Florencia Pena Resigns After False Report on Messi's Father

Controversial Announcement Leads to Resignation

Florencia Pena, a television host from Argentina, has stepped down from her role at Luzu TV following a misleading statement regarding the death of Jorge Messi, father of football star Lionel Messi. This incident occurred shortly after Argentina's impressive victory in the initial group stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The erroneous news quickly spread across social media, causing confusion and concern among football enthusiasts worldwide. This incident followed Lionel Messi's remarkable performance, where he scored a hat trick in Argentina's 3-0 win against Algeria, marking a strong start to the tournament.

After the match, Messi expressed his emotional state, revealing that he had been facing 'difficult days' due to personal matters unrelated to football, which led to rampant speculation online. During an episode of 'El Show del Verano', Pena made the shocking claim, stating, “I don’t want to bring bad news, but Messi’s father has just passed away. It was sudden. In the middle of the World Cup.” She further suggested that Lionel might have to withdraw from the tournament, jeopardizing Argentina's chances of success.

The clip of her announcement quickly went viral, eliciting disbelief from fans as the news spread across various platforms.

Messi Family Responds to the Misinformation

Messi's Family Clears Air On Fake News

In response to the uproar, the Messi family issued a statement confirming that Jorge Messi, aged 68, is alive and currently receiving treatment for an undisclosed health issue. They emphasized that he is recovering and remains under professional medical care, requesting privacy during this challenging time while condemning the circulation of unverified information.

The family’s statement highlighted the importance of prioritizing Jorge's health over rumors. As public outrage mounted, Pena took to social media to announce her resignation from Luzu TV, expressing her regret. “I apologize to the Messi family. I am deeply ashamed to have been involved in this mistake,” she stated.

Pena explained that the erroneous information was presented to her as verified by the production team during the live broadcast, which she trusted. “I must 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,” she said. Despite this, she accepted responsibility for the error. “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 apologize again from the heart. I was wrong.”