Lionel Messi was crying on the field after scoring his first goal against Algeria at the 2026 World Cup, and no one knew exactly why. He himself admitted to “difficult days” for reasons unrelated to soccer, but he did not want to give details. That was enough for speculation to spiral out of control.
First came the rumor of a crisis with Antonela Roccuzzo. Then the version took hold that his father, Jorge Messi, had a serious health problem. And in the last few hours, the situation escalated to an unbelievable level when actress and host Florencia Peña, live on the Argentine streaming channel Luzu TV, went so far as to wrongly announce that Jorge had died. The false news was aired without any verifiable source, without confirmation, and without the slightest restraint, all while Lionel was still playing in the most important tournament in the world.
The family could not take it anymore and issued a statement to stop the spread of those versions. They confirmed that Jorge is going through a health situation, that he is under medical supervision, and that he is evolving favorably. But the strongest part was not that medical update: it was the direct reproach. “We express our deep distress over the lack of sensitivity, respect, and scruples”, they wrote, and asked that a person’s health not be “an object of speculation or irresponsible media interest”. The scandal caused the immediate dismissal of members of the program’s production team and massive condemnation that included the nation’s own president, Javier Milei. A family’s privacy in a difficult moment should not have a price.