*This content was translated by AI.
It is shocking news. Lionel Messi (39, Inter Miami), who suffered the loss of his father, hinted at the possibility of retiring from active play amidst deep sorrow.
The British media outlet 'BBC' reported on the 13th (Korea time) that "after Messi's father, Jorge Messi, who had been suffering from a long-term illness, passed away at the age of 68, Messi posted an emotional tribute on his personal social networking service (SNS)," and "he expressed uncertainty about how much longer he could continue playing football. This can be seen as hinting at the possibility of retirement."
Jorge, who had watched Messi grow from a 14-year-old into the world's best player while serving as his agent, passed away recently in a hospital in Rosario, Argentina. Following this, a private funeral was held at a cemetery in Perez, on the outskirts of Rosario.
Through his tribute, Messi confessed his true feelings: "Dad, I don't know what to do without you. I don't know how to go on living." He added, "I just played football, but now I really don't know how much longer I can continue playing."
Messi continued, "You were by my side from the beginning, and we were very close at the end. Why didn't you hold on a little longer so we could finish together?" He conveyed his sorrowful feelings: "I cannot believe that I will never see you again or talk to you. I know you were in pain and this was the best outcome, but you left too soon. There was still so much we could have enjoyed together."
He also revealed why he shed tears after scoring the opening goal in the 3-0 group stage victory over Algeria during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. At that time, the Messi family had issued a statement citing "health-related circumstances." Messi stated, "My father kept asking me to play in my last World Cup, and his condition worsened just a few days before the tournament began. Although it was the first time my father couldn't come to the tournament, my mother kept saying he would recover and be able to travel. So I kept promising myself that I would go all the way to the final for him."
He also added, "After every match, I waited for a message from my father and felt his absence. That's when I realized how bad the situation was. Even in such circumstances, the only thought I had was to push as far as possible to give myself time to watch the games. I went all the way to the final, but my father couldn't be there. I wanted to show him the trophy after winning, but I had no strength left in my legs. This time, I tried to go beyond physical limits, but I couldn't."
Messi appeared on the World Cup stage for a record sixth time in this tournament. As captain, he played 8 matches, recording 8 goals and 4 assists to lead Argentina to the final, but finished as runner-up after losing 0-1 to Spain. After the tournament concluded, Messi returned to Inter Miami before heading back to his hometown to attend his father's funeral.
Currently under contract with Miami until 2028, Messi has scored a total of 921 goals for Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, Inter Miami, and the Argentina national team. The 'BBC' also highlighted some of the most iconic moments representing Messi's career at this point where he is seriously contemplating retirement.
<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>
*This content was translated by AI.
