Argentine television host Florencia Peña has resigned from her role at Luzu TV following widespread backlash after she falsely reported that Lionel Messi’s father, Jorge Messi, had died. The misinformation sparked outrage and criticism over the broadcast of unverified claims about the football star’s family.
The incident occurred during a live broadcast of El Show del Verano on Luzu TV, just two days after Messi inspired Argentina to a 3-0 victory over Algeria in their opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. During the programme, Peña announced what she described as breaking news, stating: “I don’t want to break bad news, but Messi’s father just died.” She also suggested that Messi would leave the tournament, saying he would “have to leave right in the middle of the World Cup.”
The report was quickly debunked by the Messi family, who confirmed that Jorge Messi was alive and receiving medical treatment for an undisclosed condition. In a statement, the family said he was “currently under medical supervision, recovering, and progressing favorably,” while also condemning the spread of false information and criticising the lack of sensitivity and respect shown in handling a private matter.
Following the backlash, Peña admitted she had relied on unverified information given to her live on air, believing it had been checked by the programme’s production team. In a public apology, she expressed regret to the Messi family, saying she was “very ashamed to have been the vehicle for this pain,” and announced her decision to step down from her role at Luzu TV.
Luzu TV also condemned the incident, describing the broadcast of sensitive information without proper verification as unacceptable. The station said disciplinary action had been taken against those responsible and reaffirmed its commitment to “responsible, respectful and rigorous communication.”
The controversy attracted widespread criticism in Argentina, including from President Javier Milei, who accused Peña of acting irresponsibly and described her remarks as “aberrant and unscrupulous.” He also referred to her as a “low-rent gossipmonger” while commending the broadcaster for issuing a correction.
Elijah Adeyemi
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