Lionel Messi made an emotional return for Inter Miami on Wednesday, coming off the bench just days after the death of his father, Jorge, and amid uncertainty over his future in football.
Messi's father, Jorge, died in his hometown of Rosario, Argentina, last week at the age of 68 following a long illness.
In an emotional social media post, the 39-year-old Argentina forward suggested he was considering his future in the game, admitting he was "really not sure if I'll carry on doing it for much longer".
After attending a private funeral in Argentina on Sunday, Messi returned to the United States and made himself available for Inter Miami's crucial Leagues Cup clash with Mexican side Leon.
The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner entered the match at half-time to a huge reception from the Miami supporters, but his return could not prevent his side from suffering a 3-2 defeat in their final group-stage match.
Messi had missed Inter Miami's 2-1 defeat by Monterrey on Saturday but made himself available to coach Guillermo Hoyos for the must-win encounter against Leon.
The defeat confirmed Miami's elimination from the Leagues Cup, marking the first time the club have failed to progress beyond the opening phase since the competition was expanded in 2023.
That year also marked Messi's arrival in Miami, with the Argentina great helping the club win the Leagues Cup trophy during his debut campaign.
Jorge had served as his son's agent since Messi was 14, overseeing a career that saw him develop into one of football's greatest-ever players. He was also by Messi's side when the forward captained Argentina to World Cup glory in 2022.
Argentina reached the final of this summer's tournament but suffered a 1-0 extra-time defeat by Spain. Messi later revealed that his father had encouraged him "to play in one last World Cup" despite his deteriorating health.
Inter Miami midfielder Yannick Bright, who scored his team's second goal against Leon, described Messi's decision to return as "incredible" and said the squad were determined to support their captain during a difficult period.
"I wasn't expecting it," Bright said. "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."
Leon coach Javier Gandolfi also praised Messi's character following the match, describing him as "a human being that is different to the rest".
"Today he demonstrated once more what he's made of," Gandolfi added.
