Ronaldo speaks out about the passing of Messi's father

Ronaldo sent a touching message to support Lionel Messi and his family following the Argentine's emotional tribute to his late father Jorge Messi.

Cristiano Ronaldo offered his condolences to Lionel Messi after Jorge Messi, his father and longtime agent, passed away at age 68 due to a serious illness.

Beneath the emotional letter Messi posted on social media, Ronaldo commented: "A tight hug for you and your loved ones in this difficult time, Leo. Stay strong."

Ronaldo's short but sincere message quickly garnered huge attention from fans. This moment once again shows that behind their decade-long rivalry on the pitch, the two legends have always held mutual respect, especially when one faces a major life crisis.

Earlier, Messi moved fans by writing a long letter to his father who had just passed away. The Argentina captain admitted he still couldn't believe he would never see or talk to his father again.

"Dad, I still can't believe you're gone. Actually, I don't want to believe it. It's so hard to accept that I won't see you or talk to you anymore," Messi wrote.

In the letter, Messi revealed that Jorge's health deteriorated just days before the 2026 World Cup. His father had repeatedly urged him to participate in what would be his last World Cup, but ultimately couldn't be there to watch in person.

Messi and his teammates reached the final, but Jorge still couldn't make it to the stadium. The 39-year-old superstar said he had wanted to win the title and bring the trophy back to show his father, but couldn't fulfill that wish.

"I wanted to win the championship for you, to bring the trophy all the way to show you. But I couldn't do it, my legs couldn't go on any longer. This time I gave everything I had, but it just wasn't meant to be," Messi shared with a choked voice.

The loss also made Messi question his playing future. He admitted that football was his life, but now he doesn't know how much longer he can continue playing when the person who had been with him from the very beginning is no longer around.

Jorge Messi played a special role in both Lionel Messi's life and career. He took his son to training from a young age, accompanied him on the journey to Barcelona, and later became his agent, directly handling many important matters behind the scenes.

For Messi, Jorge was not only a father but also a friend, a mentor, and the greatest spiritual support. Closing the letter, the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner wrote: "Rest in peace, Dad. Please continue to watch over us from above and take care of us just as you always did when you were here. Thank you for everything. I love you so much."

In that moment of grief, the encouragement from Ronaldo and many figures in the football world became a source of comfort for Messi and his family. The two greatest icons of modern football may have been rivals, but this sharing of sympathy transcended all competitive boundaries.