LIONEL MESSI shared a heartbreaking statement after the death of his dad.

And he suggested he may stop playing football soon without his support.

Jorge, 68, passed away in Argentina after a long illness last week.

He died at a clinic in Rosario where he had been undergoing medical treatment.

And now Messi has taken to Instagram with a touching message for Jorge, who was unable to travel to the 2026 World Cup as a result of his deteriorating health.

Messi posted the lengthy emotional open letter on Wednesday with a beautiful photo of the pair smiling together next to an indoor football pitch.

The Argentina great, 39, wrote: “Dad, I still can’t believe that you’ve gone. I don’t fall, or rather, I don’t want to fall.

“It’s very hard for me to imagine that I’m not going to see you anymore, that we’re not going to talk anymore.

“I know you were suffering and that it’s for the best, but you left too soon. We still had a lot left to enjoy together.

“You asked me so much to play in the last World Cup, and it was in the days just before it started that you got the worst.

“It was the first time you weren’t going to be at a tournament, but Mum told me that you were going to get better and that you’d be well enough to travel.

“I told you we were going to reach the final so you could travel.

“Every time a match ended, I waited for and missed your message. That’s when I realised the situation was really bad.

“Even so, I didn’t stop thinking about going as far as possible, to buy you time and so you could see a match.

“We reached the final and you couldn’t be there. I wanted to win it to bring it to you and show you a new one.

“I couldn’t: my legs wouldn’t give any more.

“This time I tried to go against my body, but I couldn’t. I never managed to feel good.

“When I arrived, you thought we had lost the final on penalties. We couldn’t talk about anything that happened. You couldn’t enjoy anything.

“We weren’t 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 it.

“I’m telling you this because it was the only thing we couldn’t talk about, since you already know everything else.

“We talked every day and saw each other whenever we could, given my commitments.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​”

Messi went on to admit he may opt to retire soon as he cannot bear the thought of continuing his football career without his dad cheering him on.

And it is a career that may never have taken off without Jorge’s intervention – convincing Barcelona to take on his 14-year-old son and pay for his growth hormones treatment, sealing the deal by signing a napkin.

Messi added: “I don’t know what I’m going to do without you, I don’t know how to go on.

“I only played football and now I have quite a few doubts about whether I’ll keep doing it for much longer.

“You were by my side from the beginning, there was so little left until the end.

“Why couldn’t you hold on that little bit more so we could finish together?

“I know your happiness was seeing your family well, your wife, your children, and above all, without the others finding out, watching me play… It was always like that since I was little.

“You would take me to all the training sessions as soon as you got home from work.

“For many of them Mum took me because you were working. Obviously you never missed a single match.

“How you suffered watching me and how you enjoyed it, even though you never gave me many compliments.

“You were dad, friend and representative. You were always the person you needed to be in every moment and you never got anything wrong.

“Beyond a few reproaches or arguments, you were always right.

“In the end it always turned out the way you said.

“I’m going to miss you a lot, but you’ll always be present, and especially in the upbringing of my children, because I teach them and raise them the way you both did with me.

“Rest in peace and look after us from above the way you did down here. Thank you for everything. I love you, Dad.”

The sporting world rallied around Messi in the comments section of his gut-wrenching post.

Cristiano Ronaldo said: “A huge hug to you and yours in these tough times, Leo. Much strength.”

His Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham wrote: “We stand with you and your family, Leo – always. @leomessi.”

Carlos Alcaraz added: “Sending you lots of strength, Leo!”

And adidas football put a series of love hearts.