Jorge Messi, the father and longtime adviser of Argentina football star Lionel Messi, has died at the age of 68.

MARCA reported the development on Saturday, citing Argentine media outlet Infobae. Jorge died around 10pm on Friday at a medical facility in Rosario, Argentina, after a prolonged illness.

Jorge was married to Celia Cuccittini, with whom he had four children — Lionel, Rodrigo, Matias and Maria Sol.

He played a crucial role in shaping Lionel Messi’s football career, particularly during the early years when the future Argentina captain was still a young player at Newell’s Old Boys.

One of his most significant contributions came when Messi required growth hormone treatment as a child. After attempts to secure the necessary medical care in Argentina were unsuccessful, Jorge helped facilitate his son’s move to Barcelona when Lionel was only 13.

Jorge subsequently remained in Spain with Lionel during the challenging early period of his son’s career, while the rest of the family stayed behind in Rosario.

Reflecting on those difficult years in a 2007 interview, Messi recalled how his father gave him the choice of remaining in Spain to pursue his football ambitions or returning to Argentina.

“My old man was always by my side. We lived through many bad moments,” Messi recalled.

He added, “My old man asked me, what do you want to do, do you want to continue or shall we go back? I wanted to continue and he stayed with me.”

The decision ultimately proved pivotal, with Messi going on to become one of Barcelona’s greatest players and one of the most decorated footballers in the history of the sport.

Beyond supporting his son’s development on the pitch, Jorge also handled several aspects of Messi’s professional affairs, including commercial negotiations with major international brands.

Although he became a prominent figure because of his son’s success, Jorge generally kept a low profile and rarely spoke publicly.

In one of his few interviews, he reflected on the challenges he and Lionel had experienced together, while expressing pride in his son’s character.

“You know very well that we have gone through many good and not-so-good moments,” Jorge said.

He said those experiences had strengthened the family and described Lionel not only as an exceptional footballer but also as “an excellent person”.

Concerns about Jorge’s health became more public in 2026 after Messi appeared emotional following Argentina’s opening World Cup match.

After scoring a hat-trick, Messi explained that his emotions were linked to personal matters rather than football.

“It is for a reason completely unrelated to sport. I had some difficult, complicated days,” he said.

When asked about the situation affecting his family, Messi added, “The truth is, more than anything, because of the family.”

The Messi family later disclosed that Jorge was receiving medical care and was recovering under supervision.

Away from football, Jorge had a professional background as a chemical technician. He joined Argentine steel company Acindar in the 1980s and eventually rose to a managerial position.

He had also been involved in football during his youth, playing as a midfielder in the Newell’s Old Boys youth setup before ending his playing career after being called up for military service.

Jorge Messi’s death brings to an end the life of a man who largely operated away from the public spotlight but played a defining role in helping his son overcome the obstacles of childhood and establish himself as one of football’s greatest-ever stars.