![\"'Leo,](\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/thumb\/msid-133185795,imgsize-535573,width-400,height-225,resizemode-4\/photoagencies.jpg\" "\\"Photo\/Agencies\\"")
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\nCristiano Ronaldo<\/a> has sent a message of support to Lionel Messi<\/a> following the death of Messi’s father, Jorge Messi, last week.Jorge Messi, 68, died last week after a long illness. Lionel Messi shared an emotional statement about his father’s death on Wednesday, reflecting on his final World Cup and his wish to win the tournament for Jorge.Ronaldo, who has shared a long rivalry with Messi in football, responded to the post with a message of support.The Portugal forward wrote: \u201cHuge hug to you and your loved ones in this difficult moment, Leo. Stay Strong.”In his statement, Messi recalled how his father had wanted him to play in one more World Cup. He said Jorge’s condition worsened just days before the tournament began and that his mother continued to tell him that his father would recover and could travel to watch him.\u201cDad, you kept asking me to play in one last World Cup\u2026 just days before it began was when your condition got worse\u201d.\u201cIt was the first time you weren\u2019t going to be there with me at tournament\u2026 but Mom kept telling me you were going to get better and that you\u2019d be well enough to travel\u201d.Messi said he had promised his father that he would reach the World Cup final so Jorge could travel to watch the match.\u201cI kept telling you we were going to reach the World Cup final so you could make the trip, this was my mission once again\u201d.He also spoke about waiting for messages from his father after each match and gradually understanding how serious his condition had become.\u201cAfter every match, I waited for and missed your message. That\u2019s when I realized how serious the situation really was\u201d.\u201cI couldn\u2019t stop thinking about going as far as possible, give you more time and the chance to watch one of the games\u201d.Messi said Argentina reached the final, but Jorge could not make the trip. He wanted to win the trophy for his father but said his body could not cope.\u201cWe reached the final, but you couldn\u2019t be there. I wanted to win it so I could bring the trophy to you and show you another one. I couldn\u2019t\u201d.\u201cMy legs just couldn\u2019t give me any more\u201d.\u201cThis time I tried to push beyond what my body could handle, but I couldn\u2019t\u201d.\u201cI never managed to feel physically right\u201d.\u201cWe didn\u2019t become champions Dad, but you have no idea how much we enjoyed every match. Once again, you were right: I had to be there and play in it\u2026 as you told me, always\u201d.<\/div>\n