Lionel Messi returned to competitive action for Inter Miami on Wednesday night, just days after the death of his father and longtime adviser, Jorge Messi, at the age of 68.
The Argentina captain entered at half-time against Club León in the Leagues Cup, receiving a warm standing ovation from supporters at the Nu Stadium.
His arrival immediately gave Inter Miami greater attacking impetus, but it was not enough to prevent a 3-2 defeat.
The result ended Miami’s hopes of progressing to the knockout stages of the tournament.
The club had previously beaten Atlético de San Luis but lost to CF Monterrey, having reached last year’s final and won the competition in 2023.
A painful first appearance without his father
The match marked Messi’s first appearance since Jorge died on August 7 following a prolonged illness.
The footballer’s return came on the same day he publicly addressed his father’s death, sharing an intensely personal tribute on Instagram.
Messi described the loss as difficult to accept and acknowledged the profound uncertainty he now feels about life without his father.
He also revealed that he had begun questioning his future in football, underlining the extent of the emotional blow.
Jorge Messi was central to his son’s career
For decades, Jorge was far more than Messi’s father.
He was his agent, business adviser and one of the most enduring figures behind his extraordinary career.
From Lionel’s earliest days playing in Rosario to his move to Barcelona’s La Masia academy in 2000, Jorge remained closely involved.
He later helped oversee major career decisions, including Messi’s move from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain in 2021 and his subsequent transfer to Inter Miami.
The pair also worked together away from football, with Jorge managing aspects of his son’s commercial interests and remaining beside him during difficult moments, including Messi’s Spanish tax case.
The illness had cast a shadow over Messi’s career
Jorge’s health had reportedly deteriorated over a lengthy period, although his family kept details of his condition private.
Concerns became more visible during the World Cup campaign in the United States, when Messi was seen becoming emotional following Argentina’s opening match.
At the time, he indicated that the distress was unrelated to football.
Reports in Argentina subsequently linked his emotions to his father’s worsening health.
Jorge was also reportedly hospitalised earlier in the year after suffering a medical episode and underwent cardiovascular and neurological examinations.
No detailed diagnosis was publicly confirmed by the family.
His health became the subject of further attention in June after an Argentine broadcaster incorrectly reported that he had died.
The claim was later withdrawn and followed by an apology.
His father’s influence reached the World Cup
Messi’s tribute also shed new light on how closely Jorge’s condition was connected to his decision to continue representing Argentina at the World Cup.
According to Messi, his father repeatedly encouraged him to play despite his own worsening health.
Messi had hoped Argentina would reach the final so Jorge could travel to watch him, but that did not happen.
The forward ultimately reached the final, but Argentina lost 1-0 to Spain in New York.
Messi recalled how his physical limitations affected him during the tournament and expressed regret that he could not deliver the trophy he had wanted to give his father.
Despite that disappointment, he said the experience ultimately confirmed that he had made the right decision by playing.
Cristiano Ronaldo offers support
Among those responding to Messi’s public tribute was his longtime sporting rival, Cristiano Ronaldo.
Ronaldo sent Messi a message of sympathy and strength, drawing on his own experience of losing his father, José Dinis Aveiro, in 2005 when he was 20.
The relationship between Messi and Ronaldo has defined one of football’s greatest rivalries, but their exchange offered a reminder of the personal experiences that exist beyond their competition on the pitch.
A father who rarely left Messi’s side
Jorge and Lionel’s relationship stretched back to the footballer’s childhood in Rosario.
He would frequently take his son to training after finishing work, while Lionel’s mother, Celia Cuccittini, also helped ensure he could attend practices.
Jorge was a constant presence at matches and remained involved as his son’s career developed from Newell’s Old Boys to Barcelona and, eventually, Inter Miami.
Messi has described his father as a father, friend and businessman who helped shape both his football career and his approach to family life.
Jorge and Celia, who married in 1978, had four children: Lionel, his older brothers Rodrigo and Matias, and younger sister Maria Sol.
A legacy Messi says will continue through his children
The loss has left Messi confronting life without the person who had been beside him since the beginning of his football journey.
In his tribute, the 39-year-old said his father’s influence would continue through the way he raises his own children, carrying forward the lessons and values Jorge passed down to him.
Messi also thanked supporters for the messages and gestures of sympathy directed towards him and his family, while asking that their privacy and grief be respected.
Football suddenly feels secondary
Messi’s return to the pitch against León was therefore about more than a football match.
The standing ovation offered a public show of support, but the defeat served as a reminder that sporting results can become secondary when personal tragedy intervenes.
For one of the most decorated players in football history, the next chapter of his career is now being played without the father who helped guide him through almost every stage of it.
Jorge Messi’s influence may no longer be visible on the touchline or in the stands, but his presence remains woven into the story of the son whose career he helped build.
