Rafael Nadal and sports world pay tribute following death of Lionel Messi's father

Rafael Nadal and Lionel Messi

Condolences have poured in from across the sporting world following the death of Lionel Messi’s father, Jorge Messi, with tennis great Rafael Nadal among those to send an emotional message to the Argentine football icon and his family.

Jorge Messi, who was 68, died on Friday in Rosario, Argentina, following a long-term illness. His death prompted an outpouring of tributes for the man who played a hugely influential role in the career of one of football’s greatest-ever players.

Nadal, a lifelong football fan and admirer of Messi, took to X to offer his condolences, acknowledging the immense pain his fellow sporting legend must be experiencing. “Dear Leo, I can't imagine the pain you must be going through. I'm sending you all my love and my condolences to you and your entire family during this such difficult time. Rest in peace, Jorge,” Nadal wrote.

The 22-time Grand Slam champion's message carried particular significance given Messi's own admiration for Nadal.

Nadal and Messi: mutual admiration

Born and raised in Mallorca, Nadal grew up surrounded by football and was briefly torn between the sport and tennis before ultimately choosing the latter. His uncle, Miguel Angel Nadal, played for Barcelona and Spain, while the tennis legend has often spoken about his love for the game.

Messi, meanwhile, has previously cited Nadal as an inspiration and drawn parallels between their approaches to their respective sports. “We are currently watching the Rafa Nadal series, and I really relate to him,” Messi told Spanish media in June. “I really like to play football, it is my passion since I was a child and when I am feeling good, I give my all. I think that we are very similar in that sense: I always want to give my all and feel good.”

Nadal's message therefore came from one sporting icon to another at an extraordinarily difficult moment for Messi.

De Paul delivers another emotional tribute

Nadal was not the only major sporting figure to reach out to Messi. Inter Miami also sent its condolences to their captain and the Messi family, while Rodrigo De Paul paid tribute in a particularly poignant fashion during Miami's match against Monterrey.

With Messi absent after returning to Argentina to be with his family, De Paul opened the scoring with a superb long-range strike. He then removed his Inter Miami shirt to reveal Messi's iconic No. 10 jersey underneath.

The Argentina midfielder's gesture was a powerful reminder of the close friendship between the two players, who shared Argentina's 2022 World Cup triumph and were teammates again at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

For Messi, however, the sporting tributes came amid a deeply personal loss. Jorge was not only his father but also his agent and a central figure in his journey from a young footballer in Rosario to a global icon. He accompanied Messi to Barcelona for the trial that eventually led to his admission to La Masia and later helped manage his career and business affairs.