Lionel Messi made a substitute appearance for Inter Miami on Wednesday, just days after the passing of his father Jorge at the age of 68.
Jorge Messi passed away last week in his hometown of Rosario, Argentina, following a long illness that had been affecting his health for some time.
The loss prompted an emotional social media post from the 39-year-old Argentina forward, who hinted strongly that retirement from football could be on the horizon.
In that post, Messi wrote that he was “really not sure if I’ll carry on doing it for much longer,” sending shockwaves through the football world about his future.
After attending a private funeral in Argentina on Sunday, Messi flew back to the United States to rejoin his club ahead of their crucial Leagues Cup clash.
He came on at half-time to huge cheers from the crowd, though Miami ultimately fell 3-2 to Mexican side Leon in the final group game of the competition.
The result means Inter Miami have been knocked out in the opening phase of the Leagues Cup for the first time since the tournament was expanded in 2023, the very year Messi arrived and helped them lift the trophy.
Messi had been absent for Miami’s 2-1 loss to Monterrey on Saturday, but made himself available to coach Guillermo Hoyos for the must-win encounter against Leon.
Jorge had been Messi’s agent since the superstar was just 14 years old, and was at his side when Messi captained Argentina to World Cup glory in 2022.
Messi wrote that despite his deteriorating health, his father had urged him “to play in one last World Cup,” a message that adds deeper emotion to his future decisions.
Argentina did reach the final of this summer’s tournament but were beaten 1-0 by Spain in extra time, meaning that dream went unfulfilled.
Miami midfielder Yannick Bright, who scored his side’s second goal against Leon, described Messi’s decision to return as “incredible” given the personal circumstances surrounding it.
“I wasn’t expecting it,” Bright said. “It shows how much he cares. When I saw he was here, all I was thinking about was to give my 150% for him.”
Bright added: “It’s a tough situation. We try to stay close to him and support him as much as we can, but it’s a lot.”
Leon coach Javier Gandolfi was equally moved by Messi’s presence, saying he “is a human being that is different to the rest” and adding: “Today he demonstrated once more what he’s made of.”
