Lionel Messi bid farewell to his father, a guiding figure in his career.

Lionel Messi bid farewell in private on Sunday, near his native Rosario, to his father Jorge, who died the day before at the age of 68, both an emotional pillar, a footballing supporter, and the global star's agent since childhood.

The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner arrived Saturday evening in Rosario by private plane from Miami, with his wife Antonela Roccuzzo and their children, to immediately travel to the nearby city of Pérez, where an intimate ceremony was planned in a private cemetery, El Prado, with strictly closed access.

Around noon on Sunday (3:00 PM GMT), several vehicles were seen by AFP leaving the cemetery, suggesting the end of the ceremony, as was the departure of the private security guards who had been present since the previous day. Argentine media outlets also reported that the ceremony had concluded.

Shortly before noon, members of the family, including Messi, could be seen furtively at a distance, through the gates of the cemetery, between a few embraces.

These grids displayed a No. 10 jersey, a few messages scribbled on sheets of paper: "Courage Leo, we love you", "Courage, Messi family!", alongside wreaths of flowers.

Near the almost deserted cemetery, among a small handful of fans, 15-year-old Lucas Blanco from Pérez was preparing to hang his small sign, "Courage, Messi." "He has given so much joy to this country, now it's our turn to give back a little, to console him," he explained.

"We traveled 700 kilometers to be here, we wanted to support Leo at this time," said Carlos and Ana, a couple from Tres Arroyos, far south of Buenos Aires, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Since Saturday, some of the Albiceleste's teammates had expressed a desire to come and support their captain, although it was unclear whether this was for the funeral or a separate meeting with the family.

"It will surely do him good to have us there," said Boca Juniors midfielder and former Paris Saint-Germain player Leandro Paredes after the Boca-Vélez match. "I need to talk to some of my teammates to see if we go now or tomorrow (Sunday) during the day."

In the early afternoon, media outlets reported that Messi had returned to his residence in Funes, in a gated residential area on the outskirts of Rosario.

- De Paul's tribute -

Rodrigo de Paul, a close friend of Messi and his teammate at Inter Miami, was also expected to travel, according to some media outlets, after Saturday's match against Monterrey (1-2). After scoring a goal, he paid tribute to his friend by displaying, under his number 7 jersey, a jersey bearing Messi's number 10.

Jorge Messi passed away overnight from Friday to Saturday in a clinic in Rosario. The cause of death has not been officially announced, but some media outlets, including the newspaper Clarín, have mentioned cancer.

In mid-June, reacting to heavy media coverage, the family announced that he was recovering "from a health problem" and was "under medical supervision", "progressing favorably", without further details.

After the World Cup final loss against Spain, Messi had come to Rosario for a few days with his family, following Jorge's health problems, which had clearly affected the player during the competition.

The father's unusual absence from the World Cup had raised questions. Messi, after bursting into tears upon scoring against Algeria, said he had been going through a difficult period due to "a situation unrelated to sport," without elaborating.

- Silence and black armbands-

A guiding figure throughout his son's career, Jorge had been his first coach, the father who left everything to accompany him to Spain, then the agent who negotiated astronomical contracts for him, from FC Barcelona to Paris SG, then to Miami.

A metalworker employed in Rosario, 340 km north of Buenos Aires, Jorge coached youth teams at the small local club of Grandoli. He was the one who gave the future captain of Argentina his start, at the age of four, on the "potreros" of his neighborhood, those bumpy vacant lots where Argentine children played.

His life changed dramatically in 2000 when FC Barcelona invited the 13-year-old prodigy to come to Catalonia to continue his treatment for a growth deficiency, while playing for the club's youth teams.

Jorge then left behind his job in Argentina, his wife and his three other children, to settle in Spain with Lionel.

Messages of sympathy have poured in since Saturday from the football world, including from Messi's former clubs, such as Barcelona, and the Spanish Football Federation. Meanwhile, the Argentine Football Association (AFA) observed a minute of silence before matches for a week and mandated the wearing of black armbands in all age groups.