Lionel Messi has admitted he is uncertain about continuing his football career for much longer following the death of his father, Jorge Messi.
The Argentina captain shared an emotional tribute on social media after Jorge died last week at the age of 68 following a long illness.
Jorge played a major role in Messi’s career and had represented his son as an agent since the footballer was 14.
Messi opens up on personal loss
The Inter Miami forward revealed that his father’s death has left him struggling to imagine life without him.
“I don’t know what I’m going to do without you,” Messi wrote.
“I don’t know how to carry on. I used to just play football, and now I’m really not sure if I’ll carry on doing it for much longer.”
The comments now raise uncertainty over the future of one of football’s most decorated players, although Messi did not announce an immediate retirement.
The 39-year-old has continued playing at the highest level with Inter Miami after leaving European football and moving to Major League Soccer.
His father remained closely involved in his career throughout his rise from Barcelona’s academy to becoming one of the most successful players in football history.