Lionel Messi to remain in Rosario after his father Jorge’s funeral | OneFootball

Lionel Messi made the decision to stay a few more days in Rosario, after the funeral of his father, Jorge Messi, at El Prado de Pérez cemetery, located on the outskirts of his hometown. The captain of the Argentina National Team, as expected, will not return to the United States immediately, and his return to Inter Miami, coached by his fellow Argentine Ángel Guillermo Hoyos, will be delayed by a few days.

For now, there is no exact date set for the 39-year-old star’s return to North America. It will be entirely his own decision, as he goes through the deep pain of the death of his father and agent at the age of 68. Although the former Barcelona and PSG player’s private plane is already back in Miami, the greatest footballer of all time will remain in Santa Fe.

Messi received respect and support from everyone following Jorge Messi’s death. Not only his fellow countrymen, but also the entire world showed the star their full support during this very difficult time. Even Real Madrid released a statement on the matter and mourned the news from the Spanish capital.

The minute of silence during the latest round of Argentine football, the flags, the signs, the flower wreaths sent by the AFA, and the millions of comments on social media filled the “Flea” with affection. At the moment, “Leo” is staying at the house he owns in the gated community of Kentucky in Funes, about 44 kilometers from Rosario. Meanwhile, together with his wife Antonela Roccuzzo, he is planning the next steps amid the grief, with the company of the couple’s three children: Thiago (13), Mateo (10), and Ciro (8).

Jorge Messi, the agent and key support in Lionel’s career

He was not only the father of the best player in history, but also his agent and the one who stood by him in the difficult moments of his remarkable professional career. When “La Pulga” moved to live in Barcelona at the age of 13, Jorge went with him, just as he had worked to make sure neither Lionel nor his siblings ever lacked anything.

Jorge worked for the steel and metallurgical company Acindar in Rosario (Santa Fe), before Lionel became a global star with millions of fans. At that company, he held a managerial role in the industry while funding and supporting his son’s first steps at the neighborhood club Grandoli and in the youth ranks of his beloved Newell’s.

In addition to supporting his son so he could keep playing football and helping him get trials with “La Lepra” and River, for example, he convinced his wife, Celia María Cuccittini. She was not as certain that “Leo” should become an athlete, and preferred that he study and finish high school instead.

September 17, 2000, was a complete turning point in the family’s life: at just 13 years old, Lionel Messi went to try out for Barcelona. He traveled with Jorge and his then-agent, Fabián Soldini. The trip, with a stopover in Madrid first, was arranged through the mediation of Josep Maria Minguella and Horacio Gaggioli, men from Barcelona, and they stayed temporarily at the Hotel Plaza in the Catalan city in Spain.

Later, in March 2001, the Rosario star’s qualities in training sessions at the “Blaugrana” training ground did the rest. He was, of course, shortlisted for the youth divisions of the Catalan club, and the left-footer moved permanently to Spain, this time with the rest of his family: his mother Celia and his siblings Rodrigo, Matías, and María Sol. A few months after that, Lionel formally chose Jorge as his agent, and an extraordinary story began that led him to be considered the greatest footballer in history.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.