Messi plays for Inter Miami after father's death

What the report says

Lionel Messi returned to action for Inter Miami on Wednesday, coming on as a substitute in the second half of a 3-2 defeat to Leon in the Leagues Cup. The BBC Sport report said the appearance came days after the death of his father, Jorge Messi, who died in Rosario, Argentina, after a long illness. Messi had attended the private funeral in Argentina before flying back to the United States.

The Argentine forward, who is 39, had previously suggested in a social media message that he was considering his future in football and was unsure how much longer he would continue playing. He missed Inter Miami’s earlier Leagues Cup match against Monterrey but was available for the final group game against Leon, where he was greeted by a strong reaction from the home crowd.

The result ended Miami’s Leagues Cup campaign in the opening stage, the first time the club has been eliminated at that point since the competition was expanded in 2023. The BBC noted that Jorge Messi had long been closely involved in his son’s career, including as his agent from a young age, and that he was a key figure during Messi’s rise to become one of football’s most decorated players.