Lionel Messi releases first statement after death of father Jorge

Lionel Messi has issued a statement on the death of his father, Jorge, who passed away on Saturday at the age of 68 following what was described as a 'long illness'.

Messi and his family flew to Argentina on Saturday evening, and a private funeral took place in Perez, Rosario - the city where his father was born - on Sunday.

Messi was absent from Inter Miami's Leagues Cup match against Monterrey, which they lost 2-1. A minute's silence was held prior to kick-off, with players wearing black armbands.

The 39-year-old, who had recently returned to club football after guiding Argentina to the World Cup final, has now released a lengthy statement in tribute to his father.

"Dad, I still can't believe you're gone," Messi wrote on Instagram. "It hasn't sunk in - or rather, I don't *want* it to sink in.

"It's so hard to imagine that I won't see you anymore, that we won't talk again. I know you were suffering and that this is for the best, but you left too soon. We still had so much left to enjoy together.

"You kept asking me to play in that last World Cup, but just days before it started, your condition took a turn for the worse. It was the first time you wouldn't be at a tournament, but Mom kept telling me you'd improve and be well enough to travel. I kept telling you we'd make it to the final so you could come.

"After every match, I'd wait for your message and miss hearing from you. That's when I realised how serious the situation really was. Even so, I kept thinking about going as far as possible - to buy you time so you could see at least one game. We made it to the final, but you couldn't be there.

"I wanted to win it so I could bring it to you and show you a new trophy. I couldn't do it; my legs just gave out. This time I tried to push past my physical limits, but I couldn't. I never felt right.

"When I got back, you thought we'd lost the final on penalties. We didn't get to talk about any of it. You didn't get to enjoy any of it. We didn't become champions, but you have no idea how much we enjoyed every single match. Once again, you were right: I had to be there and play.

"I'm telling you this because it was the one thing we didn't get to talk about - you already know everything else. We spoke every day and saw each other whenever my commitments allowed."

"I don't know what I'm going to do without you; I don't know how to go on," Messi continued. "All I ever did was play soccer, and now I have serious doubts about whether I'll keep doing it for much longer. You were by my side from the very beginning, and we were so close to the end. Why couldn't you hold on just a little longer so we could finish this journey together?

"I know your happiness came from seeing your family - your wife and children - doing well, and above all - without anyone else knowing - watching me play... it was always like that, ever since I was little. You'd take me to every practice right after getting home from work. Mom would take me to many of them because you were working. And, of course, you never missed a single match. You suffered so much watching me, yet you enjoyed it too - even if you rarely lavished praise on me.

"You were a dad, a friend, and an agent. You were always exactly who you needed to be in any given moment, and you never got it wrong. Despite the occasional arguments or disagreements, you were always right. In the end, things always turned out just the way you said they would.

"I'm going to miss you terribly, but you'll always be with me - especially in how I raise my own children, because I'm teaching and bringing them up just the way you and Mom did with me.

"Rest in peace, and watch over us from above just as you did down here. Thank you for everything. I love you, Dad."