Lionel Messi, Jorge Messi (foto: Instagram)
Before Lionel Messi conquered football, his father, Jorge, made the decisions and sacrifices that gave a gifted boy from Rosario the opportunity to change the sport forever.
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Before Lionel Messi became a World Cup winner, a multiple Ballon d'Or recipient and one of the greatest footballers the game has ever seen, he was simply a gifted boy from Rosario whose dream was threatened before his career had even properly begun.
Standing beside him through those uncertain years was his father, Jorge Messi, who passed away on Friday night in a hospital in Rosario.
Jorge's importance to Messi's extraordinary journey extended far beyond the traditional role of a parent. He became his protector, adviser, manager and, during perhaps the most important period of Lionel's childhood, the person willing to risk almost everything to give his son an opportunity.
A problem that threatened Messi's dream
Long before Barcelona, packed stadiums and global fame, Messi was developing at Newell's Old Boys in Rosario.
His talent was already obvious, but there was a serious obstacle standing between the young Argentine and the career he dreamed about.
Messi required medical treatment connected with his growth hormone deficiency. Finding the financial support needed to continue that treatment became one of the biggest concerns facing his family.
Jorge began searching for solutions.
One possibility was River Plate, but a move never materialized. Then came an opportunity that would ultimately change football history.
Barcelona entered the story.
The possibility of moving to Spain meant leaving home, family, friends and everything familiar behind. Lionel was only 13.
Jorge nevertheless understood what the opportunity represented. Barcelona offered his son a pathway to continue developing as a footballer while also helping provide the treatment he needed.
Father and son therefore traveled thousands of kilometers from Rosario to Barcelona.
Neither knew where the decision would eventually lead.
Messi wanted to stay, so his father stayed with him
Life in Spain was far from easy at first.
The family struggled to adapt, and Lionel experienced loneliness and uncertainty. At one stage, the possibility of abandoning the adventure and returning to Argentina became real.
Part of the family eventually returned to Rosario.
Jorge stayed in Barcelona with his son.
Years later, Messi explained how difficult those days had been for both of them.
"My father was always there for me. We went through a lot of bad things. Sometimes I would lock myself in a room to cry alone, and he would do the same without me seeing it. We pretended that we were both fine, but we weren't."
Then came the question that mattered most.
"My father asked me what I wanted to do, whether I wanted to continue or go back. I wanted to continue, and he stayed with me."
It was a simple decision with enormous consequences.
Messi stayed.
And Jorge stayed with him.
Father, adviser and eventually manager
As Lionel progressed through Barcelona's academy and developed into an extraordinary first-team player, Jorge's role evolved with him.
He became closely involved in his son's professional affairs and eventually acted as his manager and representative, handling negotiations and commercial relationships while Messi concentrated on football.
But one interview from 2007 showed that Jorge's priorities went far beyond trophies, contracts and money.
Speaking directly to his son, Jorge reflected on everything they had already experienced together.
"You know very well that we have been through many good times, but also not so good times."
His most important message had little to do with Lionel becoming the world's best footballer.
"I believe that you are, above all, a great person."
The decision that helped change football history
The world eventually saw Lionel Messi lift almost every trophy available to him. Barcelona supporters watched him develop from a shy academy player into the greatest goalscorer in the club's history. Argentina eventually watched him lift the trophy he wanted most, the World Cup.
Jorge saw something else first.
He saw a boy from Rosario who needed someone willing to believe in his dream when there were no guarantees of success.
His most important contribution to Messi's career therefore came long before the enormous contracts, sponsorship agreements and global fame.
It came when his son was 13 years old.
Jorge Messi was willing to leave Argentina, cross an ocean and begin an uncertain life in Barcelona because Lionel wanted to keep playing football.
The son supplied the extraordinary talent.
The father helped make sure that talent received its chance.
Football history might have looked completely different without that decision.