Lionel Messi made an emotional return to the pitch on Wednesday following the death of his father, Jorge, who served as his agent and passed away last week at the age of 68. Despite the captain’s return, Inter Miami was eliminated from the Leagues Cup following a 3-2 loss to Mexico’s Leon.
The Miami captain flew back to Florida from Argentina on Tuesday night after attending his father’s funeral on Sunday. He entered the match as a half-time substitute, receiving a massive ovation from the crowd. Messi had made himself available to coach Guillermo Hoyos for the must-win final group match after missing the previous loss to Monterrey.
On Wednesday morning, Messi shared a poignant social media tribute to his father, expressing deep uncertainty regarding his professional future. “I don’t know what I’ll do without you, I don’t know how to go on,” Messi wrote. He added, “I just played football, and now I have serious doubts about continuing to do so for much longer.”
The match saw Miami take an early 1-0 lead, but the momentum shifted when Colombian forward Daniel Arcila scored two goals. This fueled Leon’s come-from-behind victory, making them the first team to qualify for the quarter-finals of the tournament held between MLS and LigaMx clubs.
Teammate Yannick Bright, who scored one of Miami’s goals, described Messi’s return as “incredible,” noting that the squad aimed to support their captain during this difficult period. “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 percent for him. We try to stay close to him and support him as much as we can, but it’s a lot.”
Brazilian teammate Casemiro, who joined the club following the World Cup, praised Messi as “an example for all of us” for his commitment to the team during such a personal tragedy. Leon coach Javier Gandolfi also offered his respect, stating, “Today he demonstrated once more what he’s made of. He is a human being that is different to the rest.”
This defeat marks the first time Inter Miami has been knocked out in the opening phase since the Leagues Cup expanded in 2023. The club previously won the trophy during Messi’s inaugural year alongside Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba. Last season, Miami reached the 2025 final but suffered a 3-0 defeat to the Seattle Sounders in a match marred by a post-game brawl that resulted in a tournament-long suspension for Luis Suarez.
