'The world of football is in mourning...' Lionel Messi's father's funeral attended, Barcelona also pays tribute: "Thank you for entrusting our son to us"

*This content was translated by AI.

Even the football emperor who rarely left his post could not avoid this situation. As Lionel Messi (39, Inter Miami) suffers the loss of his father, the global football community continues to express deep sorrow and send waves of condolences.

British media 'BBC' reported on the 10th (Korean time) that "Messi immediately headed to Argentina after learning of his father Jorge Messi's passing," adding that "this caused Messi to sit out Inter Miami's League Cup match against Monterrey."

Jorge Messi, Messi's father and his dedicated agent since he was 14 years old, passed away at the age of 68 in a hospital in Rosario, Argentina, his hometown, after battling illness for some time. Upon receiving the news, Messi immediately boarded a private jet with his wife and three children that evening to return to Argentina. The funeral was held at a memorial park in Perez, on the outskirts of Rosario.

In the League Cup match against Monterrey held while Messi was absent due to his father's passing, the Miami squad observed a moment of silence before kickoff and all players wore black armbands during the game. The stadium's electronic scoreboard displayed Jorge Messi's name along with a tribute message, and the club's official social networking service (SNS) was also replaced with a black ribbon image. The Miami club stated, "Our hearts are with Captain Messi and the entire Messi family," expressing their condolences.

Tributes continued both inside and outside the stadium. Rodrigo De Paul, a teammate of Messi on the Argentina national team, comforted Messi by removing his jersey after scoring the opening goal to reveal Messi's jersey worn underneath. Fans in the stands also held up flags and banners honoring the deceased and supporting Messi. Teammate Luis Suarez, who was unable to play due to suspension, conveyed his heartfelt feelings via SNS: "Jorge will always watch over his son with proud eyes, just as he has done before."

Tributes also poured in from Messi's former clubs. Barcelona, where Messi flourished during the prime of his football career, observed a moment of silence prior to a friendly match against Nottingham Forest. Honoring the late man who had accompanied 13-year-old Messi to Spain in 2000 and facilitated his move to Barcelona, the club stated: "We deeply thank you for your dedication to the club and for entrusting us with Messi's most glorious days." Paris Saint-Germain, where Messi played from 2021 to 2023, also announced: "We offer our deepest condolences to Messi and his family during this painful time."

The local atmosphere in Argentina, Messi's homeland, was also steeped in deep sorrow. In front of Messi's childhood home in Rosario, bouquets and flags left by fans were piled up. Major Argentine clubs including Boca Juniors and River Plate also observed a moment of silence before their matches. The Argentine Football Association issued an official statement: "We deeply mourn the passing of Jorge Messi, father of Messi, our captain and symbol. During this difficult time, we stand with Messi's entire family and offer our warmest condolences."

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*This content was translated by AI.