Inter Miami honoring Lionel Messi after the death of his father, Jorge Messi, during their 2–1 loss to Monterrey in the 2026 Leagues Cup.
(Inter Miami, Lionel Messi, Messi Father, Messi Tribute, Inter Miami vs Monterrey, Monterrey, Football News, Messi News)
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Key moments
Jorge Messi, 68, died in Rosario, Argentina, on Saturday.
Lionel Messi flew to Rosario for a private memorial service and missed Inter Miami's match.
Before kickoff, Miami held a minute's silence, displayed Jorge Messi's name, and wore black armbands.
In the 10th minute, fans chanted Messi's name and displayed messages such as “Fuerza Leo.”
Rodrigo De Paul scored Miami's opening goal in the 32nd minute and revealed a Messi No. 10 jersey underneath his shirt.
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Monterrey eventually won 2–1, with Hugo Cuypers equalizing and Diego Rossi scoring the late winner.
Luis Suárez, who was suspended for the match, publicly offered condolences to Messi and his family.
Monterrey coach MatÃas Almeyda also opened his post-match news conference by expressing sympathy for the Messi family.
Why Jorge Messi was so important
Jorge Messi wasn't simply Lionel's father—he played a central role in his football career. He served as Lionel's agent and business manager and accompanied him to Barcelona when he was young for the trial that eventually led to his admission to La Masia.
The article's closing quote is particularly poignant: Messi recalled that when he and his father struggled emotionally after moving to Barcelona, both would sometimes cry privately while pretending to each other that everything was fine. His father ultimately stayed with him because Lionel chose to remain in Barcelona and pursue his dream.
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The result therefore mattered less than the circumstances surrounding the match: Inter Miami's players, supporters and opponents collectively used the game to stand behind their absent captain during an extremely difficult family loss.