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Messi's father Jorge dies aged 68 after illness

Lionel Messi's father and agent Jorge dies at the age of 68 following a long illness.

Messi's father Jorge dies aged 68 after illness

Lionel Messi's father, Jorge, passed away at the age of 68 after battling a long illness. Jorge, who served as Messi's agent since he was 14, died in a hospital in Rosario, Argentina, early Saturday morning. Speculation about his health had surfaced during the World Cup, but the family later disclosed that he was dealing with a health-related situation.

Jorge played a pivotal role in shaping Lionel's career, being his agent and a constant companion throughout his rise to becoming arguably the best player of all time. He supported Lionel at Newell's Old Boys, the club where Messi began his professional journey at the age of seven. After Lionel's move to Spain in 2001, Jorge remained in Barcelona, providing unwavering support to his son's football career.

The family expressed their deep sorrow and thanked the club and the Argentine Football Association for their support during this difficult time.

Written by urgent.news from BBC World's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.

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