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Lionel Messi's Father and Agent Dies

sportAugust 12, 2026·195 words·2 min read

This is a B1 (intermediate) English article about lionel messi's father and agent dies. Read the article below, then check the key words and test your understanding with 5 exercises. You can also listen to the audio and tap any word to see its meaning.

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Lionel Messi's Father and Agent Dies
Jorge Messi, the father and agent of the Argentine football star Lionel Messi, died on Saturday. He was 68. He died in a hospital in Rosario, his home city in Argentina. Newell's Old Boys, the club where he and his son first played, announced the death. The club said he had been ill for several months. It did not say what the illness was.
Jorge Messi worked as a steelworker. He played for the Newell's youth teams when he was young, but he stopped to do his military service. Around 2000, he took his teenage son to Barcelona for a trial. Barcelona signed the boy, and his father moved to Spain with him. He then became his son's agent. He arranged the deals with Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Miami.
People had talked about his health for months. At this year's World Cup, Lionel Messi cried after he scored the first of his three goals against Algeria. He said the reason was not about football. His family later said that Jorge was ill, and criticised people who did not respect their privacy. Argentina finished second at the World Cup. They won the competition in 2022.

Key Vocabulary

n.
a person who makes contracts and deals for a player
n.
a person who works in a factory that makes steel
n.
for young players
adj.
time a young man must spend in the army
n.
a test to see if a player is good enough for a club
v.
took a player into the club with a contract
v.
planned and made something happen
n.
agreements between two sides about money or work
n.
being left alone, away from other people's eyes
n.
the football event teams play to win (here: the World Cup)
Vocabulary Translations· 10 words · 12 languages

Every definition is context-aware — translated based on how the word is used in this article, not a dictionary.

agentn.

a person who makes contracts and deals for a player

người đại diện (lo hợp đồng cho cầu thủ)empresário (que cuida dos contratos do jogador)代理人(選手の契約を扱う人)menajer (oyuncunun sözleşmelerini yapan kişi)representante (que negocia los contratos del jugador)agent (menedżer zajmujący się kontraktami zawodnika)وكيل أعمال (يتولى عقود اللاعب)zaakwaarnemer (die de contracten van de speler regelt)агент (человек, ведущий контракты игрока)经纪人(负责球员合同事务的人)에이전트(선수의 계약을 맡는 사람)
steelworkern.

a person who works in a factory that makes steel

công nhân luyện thép, công nhân nhà máy thépoperário siderúrgico (de fábrica de aço)製鉄所の労働者、鉄鋼工çelik fabrikası işçisiobrero siderúrgico (de una fábrica de acero)hutnik, robotnik w hucie staliعامل في مصنع للصلبstaalarbeiderсталелитейщик, рабочий сталелитейного завода钢铁厂工人제철소 노동자
youthn.

for young players

trẻ, thiếu niên (dành cho cầu thủ trẻ)de base, juvenil (para jogadores jovens)ユース(若手選手向けの)altyapı, genç (genç oyuncular için)juvenil, de cantera (para jugadores jóvenes)młodzieżowy (dla młodych zawodników)للناشئين (للاعبين الصغار)jeugd- (voor jonge spelers)юношеский, молодёжный (для юных игроков)青年队的、青训的유소년의, 유스(어린 선수를 위한)
military serviceadj.

time a young man must spend in the army

nghĩa vụ quân sựserviço militar兵役askerlik (zorunlu askerlik hizmeti)servicio militarsłużba wojskowaالخدمة العسكريةmilitaire dienst, dienstplichtвоенная служба (служба в армии)兵役、服兵役병역, 군 복무
trialn.

a test to see if a player is good enough for a club

buổi thử việc, buổi tuyển chọn cầu thủteste, peneira (para entrar num clube)入団テスト、トライアルdeneme, seçme (kulübe alınmak için)prueba (para entrar en un club)testy piłkarskie (sprawdzian przed przyjęciem do klubu)اختبار انضمام للنادي (تجربة أداء)proeftraining (test om bij een club te komen)просмотр, тренировочный тест (для приёма в клуб)(球队的)试训、试脚입단 테스트, 트라이아웃
signv.

took a player into the club with a contract

đã ký hợp đồng chiêu mộ (cầu thủ)contratou (o jogador para o clube)(選手と)契約して獲得した(oyuncuyu) kadrosuna kattı, transfer ettifichó (al jugador para el club)pozyskał, podpisał kontrakt z (zawodnikiem)تعاقد مع (اللاعب) وضمّه للناديlegde (de speler) vast, contracteerdeподписал контракт с (игроком), взял в клуб签下(球员)、与球员签约(선수와) 계약해 영입했다
arrangev.

planned and made something happen

đã dàn xếp, thu xếp (các thương vụ)organizou, negociou (os acordos)(契約を)まとめた、取りまとめた(anlaşmaları) ayarladı, düzenlediorganizó, gestionó (los acuerdos)zorganizował, załatwił (umowy)رتّب، أبرم (الصفقات)regelde (de deals)организовал, устроил (сделки)安排、促成(交易)(계약을) 성사시켰다, 주선했다
dealn.

agreements between two sides about money or work

các thỏa thuận, hợp đồng (làm ăn)acordos, contratos契約、取引anlaşmalar, sözleşmeleracuerdos, contratosumowy, kontraktyصفقات، اتفاقياتdeals, overeenkomstenсделки, контракты(生意上的)协议、合同계약, 거래
privacyn.

being left alone, away from other people's eyes

sự riêng tư, đời tưprivacidade, vida privadaプライバシー、私生活がそっとしておかれることmahremiyet, özel hayatın rahat bırakılmasıprivacidad, intimidadprywatnośćالخصوصيةprivacy, met rust gelaten wordenчастная жизнь, право быть не на виду隐私、私生活不被打扰사생활, 프라이버시
competitionn.

the football event teams play to win (here: the World Cup)

giải đấu (ở đây: World Cup)o torneio, a competição (aqui: a Copa do Mundo)大会(ここではワールドカップ)turnuva (burada: Dünya Kupası)el torneo, la competición (aquí: el Mundial)turniej, zawody (tu: mistrzostwa świata)البطولة (هنا: كأس العالم)het toernooi (hier: het WK)турнир, соревнование (здесь: чемпионат мира)(该项)赛事、锦标赛(此处指世界杯)대회(여기서는 월드컵)

Check Your Understanding

Question 1: Multiple Choice

Why did the father stop playing for the club's youth teams when he was young?

Question 2: Multiple Choice

Why did the footballer cry after he scored his first goal in that World Cup match?

Question 3: Fill in the Blank

Before his son became famous, the father earned his living as a ______.

Question 4: Fill in the Blank

Everyone was talking about his illness, but the family felt it was their own business and wanted more ______.

Question 5: Put in Order

Put these ideas in the correct logical order.

1The father moved to the new country with his son.
2He then managed his son's contracts with several big clubs.
3A father took his teenage son abroad for a trial with a big club.
4The club decided to sign the boy.

Dictation Practice

Sentence 1 / 180/16 words

Memorize Practice

Sentence 1 / 18

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