Argentina football superstar Lionel Messi has bid farewell to his father, Jorge Messi, who died at the age of 68 following a battle with cancer.
Messi, an eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, arrived in Argentina on a private flight from Miami late Saturday, accompanied by his wife, Antonela Roccuzzo, and their children.
A private funeral ceremony was held Sunday at El Prado cemetery in Perez, a town near Messi’s hometown of Rosario. The gathering was attended by close family members and a small number of Argentina teammates.
Jorge Messi was a major figure in his son’s career, serving as his agent and providing support from Lionel’s childhood through his rise to global football stardom.
Fans gathered outside the cemetery, leaving handwritten messages of support for Messi and his family. Argentina teammates also rallied around their captain following Jorge’s death, which was announced late Friday after his passing at a clinic in Rosario.
