Presenter quits after falsely announcing Lionel Messi’s father dead

@gabrielortizzhnLa periodista argentina Florencia Peña renunció a su programa luego de informar erróneamente en una transmisión en vivo que Jorge Messi, padre de Lionel Messi, había fallecido. La información resultó ser falsa y fue desmentida poco después por la familia del futbolista, que confirmó que Jorge Messi atraviesa una situación de salud, pero se encuentra bajo supervisión médica y con una evolución favorable. El incidente generó una fuerte polémica en Argentina y numerosas críticas contra la comunicadora. Tras el error, Peña ofreció disculpas públicas y asumió la responsabilidad por la difusión de la noticia sin la debida verificación. Incluso el presidente argentino, Javier Milei, cuestionó duramente lo ocurrido y pidió mayor responsabilidad en el manejo de información sensible.

♬ sonido original – Gabriel Ortiz

What happened on air

The incident occurred on the programme El Show del Verano shortly after Argentina’s opening group-stage victory, a 3-0 win over Algeria in which Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick. During the broadcast, presenter Florencia Peña announced that Messi’s father had died, saying:

“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.”

Clips of the broadcast spread quickly across social media, driving rapid confusion and speculation.

Family response and clarification

The Messi family issued a statement to stop the misinformation, saying Jorge Messi, who is 68, is alive and currently receiving medical treatment. The family said he remains under professional medical supervision and is recovering. They criticised the spread of unverified reports and asked for privacy, urging the focus remain on Jorge’s health rather than speculation.

 

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Presenter apology and resignation

Florencia Peña apologised on social media and announced she had stepped down from her role at Luzu TV. In her posts she apologised to the Messi family, writing:

“I apologise to the Messi family. I am deeply ashamed to have been involved in this mistake.”

Peña said the false information had been presented to her during the live broadcast as verified by the show’s production team:

“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.”

She nonetheless accepted responsibility for repeating the claim, adding:

“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.”

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.

Tengo que aclarar que esta falsa información me fue brindada en medio del vivo como chequeada por cucaracha por la producción…

Florencia Peña (@Flor_de_P) June 18, 2026

Aftermath

The false report overshadowed Argentina’s strong start to the tournament and prompted a swift public correction from the family. Beyond Peña’s resignation and the family’s statement about Jorge’s condition and recovery, no further details were provided in the available reporting.