Broken heart: Messi says goodbye to his father at a private ceremony in Rosario
The Argentine footballer returned home with his wife and children to support his family and say goodbye to his father Jorge, who passed away, at a private ceremony near his hometown in Argentina. Documentation from the scene shows the star in his most painful moments.
Lionel Messi arrived in his hometown on Saturday evening, around 20:45, after flying on a private jet from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, together with his wife Antonela Roccuzzo and his three children. They joined family members to say goodbye to his father, Jorge, who passed away this past weekend at the age of 68 after a prolonged struggle with illness.
In footage arriving now from overseas, the 39-year-old 'La Pulga' appears heartbroken, walking with his head bowed and wearing a black shirt, with his hands in his pockets. In other photos, he is seen embracing grieving family members. Jorge, who was centrally involved in his son's career and managed his affairs off the pitch, was not really a media figure, but gained recognition in the football world due to his role alongside his star son.
The Argentine Football Association, Barcelona, Inter Miami, Paris Saint-Germain, and Newell's Old Boys were among the entities that published messages of condolence to the family, which gathered at the El Prado cemetery in the town of Perez, near Rosario. Alongside them, family friends also arrived to say goodbye, while fans left messages of support outside the venue and throughout the city. Alongside a wreath placed in memory of Jorge, messages of support appeared, including: 'Stay strong, Leo, we love you' and 'Stay strong, Messi family.'
Several players, including those from the Argentina national team, arrived at the funeral, which took place on Sunday. 'It will certainly do him good that we are there,' as Boca Juniors midfielder Leandro Paredes said on Saturday, after the match between Inter Miami and Monterrey in the Leagues Cup. Messi himself was of course absent, while before the match a minute of silence was held in memory of his father; Jorge's name appeared on the stadium screens and Inter players took to the pitch with black armbands as a sign of solidarity. Rodrigo de Paul, Messi's close friend and teammate on the Argentina national team, scored the first goal of the match with a powerful shot from outside the box, lifted his shirt in celebration, and revealed Messi's shirt underneath.
