In the midst of the 2026 World Cup, a huge wave of emotion briefly shook the football world. While Argentina was celebrating a masterful hat-trick by its star Lionel Messi, terrible news cast a pall over the nation: the announcement of the death of his father, Jorge Messi. Fortunately, the information quickly proved to be completely false.

Although the father of the Argentinian captain has indeed been suffering from a health problem for a few days — for which he is undergoing discreet medical treatment — he is very much alive.

A journalist's mea culpa live on air

The source of this global fake news story was Argentinian journalist Florencia Peña, who broadcast the information on air before realizing her mistake and issuing a public apology, visibly distraught. She wanted to clarify the circumstances of this unfortunate incident:

"I feel extremely embarrassed; this is the first time anything like this has happened to me. First and foremost, I want to offer my sincerest and absolute apologies to the Messi family."

The presenter explained that she had been the victim of a failure in her production line:

1. Information dictated to his earpiece: Live on air, his control room asked him to relay the information urgently, stating that it was confirmed due to its widespread dissemination on social networks.
2. The impossibility of verification: Not having her phone or computer on set, she trusted her team.
3. An immediate backpedaling: Just seconds after his announcement, the production team informed him of a "confirmation error".

Sanctions are expected, and a resignation is anticipated.

Deeply affected, Florencia Peña indicated that she was in discussions with Nicolás Occhiato and the network's management regarding the release of an official statement. Although management is considering sanctions against the production team, the journalist pleaded for leniency: "I don't want anyone to lose their job, even if someone has to take responsibility. That's why I chose to break my silence and accept my share of responsibility publicly."

According to the latest reports, the journalist has decided to resign from her position following what she considers a very serious handling of the information. For his part, Lionel Messi, focused on his competition, has not yet officially reacted to the incident.