Messi returns to Argentina to bid farewell to father Jorge
Messi arrived from Miami late Saturday with his wife Antonela Roccuzzo and their children. A private funeral ceremony was scheduled in Perez, near Rosario, with a small group of family and close friends expected to attend.
Fans gathered outside the El Prado cemetery, leaving messages of support for Messi and his family.
Jorge Messi was a key figure throughout his son's career. He introduced Lionel to football as a child in Rosario and later moved with him to Spain when Barcelona signed the 13-year-old Messi in 2000.
He went on to manage his son's career and negotiate major contracts during Messi's time at Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Miami.
Tributes have poured in from across the football world. The Argentine Football Association ordered a minute of silence and black armbands at matches this week.
The cause of Jorge Messi's death was not officially disclosed, although Argentine media reported that he had been battling cancer.
