Lionel Messi returns to Barcelona after death of his father Jorge Messi

A family figure at Camp Nou

The news of his death prompted an immediate wave of tributes from current and former teammates, coaches and rival players. Among the most prominent public responses was a message from Cristiano Ronaldo, with whom Messi shared one of the defining rivalries of modern football, who expressed his condolences to the Messi family.

Portugal captain Ronaldo, who plays for Al Nassr, has competed against Messi in leagues in Spain and more recently at international tournaments, with the two players having faced each other in successive seasons in Saudi Arabia and in earlier Champions League and Clásico fixtures. Their on-pitch rivalry has repeatedly given way to gestures of mutual respect off the pitch, and Ronaldo's message was read as a continuation of that pattern.

At Inter Miami, where Messi has played since 2023 after spells at Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona, the club acknowledged the loss and said it was offering its support to the player and his family. Managerial and playing staff at the Major League Soccer side were reported to have been informed before any public statement was made.

Reactions from across the game

Spanish media reported that Messi intended to remain in Barcelona for the coming days to be with his mother and three sons, Thiago, Mateo and Ciro, all of whom were born during his time at Barcelona. The family has asked for privacy during the period of mourning, and no public funeral arrangements have been disclosed at the time of writing.

Tributes continued to arrive from Argentine football figures, who highlighted Jorge Messi's role in steering his son through the early stages of a career that would take him from Rosario to Barcelona and ultimately to global recognition. Jorge Messi was involved in several of the contract negotiations that shaped Lionel's professional path, including the player's widely documented decision to leave Barcelona in 2021 and his subsequent move to Paris Saint-Germain.

The return to Barcelona carries a particular emotional weight given the family's long history in the city. Jorge Messi maintained a home in the Catalan capital even after Lionel's departure for France, and the region has remained a focal point for the extended Messi family. Friends and former neighbors were reported to have begun gathering at the family residence.

Returns to a familiar city

Supporters' groups associated with Barcelona, where Messi won four Champions League titles and ten La Liga crowns, were organizing informal tributes, including the laying of flowers and scarves at the Camp Nou. The club itself had not announced any formal memorial as of the time of writing, but said it was in contact with the family.

The episode adds a personal chapter to a period in which Messi has continued to compete at the highest level, starring for Inter Miami in Major League Soccer and for Argentina, the reigning World Cup holders. Ronaldo's public message underlined the breadth of respect that the Argentine commands, even from a rival whose career has run along a parallel track for nearly two decades.