Lionel Messi stated on Wednesday that he is experiencing doubts about continuing his football career. This follows the death of his father, Jorge, last week.
Jorge Messi, aged 68, died at a medical clinic in Rosario, Argentina, after a long illness. He had closely supported his son's career, including his early years at Barcelona, and served as his representative for several years.
In an Instagram tribute, Messi wrote: “I don’t know what I’m going to do without you. I don’t know how to move forward. I only played football and now I have quite a few doubts about whether I’m going to keep doing it for much longer.”
The 39-year-old Argentina captain also revealed that playing in the recent World Cup, where Argentina finished as runners-up, was his father’s wish. Messi stated that he would miss his father but pledged to honour his memory through parenting his own children.