend our respect and condolences to Lionel, his family, friends, and loved ones. May he rest in peace.”

The news of Jorge Messi’s illness was disclosed by the family during the last World Cup. After losing the World Cup final, Messi went to Rosario to visit his father. From there, the forward recently rejoined his club, Inter Miami.

Jorge was closely by Messi’s side throughout his career, starting from his early days at his former club Barcelona. He also served as his son’s agent for several years.