{
  "id": 4759883,
  "title": "\"What am I going to do when he stops playing?\" Messi’s mother recalls late father's heartbreaking words",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/01/what-am-i-going-to-do-when-he-stops-playing-messis-mother-recalls",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-01T01:30:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Gulf News",
    "slug": "gulf-news",
    "url": "https://gulfnews.com/sport/football/what-am-i-going-to-do-when-he-stops-playing-messis-mother-recalls-late-fathers-heartbreaking-words-1.500658706"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Lionel Messi's decision to retire from international football has brought a heavy emotional burden to his family, especially his mother, Celia Cuccittini. The news came as a shock to everyone, as Celia revealed in a message shared with Argentine television programme Intrusos on America TV. \"I'm still crying. Even though we already knew, the whole family is very sad, but the important thing is that he is happy,\" Celia said. The emotional toll was further amplified when Celia recalled a poignant phrase her late husband, Jorge Messi, used to say whenever he contemplated Lionel's eventual retirement from the game. \"The father always used to say, 'What am I going to do when he doesn't play anymore?' And it all happened together. Incredible,\" she added. This statement takes on a more profound meaning now, as Jorge Messi passed away on August 8 at the age of 68 after a prolonged illness. Despite his immense sadness, Celia emphasized that the most crucial thing is Lionel's happiness. The former footballer had announced his retirement from Argentina just 23 days after his father's death, a heartbreaking coincidence. Interestingly, Messi had made the retirement decision earlier, on July 21, following Argentina's 1-0 loss to Spain in the 2026 World Cup final. Despite Argentina's defeat, Messi's World Cup campaign was nothing short of extraordinary, with 39-year-old Messi scoring eight goals and providing four assists. It was arguably one of the most impressive individual performances in World Cup history. The news of Messi's retirement has left fans around the world devastated. Messi himself expressed his gratitude, stating, \"If this was your final World Cup, what a privilege it has been.\"",
  "summary": "Lionel Messi’s decision to retire from international football was always going to be an emotional moment for his family. But for his mother, Celia Cuccittini, the timing has made it even more difficult. Just hours after Messi announced that he was bringing the curtain down on his Argentina career, Celia revealed that the entire family has been struggling to come to terms with the decision. “I’m…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": "Lionel Messi's retirement from international football has brought poignant closure to a concern his late father Jorge had expressed about the day his son would stop playing.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}