Four days after the death of Jorge Messi, father of soccer superstar Lionel Messi, the Argentine forward published an emotional letter Wednesday honoring his father's memory. Jorge Messi passed away at age 68 following a serious illness. Among those responding to the tribute was Cristiano Ronaldo, Messi's longtime rival on the pitch, who sent a brief message of condolence.
"A big hug to you and your loved ones in this difficult moment, Leo. Stay strong," Ronaldo wrote in the comments section of Messi's Instagram post.
Breaking four days of silence, Messi shared an extensive reflection on his father and their close relationship. "Dad, I still can't believe you're gone. I'm not falling, or rather, I don't want to fall. It's very hard for me to imagine that I won't see you anymore, that we won't talk anymore," the Inter Miami player wrote.
Messi went on to describe the recent period and his father's deteriorating condition leading up to the last World Cup. According to the post, his father urged him to play in the tournament, and Messi hoped to reach the final so his father could attend and watch him compete.
