"I waited for you to call every day" - Messi wrote a letter to his father

"I waited for you to call me every day" - Messi writes a letter to his father

Argentina and Inter Miami captain Lionel Messi may not continue his football career after the death of his father. Messi's father, Jorge, died last week at the age of 68 in a clinic in Rosario, Argentina, after a long illness.

Messi wrote in a post dedicated to his father on Instagram:

"I don't know what I would do without you, how I would continue my life. I only played football, and now it's difficult for me to continue doing that for much longer. You were with me from the beginning. There was very little left until the end. Why didn't you wait a little longer so we could finish it together?"

Jorge Messi has been by his son's side throughout his career, including his early years at Barcelona. He has been an important support for Lionel and has also acted as his agent for several years.

The 39-year-old Argentina captain revealed that his father's wish was one of the reasons he wanted to play in the 2026 World Cup. Argentina lost to Spain in extra time in the final and finished second in the tournament.

"You always asked me to play in the last World Cup. A few days before the tournament, your condition worsened. It was the first time you were not able to be at the tournament. Every time I waited and hoped for news from you after the game. That's when I realized how serious the situation was," Messi wrote.

Messi experienced mixed emotions during the World Cup. He couldn't hold back tears as he celebrated his first goal after scoring a hat-trick in the opening group match against Algeria. Messi later explained that his tears were due to "non-football-related" reasons, as he had been through "some difficult and complicated days."

Messi said he wanted to win the final for his father, but he didn't have the strength to bring Argentina a second World Cup:

"My legs couldn't take it anymore. This time I tried to push myself beyond my physical limits, but I couldn't. I never felt better. We didn't win, but you can't imagine how much we enjoyed each game. Once again, you were right: I had to be there and play."

The Inter Miami forward said he would follow in his father's footsteps by raising his own children.

"I miss you a lot, but you will always be with me, especially when it comes to raising my children. Because I will raise them the same way you raised me," Messi said.

Earlier, it was reported that Jorge Messi died at the age of 68 in a clinic in the city of Rosario. He had been battling an illness for a long time, but the exact nature of his illness was not revealed. He had been suffering from health problems this year and was unable to travel to the United States to watch the World Cup matches.