Argentine television presenter Florencia Peña has resigned from Luzu TV after falsely announcing during a live broadcast that Jorge Messi, the father of football superstar Lionel Messi, had died, triggering outrage across Argentina and forcing the Messi family to publicly address the misinformation.
The controversy erupted during Luzu TV’s “El Show del Verano” when Peña informed viewers that Jorge Messi had reportedly passed away. The claim quickly spread across social media and news platforms, particularly because it came just days after Lionel Messi appeared emotional during Argentina’s 3-0 victory over Algeria at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, a match in which he scored a hat-trick.
The Messi family swiftly debunked the report, confirming that Jorge Messi is alive and recovering from a health condition under medical supervision. In a statement released amid growing speculation, the family said Jorge Messi was “recovering” and “progressing favorably,” while also calling for privacy and responsible reporting.
Facing intense public backlash, Peña issued a public apology on social media and announced her departure from the channel. In her statement, she wrote: “I apologize to the Messi family for the awful moment I imagine they are going through. I am deeply ashamed to have been the vehicle for this pain.”
The presenter explained that the information had been relayed to her during the live broadcast by members of the production team and that she believed it had been verified before reaching air.
“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,” Peña said.
Despite attributing the error to faulty internal verification, she accepted responsibility for broadcasting the claim.
“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,” she added.
Luzu TV also condemned the incident and announced disciplinary action against those involved. In a statement released by the network, management described the dissemination of sensitive information without proper verification as unacceptable and confirmed that staff members connected to the error had been dismissed. The channel reaffirmed its commitment to responsible and rigorous journalism.
The scandal has dominated headlines in Argentina, where Lionel Messi remains one of the country’s most revered public figures. The false report gained additional attention because Messi had recently acknowledged going through difficult personal days, although he stressed that his emotional reaction during the Algeria match was unrelated to football.
