Lionel Messi was absent from Inter Miami’s Leagues Cup loss to Monterrey on Saturday evening following the death of his father, with his team-mates paying tribute before and throughout the game.
Jorge Messi passed away on Saturday at the age of 68 after a prolonged illness.
Jorge, who had represented the Argentina forward as his agent since the player was 14, died in a hospital in Rosario, Argentina, where he was born.
Inter Miami honored Messi’s father with a minute of silence before the match. The players also wore black armbands, while Jorge’s name appeared on the large screens at Nu Stadium.
The club placed a black ribbon on its social media profile images and released a statement saying: “Our thoughts are with our captain, Leo, and everyone in the Messi family.”
After scoring the opening goal in the 2-1 loss, Messi’s Argentina colleague Rodrigo de Paul removed his jersey to reveal a tribute to him.
Supporters displayed handmade messages expressing sympathy for Messi and honoring his father’s memory.
Inter Miami forward Luis Suarez, who was unavailable because of suspension, wrote on Instagram that Jorge would keep watching over his son “with pride, just as he always had”.
Messi’s former team Barcelona held a moment of silence before securing a 1-0 friendly victory over Nottingham Forest in Udine, Italy.
Jorge traveled to Catalonia with his 13-year-old son in 2000 and was instrumental in convincing the club to offer him a contract.
Barcelona expressed gratitude to Jorge “for his dedication to our club and for trusting us with the early stages and greatest years of his son Leo’s football journey”.
Supporters placed flowers and flags outside Messi’s childhood residence in Rosario, while Boca Juniors and River Plate each observed a period of silence ahead of their games.
The Argentine Football Association said it “shares the profound grief and sorrow caused by the death of Jorge Messi, father of our captain and iconic figure, Lionel Messi”.
The organization continued: “We offer our support to the whole family at this difficult moment and send them our sincerest and warmest embrace.”
Paris St-Germain, where Messi played from 2021 until 2023 after departing Barcelona, said: “The club offers its complete support to Leo, his family and all those close to him during this painful time. May he rest in peace.”
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