The late Jorge Messi, father of Lionel Messi, is once again celebrated for the legendary 'napkin contract': "If you don't sign, I'll take him to Real Madrid"... "My dad was the most perfect agent."

*This content was translated by AI.

There is a famous anecdote in football history known as the 'napkin contract.' It was through this agreement that Jorge Messi, father of 39-year-old Lionel Messi, helped raise his son to become a world-class star. He was 68 years old at the time of his death.

The UK's The Sun reported on the 8th (local time) that "Jorge, who had been battling illness for a long time, passed away last night on the 7th in Rosario, Argentina," adding that "he was the one who secured his son's move to Barcelona with just a single sheet of paper napkin, marking the beginning of a legendary career."

The legendary 'napkin contract' was the result of Jorge's desperation and competitive spirit. Once a steel factory worker, Jorge stepped forward when his son Messi, showing extraordinary talent, suffered from growth hormone deficiency. When Messi's former club, Newell's Old Boys, cut off financial support for treatment, Jorge took matters into his own hands in September 2001, taking his 14-year-old son to Spain and arranging a trial at Barcelona.

Carles Rexach, the Barcelona director, was captivated by Messi's talent, but the club's top management delayed signing him due to financial difficulties and the burden of treatment costs. In response, Jorge leveraged interest from Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid to pressure the club.

In December that year, Jorge called Barcelona's agent side and issued an ultimatum: "If you don't resolve the contract issue immediately, I will pack my bags and return to Buenos Aires." Alarmed by the prospect of Messi returning to Argentina, Director Rexach pulled out a paper napkin at a tennis club restaurant and drafted an on-the-spot acquisition agreement. This napkin, which legally initiated Messi's Barcelona era, was auctioned two years ago for 762,400 pounds (approximately 1.4 billion won).

After this dramatic napkin contract, Jorge served as his son's dedicated agent and most reliable supporter. Even when other family members returned to Argentina, he stayed in Barcelona, living alone with Messi in a city apartment to help ease his homesickness.

He never hired a top-tier agent but personally led all of his son's contracts. In 2006, he blocked Inter Milan's recruitment efforts and secured sponsorships with global companies such as Adidas and Pepsi. The record-breaking sports contract signed by Messi with Barcelona in 2017, worth 555 million euros (approximately 900 billion won), and the recent acquisition of Apple TV broadcasting rights revenue (estimated at around 0.5 billion dollars or 70.5 billion won) during his move to Inter Miami were all achievements orchestrated by him. In 2023, he founded an investment company called 'Playtime' to further enhance the value of the 'Brand Messi.'

Due to his prolonged illness, Jorge was unable to attend the North American World Cup held this summer. After Messi's team secured their first victory in the group stage, he shed tears of emotion, and it is reported that his father's absence had an impact on him.

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*This content was translated by AI.