Presenter Florencia Peña resigned from Luzu TV after falsely claiming that Lionel Messi’s dad Jorge had died, which prompted the footballer’s family to issue a statement

A TV presenter has resigned after falsely claiming live on air in Argentina that Lionel Messi’s dad had died.

On June 18, Florencia Peña stated on Luzu TV’s El Show del Verano – which translates to The Summer Show – that Jorge Messi, 68, had passed away. “I don’t want to break bad news, but Messi’s father just died,” she said, while appearing to suggest that the 38-year-old footballer, who is the captain of the Argentina national team, would need to leave the World Cup as a result.

She then attempeted to row back, suggesting the news might not be true after all. Florencia said, “There are a lot of rumours, it’s all over Twitter, it’s not confirmed by any media outlet, we’re clarifying this just in case.”

However, by the time she clarified that the news wasn’t confirmed, the false claim had been picked up on social media, and rumours had already begun to spread online. At that point, Messi’s family was forced to issue a statement to deny that Jorge had died and instead, they said he was recovering in hospital following an unspecified health issue.

After the incident, the journalist apologised to the Messi family, saying that she took responsibility for the mistake and explaining that she had been given the information by the show’s production team. “I apologise to the Messi family for the awful moment I imagine they are going through,” she wrote on social media.

“I am deeply ashamed to have been the vehicle for this pain. I must clarify that this false information was provided to me during the live broadcast as verified by the production team of the show, and I trusted it.

“Even so, I take responsibility for being part of the mistake, and that’s why I decided to step aside and end my participation in Luzu. I apologize again from the heart; I was wrong.”

Luzu TV confirmed in a statement that the presenter had decided to resign, adding that all those responsible for the mistake had been dismissed. The network said: “Luzu TV deeply regrets what happened on air during the programme. Our channel finds the dissemination of sensitive information without proper prior verification unacceptable.

“For this reason, Luzu TV management has decided to dismiss all those responsible. Florencia Peña will decide to step down. We reaffirm our commitment to responsible, respectful and rigorous communication.”

According to reports, up to ten brands have dropped sponsorship of the streaming channel, which was launched in 2020 and has since become a popular news outlet for Argentinians. In the statement issued after rumours about Jorge began spreading online, the Messi family asked for privacy, while criticising those circulating false information.

“The Messi family informs that Jorge Messi is currently going through a health situation,” they said. “At this time, he is under medical supervision, recovering and progressing favorably within the condition he is experiencing.

“In light of the reports, rumours, and speculation that have circulated in recent hours, the family wishes to express its deep concern regarding the lack of sensitivity, respect, and discretion with which some individuals have treated a strictly private family matter. The family would also like to clarify that only Jorge’s immediate family has real and accurate information regarding his condition.

“Therefore, any version, statement, or information that does not come directly from the family and its official channels should not be considered valid or truthful. At times like these, we ask for responsibility, prudence, and humanity. A person’s health and the peace of mind of their loved ones should not be the subject of speculation or irresponsible media attention.”

Earlier this week, Messi revealed that personal reasons played a part in his teary celebration during Argentina’s 3-0 win over Algeria during the World Cup. Messi thanked his teammates for supporting him during a difficult period as he revealed that matters outside of football have made for a difficult build-up to the competition.

He said: “I cried after the first goal, yes… but it was something completely unrelated to football. I went through some difficult days, but I’m grateful to the entire delegation and my teammates because they were always by my side, giving me a lot of strength.”

Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Threads.