Eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi has made an emotional return to competitive football for Inter Miami, just days after the passing of his father Jorge, while publicly revealing he is uncertain how much longer he will continue his legendary playing career.
Jorge Messi, who had served as his son’s long-time agent and closest confidant since Lionel was 14 years old, passed away last week at the age of 68 in the family’s hometown of Rosario, Argentina following an extended battle with illness. After attending Jorge’s private funeral in Argentina on Sunday, the 39-year-old Argentine forward cut short his leave to return to the United States, and stepped onto the pitch as a half-time substitute for Inter Miami in their decisive Leagues Cup group stage match against Mexico’s CF Monterrey. The soccer legend received a thunderous standing ovation from the Miami crowd when he entered the game, a show of support that underscored the global respect for him during this difficult period.
In a heartfelt social media statement shared after his father’s passing, Messi opened up about his uncertainty surrounding the future of his career. “I’m really not sure if I’ll carry on doing it for much longer,” the 2022 World Cup-winning captain wrote. He also shared that even as his health declined, Jorge urged him to compete in one final World Cup tournament, a request that speaks to the elder Messi’s lifelong dedication to his son’s career.
Messi had missed Inter Miami’s previous Leagues Cup group match against CF Monterrey, a 2-1 loss that left the club needing a win against Leon to advance to the knockout stage. Despite Messi’s second-half appearance, Inter Miami fell 3-2 to the Mexican side, marking the first time the club has been eliminated in the group stage of the Leagues Cup since the tournament expanded in 2023 — the same year Messi joined the franchise and led them to their first ever major title.
Teammates have praised Messi’s decision to return to the squad so soon after his loss. Yannick Bright, Inter Miami’s midfielder who scored the club’s second goal against Leon, called the captain’s availability “incredible.” “I wasn’t expecting it. It shows how much he cares. When I saw he was here, all I was thinking about was to give my 150% for him,” Bright told reporters after the match. “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.”
Even opposing coaching staff expressed admiration for Messi’s choice to rejoin his team under such strained circumstances. Leon head coach Javier Gandolfi noted that while Messi stands out as an unparalleled talent in global football, his choice to play through grief highlights his character. “Messi is a human being that is different to the rest,” Gandolfi said. “Today he demonstrated once more what he’s made of.”
For nearly three decades, Jorge Messi was a constant presence at his son’s side throughout every milestone of his historic career, from his early breakout at Barcelona to his World Cup triumph with Argentina in 2022. Most recently, Messi joined the Argentina squad for this summer’s Copa America, where the team advanced to the final before falling 1-0 to Spain in extra time, fulfilling the final wish his father shared with him amid declining health.