{
  "id": 668386,
  "title": "Messi unsure he will play 'much longer' after father's death",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/12/messi-unsure-he-will-play-much-longer-after-fathers-death-668386",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-12T13:48:23.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "BBC Sport",
    "slug": "bbc-sport",
    "url": "https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c78gqj2dqyno?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Lionel Messi expressed uncertainty about his continued football career following the death of his father Jorge, who passed away at 68 after a prolonged illness. Jorge had served as Messi's agent since the player was 14 years old and had been instrumental in the Argentine forward's rise to become one of the greatest footballers of all time. Messi, 39, mourned his father's loss on social media, stating, \"I don't know what I'm going to do without you. I don't know how to carry on. I used to just play football, and now I'm really not sure if I'll carry on doing it for much longer.\" The emotional forward acknowledged his father's unwavering presence, saying, \"You were by my side from the beginning; there was so little left until the end. Why couldn't you hold on just a little longer so we could finish it together?\" Following his father's death in a Rosario hospital, Messi returned home to be with his family. A private funeral was held at a cemetery on the outskirts of Rosario on Sunday.",
  "summary": "Lionel Messi says he is unsure how much longer he will continue playing football in an emotional tribute after his father's death.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "BBC Sport Football",
        "title": "Messi unsure he will play 'much longer' after father's death",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/12/messi-unsure-he-will-play-much-longer-after-fathers-death-668346",
        "published": "2026-08-12T13:48:23.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Japan Times",
        "title": "Grieving Lionel Messi unsure about soccer future in message to late father",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/13/grieving-lionel-messi-unsure-about-soccer-future-in-message-to-late",
        "published": "2026-08-13T00:56:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "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."
}