Messi Absent As Inter Miami Suffer Defeat…

Lionel Messi was absent as Inter Miami suffered a 2-1 defeat to Monterrey in the Leagues Cup on Saturday following the death of his father, Jorge Messi.

Key Highlights

• Messi misses Inter Miami’s Leagues Cup defeat.
• His father, Jorge Messi, dies at 68.
• Messi travelled to Argentina following his death.
• Inter Miami players paid tribute to Jorge.
• Rodrigo De Paul celebrated with a Messi jersey.

Jorge Messi, who also served as his son’s agent from the age of 14, died at 68 after a prolonged illness in a hospital in his hometown of Rosario, Argentina.

Messi travelled to Argentina following his father’s death, with his Inter Miami teammates and supporters paying tribute to Jorge before and during the match.

A minute’s silence was observed before kick-off, while Miami players wore black armbands and Jorge’s name was displayed on the stadium’s giant screens. The club also changed its social media profile pictures to include a black ribbon.

“Our hearts are with our captain, Leo, and the entire Messi family,” Inter Miami said in a statement.

Messi’s Argentina teammate Rodrigo De Paul also paid tribute after scoring Miami’s opening goal. The midfielder removed his shirt to reveal a Messi jersey underneath.

Fans at the stadium displayed handmade messages expressing their sympathy and support for the Argentine superstar and his family.

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Inter Miami striker Luis Suarez, who missed the game through suspension, also sent a message to Messi, saying Jorge would continue to watch over his son “with pride, as he always did”.

Tributes also came from Messi’s former club Barcelona, which held a minute’s silence before its 1-0 friendly victory over Nottingham Forest in Udine, Italy.

Jorge played a significant role in his son’s early football career. In 2000, he accompanied the then 13-year-old Messi to Catalonia and was instrumental in convincing Barcelona to sign the young Argentine.

Barcelona described Jorge as an important figure in the club’s history and thanked him for entrusting the club with the early and most successful years of his son’s career.

Tributes also poured in from Argentina, where fans left flowers and flags outside the Messi family’s childhood home in Rosario. Argentine giants Boca Juniors and River Plate observed moments of silence before their respective matches.

The Argentine Football Association expressed condolences to the Messi family, describing Jorge as the father of the country’s captain and football icon.

Paris Saint-Germain, where Messi played from 2021 to 2023, also conveyed its support to the Argentine and his family during the difficult period.