BUENOS AIRES.- The Argentine star Lionel Messi He said this Wednesday that he has “quite a few doubts” that he will continue playing football “for much longer,” in an emotional farewell letter to his father and representative. Jorge Messidied on Friday at the age of 68.
In her first reaction since her father’s death, the 39-year-old star reviewed the last months of her father’s life, marked by the worsening of the cancer that cost him his life, according to the media.
The deterioration in the health of Jorge Messi, a central figure in the brilliant sporting career of the “Diez”, coincided with the dispute of the North America World Cup 2026. Argentina lost the final against Spain (1-0) on July 19 in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
“I don’t know what I’m going to do without you, I don’t know how to continue. I only played football and now I have quite a few doubts that I’m going to continue doing it for much longer,” Messi wrote in a letter published in instagramwhich he accompanied with photographs with his father.
“You asked me so much to play in the last World Cup and days before it started was when you got the worst. It was the first time that you were not going to be in a tournament,” added the Argentine captain. “I told you that we were going to reach the final and that way you could travel.”
“I could never feel good”
The former attacker of FC Barcelonaunder contract with Inter Miami until 2028, he assured that he wanted to win the World Cup to take her to her dad.
But he acknowledged that he was incapable because his physical condition did not respond to him in the clash for the crown against a Spain that ran over Argentina.
“A huge hug for you and yours in these difficult moments, Leo. A lot of strength,” he responded. Cristiano Ronaldoa great adversary of the Argentine for years for the label of the best in the world, to the publication this Wednesday.
The poor state of health of Jorge Messi, buried on Sunday near Rosarywas made public in the middle of the competition in North America.
In the Albiceleste’s World Cup debut against AlgeriaMessi cried after scoring one of his three goals in the 3-0 victory. After the victory he acknowledged that his unusual display of emotion had to do with his father’s situation.
“Every time a game ended, I waited and missed your message. That’s when I realized that the situation was really ugly. Even so, I couldn’t stop thinking about going as far as possible, to give you time to watch a game,” he said.
“We reached the final and you couldn’t be there. I wanted to win it to take it to you and show you a new one. I couldn’t, my legs didn’t give me any more. This time I tried to go against my physique, but I couldn’t. I could never feel good,” he added.
After losing the final in his sixth and last World Cup, the star returned to his country to visit his father. He noticed that he had not been able to enjoy the competition.
“When I arrived you thought we had lost the final on penalties. We couldn’t talk about anything about everything that happened. You couldn’t enjoy anything,” he said.
“We weren’t champions, but you don’t know how much we enjoyed every game. Once again, you were right: I had to be there and play it,” he added.
“Dad, friend and representative”
Messi, who has not defined his international future, had a superlative World Cup in the epilogue of a career that, for many, has elevated him as the best footballer in history.
He was responsible, with eight goals and a game at the height of his best moments, for leading his country to its second consecutive final at the biggest football event.
Jorge Messi is considered a fundamental piece in the career of the “Diez”, the most successful footballer in history.
Critical and demanding of his son, but also his most constant pillar, he was the one who accompanied Lionel from the humble fields of Rosario, north of Buenos Aires, to the top of football.
“Since I was little it was always like this. You took me to all the training sessions as soon as you got home from work,” recalled the ‘Flea’ in his letter. “You never missed a game. How you suffered watching me and how you enjoyed it, although you never gave me much praise.”
The eight times Ballon d’Or He highlighted the fundamental role of his father on and off the field.
“You were a father, friend and representative. You were always the person you had to be at all times and you were never wrong about anything,” he said. “Rest in peace and take care of us from above like you did here. Thank you for everything.”
The star left Argentina on Tuesday night heading to USAaccording to local press. Neither he nor Inter Miami have reported when he will compete again.
