India, June 18 -- Lionel Messi's family on Thursday broke its silence over the health of his father, Jorge Messi, issuing a strong statement condemning the rumours and speculation that have surfaced in recent days.

Although Messi never specified the reason behind his emotional reaction and described it only as "a personal issue" after the match, reports in Argentine media claimed that the tears he shed after scoring his first goal against Algeria were linked to his father's deteriorating health. Messi went on to score a record hat-trick on his 200th appearance for Argentina.

The statement released by the family confirmed that Jorge is currently dealing with a health issue and remains under medical supervision. However, it added that he ...