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Just days after the passing of his father, Jorge Messi, Lionel Messi returned to the field for Inter Miami, rejoining the MLS side following a brief visit to Argentina to attend the funeral.
He entered a Leagues Cup defeat against Club León off the bench in the 46th minute of what ended as a 3–2 loss, delivering a spirited performance despite being unable to steer his side to a win. The defeat eliminated Miami from the Leagues Cup, following an earlier loss to CF Monterrey while Messi was away grieving his father's death.
Emotions ran high throughout Nu Stadium as Messi stepped onto the pitch to a thunderous reception, and his teammates were well aware of the immense personal challenge it took for him to compete for the first time since losing such a pivotal figure in his life.
Messi was as lively as ever across his 45 minutes of action, generating four chances and registering three shots on target. Just hours after revealing he had "serious doubts" about continuing to play without his father in the stands in a heartfelt social media post, he reminded the world of his extraordinary quality, in his third appearance since Argentina's World Cup final defeat less than a month prior.
We missed you, Messi.
Welcome back. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/WE83EqfBx4
"It's incredible, I wasn't expecting [Messi to play]," said Miami's sole representative at the 2026 MLS All-Star Game, Yannick Bright, who found the net in the match. "It shows how much he cares. When I saw he was here, all I was thinking about was to give my 150% for him. 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."
Brazilian star Casemiro, who spent much of his career going head-to-head with Messi during his time at Real Madrid, commented: "He is an example for all of us because he is going through a very difficult period, but he had a commitment with not only his teammates but with the club and that's incredible.
"I had never seen anything like that in my life. All we can do is thank him for being here. We know he is a very important player, and the dedication he shows to us and the club deserves nothing but applause. We have to keep supporting him and his family."
A smile and a hug for Messi 🩷
Jhohan Romaña with a lovely gesture 🫂
(Via @LeaguesCup) pic.twitter.com/ijg7U9aBP1
Surrounded by his teammates after the final whistle, León players also offered their condolences to the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner, with Colombian defender Jhohan Romaña embracing Messi after dispossessing him during a dribble.
"He is a player that, as far as I can tell, is the greatest player in history," said León head coach Javier Gandolfi. "He's the best player in history, on the pitch, and also with certain other actions I witnessed from afar... today he showed once again what he is truly made of. He is a human being unlike any other."
Miami to Refocus After Leagues Cup
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For the first time since Messi's arrival at Inter Miami in 2023, the club will not feature in the knockout rounds of the Leagues Cup. Instead, the Herons exit in Phase One following defeats to CF Monterrey and León, and will now shift their focus to the Supporters' Shield race, pursuing the MLS regular season crown they previously claimed in 2024.
There will be little time to dwell on the disappointment, however, as this weekend's fixture against current Supporters' Shield leaders Nashville SC—the same team that knocked Miami out of the Concacaf Champions Cup earlier in 2026—presents a golden opportunity to make a significant move in the regular season standings.