Messi returns days after father’s death as Inter Miami crash out of Leagues Cup

Lionel Messi returned to the pitch less than a week after the death of his father, Jorge Messi, but could not prevent Inter Miami from being eliminated from the Leagues Cup after a 3-2 defeat by Club León.

Messi came on at half-time at Chase Stadium on Wednesday, August 12, to a huge reception from the Miami crowd. His return came after he attended his father's private funeral in Argentina on Sunday before travelling back to the United States.

The appearance carried an emotional weight beyond the result.

Just hours before the match, Messi had spoken publicly about his grief and suggested that his future in football was no longer certain.

In a tribute to his father, the Argentina captain wrote that he was struggling to imagine life without him and admitted he was "really not sure if I'll carry on doing it for much longer".

Messi returns despite personal loss

Messi, 39, had missed Miami's 2-1 defeat by Monterrey on Saturday following his father's death.

He nevertheless made himself available for the decisive match against León, giving coach Guillermo Hoyos the option of bringing him into the game after the interval.

His entrance was met with a loud ovation from supporters.

But León held on for a dramatic victory, with Daniel Arcila scoring twice, including the decisive goal in the 83rd minute. Juan Domínguez also scored for the Mexican side, while Yannick Bright and Dániel Pintér were on target for Miami.

The defeat ended Miami's hopes of progressing from the opening phase of the competition.

It is a notable setback for a club that won the inaugural expanded Leagues Cup in 2023, the same year Messi arrived in Major League Soccer.

Jorge Messi's influence on his son's career

For Messi, the loss was overshadowed by a much more personal moment.

Jorge Messi was not simply his father. He had also been closely involved in his son's career and became his agent when Lionel was 14.

He remained an important figure throughout Messi's rise from a gifted youngster in Rosario to one of football's most decorated players.

Jorge was also closely connected to the journey that eventually saw his son captain Argentina to World Cup glory in Qatar in 2022.

Messi's tribute suggested just how deeply his father's illness and death had affected him.

He said his father had continued encouraging him to play at another World Cup despite his deteriorating health.

That possibility is now one of the major questions surrounding Messi's future.

Is Messi considering retirement?

Messi's comments do not amount to a retirement announcement.

He has not said that he is quitting football, and his decision to return against León suggests that he remains committed to playing for now.

But his words have opened a new conversation about how much longer he intends to continue.

At 39, Messi is already at an age when retirement is a realistic consideration for even the greatest players. His next major international target is also significant. Argentina are preparing for the 2026 World Cup cycle, while Messi's long-term future at Inter Miami remains closely watched.

For now, however, the focus is less on what comes next and more on a player dealing with a profound personal loss.

‘We just wanted to support him’

Miami midfielder Yannick Bright said Messi's decision to return had surprised him and his teammates.

"I wasn't expecting it," Bright said after the match.

He said seeing Messi back on the pitch motivated the team to give everything for their captain.

"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," Bright added.

León manager Javier Gandolfi also acknowledged the unusual circumstances surrounding Messi's return.

"He is a human being that is different to the rest," Gandolfi said, adding that Messi had again shown what he was made of.

For Inter Miami, the night ended in disappointment.

For Messi, it was something bigger than football.

He walked back onto the pitch days after burying the man who had been beside him through much of his extraordinary career. And while nobody yet knows how much longer he will play, his return showed that, for now, football remains part of the way he is moving forward.

About the Author

Maureen Onyango is a journalist passionate about storytelling, life coaching and spiritual lessons. She studied at the Kenya Institute of Management and enjoys telling stories that inform, inspire and empower communities.