Argentinian TV presenter steps down after falsely reporting Messi's father's death

Argentina's Lionel Mess (AP Photo)

An Argentinian television presenter has stepped down from her role after incorrectly announcing on live television that Lionel Messi's father had died during Argentina's 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign. Florencia Pena made the claim while appearing on the streaming channel Luzu TV shortly after Argentina's opening World Cup match against Algeria. During the broadcast, she informed viewers that Messi's father, Jorge Messi, had passed away unexpectedly. "I don't want to bring bad news, but Messi's father has just passed away. It was sudden. In the middle of the World Cup," she said on air.

The report quickly proved to be false, prompting Pena to issue a public apology and explain how the misinformation reached her during the live programme. In a statement posted on X, she said she had been told the information had already been verified by the show's production team. "I must clarify that this false information was provided to me during the live broadcast as verified by the production team of the show, and I trusted it," she wrote on Friday. "Even so, I take responsibility for being part of the mistake, and that is why I decided to step aside and end my participation in Luzu. I apologise again from the heart; I was wrong," she added.

Luzu TV also released a statement condemning the broadcast of unverified information and confirming disciplinary action over the incident. The channel stressed that reporting sensitive news without proper confirmation was unacceptable. "We at Luzu TV deeply regret what happened on the air during the program El Show de Verano. For our channel, the broadcast of sensitive information without proper prior verification is unacceptable. "For this reason, Luzu TV management has decided to terminate the employment of all those responsible, and Florencia Pena has decided to step down. "We reaffirm our commitment to responsible, respectful, and rigorous journalism."

Amid the controversy, Messi's family issued an update on Jorge Messi's health, confirming that he is currently receiving treatment for an undisclosed medical condition. "At this time, he is under medical supervision, recovering and progressing favourably within the condition he is experiencing," the family statement said.

The incident unfolded just hours after Messi delivered another memorable performance for Argentina. The 38-year-old captain scored a hat-trick in his side's 3-0 victory over Algeria in their opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Messi appeared emotional during the game and later acknowledged that he had been dealing with "difficult days" due to personal circumstances unrelated to football. Argentina will continue their World Cup campaign against Austria on Monday.