Real Madrid, Barcelona unite in touching tribute to Lionel Messi’s late father
· Yahoo Sports
La Liga giants have just displayed class like no other. Real Madrid and Barcelona have both paid tribute to Lionel Messi following the death of his father, Jorge Messi.
Jorge, who was 68, passed away in Rosario after a long illness, leading to messages of support from across football.
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The loss comes during a difficult period for Messi, who had recently been with his father before returning to Inter Miami duty after losing the World Cup final to Spain.
Photo by Jean Catuffe/Getty ImagesReal Madrid and Barcelona send heartfelt messages to Lionel Messi
Both Spanish giants set aside their rivalry to share public condolences.
Real Madrid were reportedly the first to do it and released a statement that read:
‘Real Madrid CF, its president and its Board of Directors deeply regret the passing of Jorge Messi, father of Leo Messi. Our club wishes to express its condolences to Leo, his family, and all his loved ones. May he Rest in peace.’
It is a notable gesture given Messi’s long association with their biggest rivals, Barcelona.
Meanwhile, Barcelona also paid tribute, recognising Jorge’s role in shaping Messi’s career.
The club said: “The President and the Board of Directors of FC Barcelona express their deepest condolences on the passing of Jorge Messi, father of Barca player and legend Lionel Messi, and on behalf of the entire Barcelona community, extend their sympathies to the Messi family.”
“FC Barcelona thanks Jorge Messi for his commitment to our Club, for entrusting us with the beginning and the most glorious years of his son Leo’s football career. Rest in peace,” read
They also thanked him for trusting the club during the early stages of Messi’s journey.
Jorge Messi was more than just a parent.
He played a central role in guiding his son’s career, from his move to Barcelona as a young player to later decisions involving Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Miami.
His influence remained strong throughout Messi’s rise in world football.
Messi has recorded 921 official career goals and 419 assists in 1,166 total appearances for club and country.
This brings his career total to 1,340 direct goal contributions, maintaining his record as the highest assist provider and overall goal contributor in the history of football.
For Messi, attention will now turn to time with his family, with Inter Miami yet to confirm his immediate availability for upcoming fixtures.
Inter Miami CF’s next game is against LIGA MX side CF Monterrey on Saturday, 8 August, at 8:00 PM ET in the Leagues Cup group stage.
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