Bizarre! Argentine TV presenter falsely announces Messi's father dead, then resigns
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Reading Time: 3min | Fri. 19.06.26. | 18:07
An uncanny situation unfolded a day after Leo's hat-trick against Algeria in Argentina's World Cup opener
Two days ago, Lionel Messi inspired Argentina to a convincing win over Algeria with a hat-trick in their World Cup opener, once again reminding the football world of his brilliance.
After the final whistle, fans chanted his name in celebration of the Argentine magician and one of the greatest players the sport has ever seen, but Messi appeared far from happy. On the contrary, he started crying, and no one knew why.
While fans speculated about the reason behind Leo's emotional reaction, a bizarre and deeply troubling situation unfolded in Argentina the following day. During El Show de Verano, TV presenter Florencia Pena falsely announced that Messi's father, Jorge, had passed away, although that information was false!
Hours later, she retracted her statement, apologized to the Messi family, and resigned.
"I apologize to the Messi family for the awful moment I imagine they are going through. I am deeply ashamed to have been the vehicle for this pain."
Pido perdón a la familia Messi por el momento espantoso que imagino que están viviendo. Estoy muy avergonzada de haber sido el vehículo para este dolor.
— Florencia Peña (@Flor_de_P) June 18, 2026
Tengo que aclarar que esta falsa información me fue brindada en medio del vivo como chequeada por cucaracha por la producción…
"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," Pena wrote on her social media.
🚨 OFFICIAL: Messi family statement. ❗️
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 18, 2026
"The Messi family informs that Jorge Messi is currently going through a health situation.
"At this time, he is under medical supervision, recovering and progressing favorably within the condition he is experiencing.
"In light of the… pic.twitter.com/JyRwkozyCX
Shortly afterward, the Messi family issued a statement confirming that Jorge Messi is dealing with serious health issues while stressing that "any version, statement, or information that does not come directly from the family and its official channels should not be considered valid or truthful".
Argentina will hope the incident does not distract Messi as the tournament progresses, while well-wishes continue to pour in for his father's recovery.
At the same time, the incident serves as a sobering reminder that false reports can spread rapidly and that, in an era of rampant misinformation, athletes' privacy is often treated with little regard.
WORLD CUP - GROUP STAGE (ROUND 2)
Group J
Monday 22.06.
20.00: (1.60) Argentina (3.90) Austria (6.00)
Tuesday 23.06.
06.00: (5.50) Jordan (3.70) Algeria (1.67)
***odds are subject to change***