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Lionel Messi reflects on father's impact during World Cup run

Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Aug 12, 2026, 4:21 PM

Last updated Aug 12, 2026

Lionel Messi reflects on father's impact during World Cup run

Summary

Lionel Messi shared an emotional tribute to his late father, Jorge, following Argentina's journey to the FIFA World Cup final. Jorge, who died at age 68 just before the tournament, had been a crucial influence on Messi's career. Messi described a promise made to his father to reach the final, which intensified his efforts despite being physically strained. The tournament concluded with Argentina's loss to Spain in the final. Messi recounted his struggle to focus on the games while grieving, expressing deep sadness that Jorge could not witness his son's performance.

Source Links

Yahoo Sports

By the Numbers

•Lionel Messi's father, Jorge, passed away before the World Cup.
•Messi committed to reaching the final for his father's sake.
•Argentina ultimately lost 1-0 to Spain in the final.
•Messi felt the weight of competition while dealing with his father's illness.
•Jorge played a pivotal role in brokering Messi's career moves.

Latest Updates

4:21 PMYahoo Sports — How Jorge Messi inspired Lionel's FIFA World Cup Final run with Argentina

What they're saying

"
Lionel Messi has paid an emotional tribute to his late father Jorge, who died last week at age 68, sharing a heartfelt World Cup promise that drove Argentina's run to the Final
— Yahoo Sports

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