Lionel Messi returned to the pitch on August 12, 2026, following the recent death of his father, Jorge Messi, but his Inter Miami CF side suffered a 3-2 defeat to Mexico’s Leon, resulting in their elimination from the Leagues Cup.
The 39-year-old Argentina captain attended his father’s funeral in Argentina on Sunday before flying back to Florida on Tuesday night. Jorge Messi, who also served as his son's agent, passed away last week at age 68.
Messi entered the match at half-time, receiving a warm ovation from the home crowd at Nu Stadium. Despite Miami taking an early 1-0 lead, two goals from Colombian forward Daniel Arcila powered Leon to a comeback victory, making them the first team to secure a quarter-final spot in the MLS vs Liga MX tournament.
In a heartfelt social media post on the morning of the game, Messi expressed uncertainty about his future in football, writing, "I don't know what I'll do without you, I don't know how to go on. I just played football, and now I have serious doubts about continuing to do so for much longer."
Inter Miami had been without Messi during a prior group stage loss to Monterrey and needed a win to stay in the competition. Their elimination marks the first time since the tournament expanded in 2023 that Miami failed to progress beyond the group stage.
Messi joined Inter Miami in 2023 alongside fellow Spaniards Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, helping the team clinch the Leagues Cup title that year. Miami reached the 2025 final but lost 3-0 to the Seattle Sounders in a match overshadowed by a post-game altercation leading to Luis Suarez’s suspension for the current tournament.
