Lionel Messi has paid an emotional tribute to his late father, reflecting on their close relationship, his father’s unwavering support for his football career and the pain of losing him.
In a deeply personal message, Messi expressed disbelief over his father’s death, saying he still struggles to accept that they will no longer speak or spend time together.
“Dad, I still can’t believe you’re gone. I can’t believe I won’t see you anymore, that we won’t talk anymore,” Messi said, while acknowledging that his father had been suffering before his passing.
The Argentine football icon recalled how his father had always wanted him to play at the last World Cup and how his condition deteriorated just days before the tournament began.
Messi said he had promised his father that Argentina would reach the final, allowing him the opportunity to watch one of the games.
Although his father could not experience the tournament as they had hoped, Messi revealed that they remained closely connected throughout his career.
“We talked every day and saw each other when we could because of my commitments,” he said.
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner also admitted that his father’s death has left him questioning his future in football.
“I just played soccer and now I have a lot of doubts that I’ll keep doing it for a long time more,” Messi revealed, highlighting the profound impact his father had on his journey.
Messi remembered his father not only as a parent but also as a friend and representative who had been beside him from the earliest days of his career.
He recalled how his father would take him to training sessions after finishing work and never missed his matches, despite rarely showering him with praise.
“You were dad, friend, and representative,” Messi wrote. “You were always the person you had to be in every moment and you never made a mistake.”
Messi also vowed to honour his father’s legacy through the way he raises his own children, saying he would pass on the values and lessons he learned from him.
“I will miss you a lot, but you will always be present, and especially in the education of my children, because I teach and educate them as you did with me,” he said.
The football superstar ended his tribute with a heartfelt farewell, thanking his father for everything and promising to carry his memory with him.
“Rest in peace and take care of us from above as you did here. Thank you for everything. I love you, dad,” Messi said.