The football world is mourning alongside Lionel Messi and his family following the death of his father, Jorge Messi, at the age of 68.

Jorge Messi passed away Friday night at a medical facility in Rosario, Argentina, following an undisclosed health battle, according to reports from Argentina.

His health had been a concern throughout this summer’s FIFA World Cup. In June, the Messi family publicly confirmed that Jorge was receiving medical care and asked fans and media to respect the family’s privacy and avoid speculation surrounding his condition. He was later discharged from hospital to continue his recovery at home in Rosario.

Jorge was much more than Lionel Messi’s father. He played an instrumental role in the journey that eventually saw his son become one of the greatest footballers of all time.

When Lionel was still a young player at Newell’s Old Boys, Jorge fought to secure the medical treatment his son needed and later accompanied him to Barcelona as the family took an enormous chance on a football dream thousands of kilometres away from home. Throughout Messi’s career, Jorge remained closely involved as his longtime representative and one of his most trusted figures.

He was also husband to Celia Cuccittini and father to Lionel, Rodrigo, Matías and María Sol.

Jorge lived long enough to witness an extraordinary journey: his son winning virtually everything possible in football, including leading Argentina to the 2022 FIFA World Cup championship.

Our condolences go out to Lionel Messi, the entire Messi family and everyone mourning his loss.

May Jorge Messi rest in peace. 🕊️