Argentine television presenter Florencia Peña has stepped down from her role at Luzu TV after wrongly announcing on air that Jorge Messi, the father of football superstar Lionel Messi, had died.
The controversy unfolded on Thursday during a live episode of El Show del Verano on Luzu TV, just days after Lionel Messi led Argentina to a 3-0 win over Algeria in their opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
During the broadcast, Peña claimed she had received breaking news that Jorge Messi had passed away. She also suggested that the Argentina captain might be forced to leave the World Cup because of the situation.
The report was quickly disproved by the Messi family, who confirmed that Jorge Messi was alive and undergoing treatment for an undisclosed medical condition.
In a statement, the family said, “He is currently under medical supervision, recovering, and progressing favorably within his current condition.”
They also criticised the circulation of the false report, stating, “The family wishes to express its deep displeasure at the lack of sensitivity, respect, and scruples with which some people have treated a strictly private and family matter.”
Following the backlash, Peña acknowledged that the information had not been properly verified before being aired.
“I have to clarify that this false information was given to me live on air as if it had been checked by the show’s production team, and I trusted it,” she wrote on Instagram Stories.
The 51-year-old later apologised publicly to the Messi family and announced her resignation from the broadcaster.
“I apologize to the Messi family for the awful moment I imagine they are going through. I am very ashamed to have been the vehicle for this pain,” Peña said. “I take responsibility for being part of the mistake, and that is why I decided to step aside and end my participation in Luzu.”
Luzu TV also condemned the incident, describing the broadcast of unverified sensitive information as unacceptable and confirming that disciplinary measures had been taken.
“Luzu TV deeply regrets what happened on air during the program. Our channel finds the dissemination of sensitive information without proper prior verification unacceptable,” the station said.
“We reaffirm our commitment to responsible, respectful and rigorous communication.”
The incident drew widespread criticism across Argentina, including from President Javier Milei, who accused Peña of acting irresponsibly.
“The aberrant and unscrupulous unchecked statements by Florencia Peña remind us of the impunity with which some individuals believe they can operate simply by holding a microphone or a pen in hand,” Milei wrote on social media. He later referred to the presenter as a “low-rent gossipmonger” while commending the broadcaster for correcting the error.
The false report surfaced amid intense public attention on Messi following his hat-trick against Algeria. After scoring his first goal, the Argentine captain appeared emotional, leading to speculation about the reasons behind his reaction.
Speaking after the match, Messi explained: “I’ve had some tough days. It wasn’t related to football. I thank my teammates, the coaching staff and the delegation for helping me.”
