Following the passing of his father, Jorge Messi, last week at age 68, football legend Lionel Messi has publicly admitted to questioning his future in the sport. In an emotional tribute shared on Instagram, the Inter Miami star expressed the profound struggle of moving forward without the man who served as his steadfast supporter, agent, and confidant since his early days in Barcelona. Messi revealed that his participation in the recent World Cup was largely driven by his father’s wish, making the tournament an incredibly taxing experience as he grappled with his father’s deteriorating health back in Argentina.

The void left by his father’s absence was deeply felt during the final matches, where Messi struggled to find his rhythm, noting that his physical efforts felt hollow without his father there to share the journey. Despite his current uncertainty regarding his professional career—which is contracted through 2028—the Argentine captain remains committed to honoring his father’s legacy by raising his own children with the same values he was taught. Following a private funeral in Perez this past Sunday, Messi has returned to the United States, leaving the world to wonder if one of football’s greatest chapters is drawing to a premature close.