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Argentina captain Lionel Messi has admitted he is uncertain about continuing his football career following the death of his father, Jorge Messi.
The 39-year-old Inter Miami forward, widely regarded as one of football’s greatest players, returned to the United States on Tuesday after attending his father’s funeral in Perez, near Rosario, Argentina.
Messi, who led Argentina to the 2022 World Cup title, was part of the team that reached the 2026 final in July before losing 1-0 to Spain.
In an emotional message posted on Instagram on Wednesday, Messi revealed that his father’s death had left him questioning whether he would continue playing for much longer.
“All I ever did was play football, and now I have serious doubts about whether I’ll keep doing it for much longer,” Messi wrote.
He also spoke about the difficulty of facing life without his father, who was not only a parent but also served as his agent and played a major role in his career.
“I don’t know what I’m going to do without you. I don’t know how to carry on. You were by my side from the very 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?”
Messi said his father had hoped to watch him play at another World Cup and revealed how deeply his absence affected him during Argentina’s campaign.
“I kept telling you we would reach the final so you could make the trip,” Messi said. “We made it to the final, but you couldn’t be there. I wanted to win it to bring it to you and show you a new one. I couldn’t, my legs just gave out.”
Reflecting on the tournament, Messi added, “This time I tried to push past my physical limits, but I couldn’t. I never felt right.”
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner also recalled his father’s influence on his decision to play at the previous World Cup.
“You always asked me to play in the last World Cup and a few days before it started was when you got worse,” Messi said. “It was the first time you weren’t going to be at a tournament … Every time a match ended, I would wait and hope for your message. That’s when I realised how real the situation was.”
Messi said his father’s role in his life went far beyond football, describing him as a father, friend and agent.
“You were a father, a friend, and an agent. You were always exactly who you needed to be in every moment, and you never put a foot wrong.”
Jorge Messi’s absence during the 2026 World Cup had attracted attention, with Messi’s family previously appealing to the media for “humanity” amid reports about his health. His cause of death was not disclosed, although local reports said he had been battling cancer.
Messi, who remains under contract with Inter Miami until the end of the 2028 season, said he would preserve his father’s legacy by passing on the values he learned from him to his children.
“I’m going to miss you so much, but you will always be present, especially in the upbringing of my children, because I will teach them and raise them the way you raised me,” he said.
His latest comments have now raised fresh uncertainty over whether the Argentina legend will continue his illustrious playing career, with the loss of his father clearly weighing heavily on his future in football.
