Buenos Aires, Aug 8 (V7N) - Jorge Messi, the father and agent of eight-time Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi, has died at the age of 68, his childhood club Newell's Old Boys announced on Saturday.
Argentinian media reported that Jorge Messi passed away on Friday at a hospital in Rosario.
"His constant companionship and behind-the-scenes leadership were essential in backing every step of Lionel," Newell's Old Boys said in a social media post.
Jorge Messi was his son's first coach in Argentina and his sole companion when Lionel first moved to Barcelona as a child, later becoming his agent.
In a 2022 interview with DirecTV Sports, Lionel Messi said, "My father helped me enormously. He is very critical of me. That made me always want to push myself further."
Messi's family had asked the media for "humanity" during the recent World Cup amid persistent rumours over Jorge's health.
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