An Argentine reporter has resigned after falsely reporting that Jorge Messi, the father of football superstar Lionel Messi, had passed away. The erroneous report emerged following Argentina's 3-0 victory over Algeria, a match marked by emotional scenes from both Lionel Messi and coach Lionel Scaloni.
Speculation about the reason for the players' tears quickly turned to reports of a family health issue concerning Jorge Messi, with some outlets in Argentina even incorrectly stating he had died.
Lionel Messi himself refuted these claims. His family released an official statement confirming that Jorge Messi was experiencing a health situation but was receiving treatment and recovering well. The family also expressed frustration over the invasion of their privacy, emphasizing that only they possessed accurate information.
The fallout from the false report has been significant in Argentina, leading to reporter Florencia Peña's resignation. Peña announced her decision live on Luzu TV, later posting a statement on social media. She apologized to the Messi family for the "awful moment" and expressed deep shame for spreading the "pain."
Peña clarified that the false information was presented to her as verified during the live broadcast by the show's production team, which she trusted. Nevertheless, she accepted responsibility for her part in the error and stated her decision to leave Luzu TV.
