Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo has offered a message of support to Lionel Messi following the death of the Argentine star’s father and longtime manager, Jorge Messi.
Jorge Messi died after a prolonged illness, prompting the Inter Miami forward to pay an emotional tribute to his father and reflect on the important role he played throughout his life and career.
In his tribute, Messi described the deep bond they shared and expressed his difficulty coming to terms with the loss.
“Dad, I still can’t believe you’re gone. It hasn’t sunk in — or rather, I don’t want it to sink in. It’s so hard to imagine that I won’t see you again, that we won’t talk anymore,” Messi wrote.
Ronaldo responded with a message of solidarity, expressing his sympathy for Messi and his family during the difficult period.
“A huge hug to you and yours in these tough times, Leo. Much strength,” Ronaldo wrote.
In his emotional tribute, Messi also revealed how his father’s declining health affected him during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
“Dad, you kept asking me to play in one last World Cup… just days before it began was when your condition got worse,” he said.
Messi noted that it was the first major tournament his father had been unable to attend. He recalled being told by his mother that Jorge might recover enough to travel, which motivated him to make reaching the World Cup final a personal objective.
“After every match, I waited for and missed your message. That’s when I realised how serious the situation really was,” Messi wrote.
Argentina eventually reached the final but lost 1-0 to Spain after extra time. Messi said he had hoped to win another World Cup title and bring the trophy home for his father.
“We reached the final, but you couldn’t be there. I wanted to win it so I could bring the trophy to you and show you another one. I couldn’t,” he wrote.
Messi also spoke about the physical challenges he faced during the tournament, saying he pushed his body beyond its limits.
“My legs just couldn’t give me any more. This time I tried to push beyond what my body could handle, but I couldn’t. I never managed to feel physically right,” he said.
Despite Argentina’s defeat in the final, Messi said his father had been right to encourage him to participate in one more World Cup.
“We didn’t become champions Dad, but you have no idea how much we enjoyed every match. Once again, you were right: I had to be there and play in it… as you told me, always,” Messi added.
