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Lionel Messi tried his best to keep the reason for his emotional moment private during Argentina's 3–0 victory over Algeria. However, the situation was taken completely out of his control in a deeply shocking way.
During a live segment on Luzu TV's El Show del Verano, host Florencia Peña made the alarming claim that Messi's father, Jorge, had died. "He's going to have to leave [the World Cup]," Peña declared.
Predictably, the story spread rapidly across social media and quickly reached Messi himself. The Inter Miami star was ultimately compelled to speak out, dismissing the speculation and confirming that Jorge, though hospitalized, was very much alive.
What Did Messi Say in Response?
Messi had clearly intended to keep his father's health condition out of the public eye, but the overwhelming wave of speculation prompted a formal statement from the 38-year-old and his family.
"The Messi family informs that Jorge is currently going through a health situation," the statement read. "At this time, he is under medical care, recovering and progressing favorably within the condition he is experiencing.
"In light of the reports, rumors and speculation that have circulated in recent hours, the family wishes to express its deep concern regarding the lack of sensitivity, respect and discretion with which some individuals have treated a strictly private family matter.
"The family would also like to clarify that only Jorge's immediate family has real and accurate information regarding his condition. Therefore, any version, statement or information that does not come directly from the family and its official channels should not be considered valid or truthful.
"At times like these, we ask for responsibility, prudence and humanity. A person's health and the peace of mind of their loved ones should not be the subject of speculation or irresponsible media attention.
"We sincerely appreciate the expressions of affection, respect, and concern we have received, and we ask that Jorge's privacy, confidentiality and personal space—as well as that of his entire family—be respected throughout this process.
"Any relevant updates will be communicated in due course by the family and through the appropriate channels. Thank you for your understanding."
The Stunning Fallout
Once it was confirmed that the claim of Jorge Messi's death was false, a wave of public outrage was directed at those responsible for spreading the story.
Nico Ochiatto, the founder of Luzu TV, responded with a series of passionate statements expressing his "outrage" and pledging an internal investigation, which swiftly led to the termination of everyone involved in the broadcast.
"Luzu TV deeply regrets what occurred on air during the program 'El Show del Verano.' Our channel finds the dissemination of sensitive information without proper prior verification unacceptable.
"For this reason, Luzu TV management has decided to dismiss all those responsible, and Florencia Peña will be stepping down. We reaffirm our commitment to responsible, respectful, and rigorous communication."
Peña, who delivered the false claim on air, issued a separate apology to the Messi family.
"I apologize to the Messi family for the terrible moment I imagine they are going through," she said. "I am deeply ashamed to have been the vehicle for this pain. I must clarify that this false information was provided to me during the live broadcast as verified by the production team of the show, and I trusted it.
"Even so, I take responsibility for being part of the mistake, and that's why I decided to step aside and end my participation in Luzu.
"I apologize again from the heart; I was wrong."
President of Argentina Weighs in
The controversy did not stop there, as Argentine President Javier Milei released his own furious statement, opening with the headline: "TRASH CORP."
"When one thinks they've already seen it all from the media, certain characters make a point of reminding us that it's always possible to sink even lower, to spout an even worse abomination, and to inflict even more damage," Milei wrote.
"The aberrant and unscrupulous unchecked statements by Florencia Peña on a streaming channel—which would still be aberrant even if the information had been true, since they trample on a citizen's private life—remind us of the impunity with which some individuals believe they can operate simply by holding a microphone or a pen in hand, as if that fact implied not only that they don't have to verify the information they spread, but also that they need not adhere to the most basic tenets of human decency, morality or respect for the truth.
"It's also worth noting that, unlike what happened in the case of this low-rent gossipmonger, at least the channel had the decency to correct the information and boot out this nefarious character—something that has never once happened with media outlets or newspapers that have in their ranks an endless parade of journalists who have grown tired of smearing, slandering or insulting everyone in sight, shielded by editors and/or media owners who cover for them under the pretext of doing 'journalism.'
"At least the showbiz gossips don't pretend to preach from the perch of morality or good manners, while pocketing ad dollars from politicians to prop up media outlets that, if they truly relied only on their audience, would have gone bankrupt long ago."
The Impact on Messi
Messi, a typically reserved individual, has not issued a personal response beyond the statement released by his family.
He continues to train with Argentina ahead of the team's next World Cup fixture against Austria on June 22 and is still expected to feature in that match during what is an extraordinarily difficult period for him on a personal level.
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Messi needs just one more goal to become the all-time leading scorer in World Cup history, currently level at the top with Miroslav Klose on 16 goals.