Argentine TV Journalist Resigns After Falsely Reporting Death of Lionel Messi’s Father Jorge During 2026 World Cup

Argentine television presenter Florencia Peña has resigned from Luzu TV following severe public criticism after she incorrectly reported the death of Jorge Messi, the 68-year-old father of football star Lionel Messi, during a live broadcast of the programme El Show del Verano.

Peña moved swiftly to take responsibility for the error, releasing a detailed public apology in which she attributed the false information to her production team. “I apologise to the Messi family. I am deeply ashamed to have been involved in this mistake,” she said. Elaborating further, she added: “I have to clarify that this false information was given to me live on air as if it had been checked by the show’s production team, and I trusted it. Even so, I take responsibility for being part of the mistake and that is why I decided to step aside and end my participation in Luzu. I apologise again from the heart; I was wrong.”

In a formal response to the incident, Luzu TV condemned the broadcasting of unverified sensitive information. The network confirmed it had permanently cancelled El Show del Verano and dismissed all production staff members found responsible for the error.

The broadcast took place shortly after Argentina’s 3-0 victory over Algeria in their 2026 FIFA World Cup Group J opener on Wednesday, June 17. During that match, 38-year-old Messi scored a hat-trick — a feat that drew significant attention not only for its brilliance but for the visible emotion it produced. The treble drew him level with Germany’s Miroslav Klose on 16 World Cup goals, the all-time record for the tournament. Messi was seen in tears after scoring the opening goal in the 17th minute, and later confirmed to reporters that he was managing personal difficulties at the time.

The Messi family responded promptly to the death rumours circulating on social media, issuing a statement to clarify the situation. According to the statement, Jorge Messi is currently dealing with a health issue and remains under medical supervision, but is actively recovering. The family condemned what they described as a lack of media sensitivity surrounding a private matter and called on the public to rely solely on official communications for updates.

The incident highlights the risks associated with broadcasting unverified information in a fast-moving media environment, particularly when it concerns public figures and their relatives. The speed at which the false report spread online underscores the responsibility placed on journalists and production teams to verify information before it reaches audiences.

With the family’s statement having addressed the rumours, Messi is expected to refocus his attention on Argentina’s World Cup campaign. The reigning champions are scheduled to face Austria in their next Group J fixture at Dallas Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Monday, June 22. Argentina, who lifted the trophy at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, enter the match as heavy favourites following their commanding opening-game performance.