Lionel Messi’s father, Jorge Messi, died on August 7 in Rosario, Argentina, and the football legend paid tribute to his dad with a touching post on Instagram on August 12. Messi shared a photo of himself and his dad, who was just 68 at the time of his death. He also penned a lengthy statement about what his father meant to him.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s Comment Liked Almost 7 Million Times
In the caption, Messi wrote, “Te amo, pa.” The post drew reactions from celebrities and fans, including one from football great Cristiano Ronaldo. “Un abrazo enorme para ti y los tuyos en estos duros momentos, Leo. Mucha fuerza,” he wrote, which translates to English as, “A huge hug to you and yours in these tough times, Leo. Much strength.”
This comment received huge reactions, with over 6,860,000 likes and over 86,000 comments.
The message became the most-liked comment in Instagram history. Ronaldo also set the prior record, commenting on Kylian Mbappé’s post announcing his move to Real Madrid. At the time, he wrote, “My turn to (watch). Excited to see you light up the Bernabéu. #HalaMadrid,” BBC reports. The comment was liked over 5 million times.
Among the other comments on Messi’s tribute is one from Neymar Jr., whose translated message reads, “Much strength for you and your family. big hug.” His comment was liked over 1.6 million times. And David Beckham, who wrote, “We are with you and your family, Leo, always @leomessi.” His comment was liked over 300,000 times.
Lionel Messi Remembers His Late Father
Messi penned a beautiful tribute to his father, reflecting on his loss and how it felt unreal. “Dad, I still can’t believe you’re gone. It hasn’t really sunk in — or rather, I don’t want it to. It’s so hard to imagine that I won’t see you anymore, that we won’t talk again. I know you were suffering and that this is for the best, but you left too soon; there was still so much left for us to enjoy together,” he wrote in a translated message from Spanish, People reports.
He continued, “You kept asking me to play in the last World Cup, yet just days before it started, your condition took a turn for the worse. It was the first time you wouldn’t be there for a tournament, but Mom kept telling me you’d improve and be well enough to travel. I told you we’d make it to the final so you could come.” He wrote about waiting to hear from his father after every match in the 2026 World Cup, and how he realized his father’s condition was serious.
“We reached the final, but you couldn’t be there. I wanted to win it so I could bring it to you and show you a new trophy, I couldn’t do it; my legs just gave out, I tried to push past my physical limits this time, but I couldn’t. I never felt right,” he wrote. Messi reflected on the incredible loss he felt and questioned how he would continue his football journey without his father.
