Jorge died at 2am in the early hours of Saturday morning at a private medical clinic in his hometown of Rosario. Jorge’s health ultimately deteriorated further, and he died at the age of 68 in Rosario following his long illness, as confirmed by the Sanatorio Centro hospital.
Jorge remained with Lionel in Spain while the rest of the family eventually returned to Rosario, leaving father and son to navigate an unfamiliar country together.
Messi's father was in attendance to watch him lift the Jules Rimet trophy in Qatar, a moment which many felt cemented his status as football's greatest-ever player. The latest final came this summer, when at 39 he steered La Albiceleste to another final, where they were beaten 1-0 by Spain.
The Messi family had kept Jorge's illness under wraps before confirming he was going through "a health situation" during the World Cup this summer.
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