Argentina football team superstar Lionel Messi returned to action amid growing speculations over his career following his father Jorge Messi’s death. Messi came off the bench as a second-half substitute during Inter Miami’s Leagues Cup match against Leon, marking his first on-field appearance since his father’s death. The star footballer received a huge reaction from the crowd as they broke into applause as he made his way to the pitch. There was a lot of chatter surrounding Messi’s career after his father died on Saturday in Rosario at the age of 68. He played a huge role in his son’s career and even served as his agent. The match ended in defeat for Messi as Inter Miami lost 2-3 after conceding a late goal.
Bienvenido de vuelta, Leo Messi.pic.twitter.com/dXVbnwcUzS
— MLS Español (@MLSes) August 13, 2026
After the tragic loss, Lionel Messi reacted publicly for the first time, posting a long note on a social media platform.
“Pa, I still can’t believe you’re gone. It’s very hard for me to imagine that I’m not going to see you anymore, that we’re not going to talk anymore. I know you were suffering and that it’s for the best, but you have gone too early. We still had a lot to enjoy together. You were asking me so much to play in the last World Cup, and days before it started, you got worse. It was the first time you weren’t going to be in a tournament,” Messi wrote on Instagram.
“Every time a game ended, I expected and missed your message. I realised that the situation was really bad. Still, I kept thinking that if I got as far as possible, it would give you time to watch a game. We got to the final, and you couldn’t be there. When I arrived, you thought we had lost the final on penalties. We could not talk about anything that happened. You couldn’t enjoy anything.”
A heartbroken Messi said he has suffered an irreparable loss. Messi also cast doubt on whether he will be able to continue for long in football without his father.
“I don’t know what I’m going to do without you. I don’t know how to go on. I was just playing football, and now I have a lot of doubts about whether I’m going to keep doing it for a long time. You were by my side from the beginning, and there was so little left until the end. Why couldn’t you hold on a little longer, so we could have reached the finish line together?” Messi wrote.
“You were a father, friend, and representative. You were always the person you needed to be in every moment, and you were never wrong about anything. Beyond some reproaches or quarrels, you were always right. In the end, things turned out exactly as you said they would. I will miss you very much, but you will always be present, especially in the upbringing of my children, because I teach and raise them as you did me. Rest in peace and take care of us from above, as you did here. Thanks for everything. I love you, Pa.”
Featured Video Of The Day
Spain’s World Cup Champions Celebrate Wildly At Cibeles Square
Topics mentioned in this article
