Jorge Messi, father of Argentine football superstar Lionel Messi, has reportedly died, according to several Argentine media outlets, with Spanish sports media outlet Goal.com reporting the news.

Argentine outlets Infobae and Rosario3 Network claimed that Jorge Messi died at the age of 68. He had reportedly been suffering from various health problems for some time.

Last June, Messi became emotional after scoring for Argentina against Algeria in the World Cup. When asked after the match why he had been crying, Messi said it had nothing to do with football and that he had been going through some difficult days.

Following that incident, various reports emerged about his father’s health. At the time, the Messi family issued a statement saying Jorge Messi was experiencing health problems and was under medical supervision. The family also urged people not to spread rumours or speculation about his personal condition.

The family had also requested respect for Jorge Messi and his relatives’ privacy and personal space. However, as of now, Messi’s family has not officially confirmed his father’s death.

Jorge Messi played a major role in his son’s football career from an early age. He was instrumental in helping Lionel Messi move to Barcelona in 2000, when Messi was only 13 years old. Jorge Messi later began working as a football players’ agent.