Lionel Messi was absent from the pitch, but his presence was felt throughout the match at New Stadium. As the Inter Miami captain mourns the death of his father, Jorge Messi, the entire team stood by their skipper. In their Leagues Cup clash against Mexican side Monterrey, Rodrigo De Paul created an emotional moment as he showed his support for Messi.
Messi is currently in Rosario, Argentina, following the death of his father. In his absence, the captain’s armband was handed to his Argentina teammate Rodrigo De Paul. In the 32nd minute, De Paul put Miami ahead with a brilliant finish from a pass by Brazilian star Casemiro. During his celebration, De Paul took off his jersey to reveal Messi’s iconic No. 10 shirt underneath. He then raised it toward the stands, sending a powerful message of support to his teammate during such a difficult time.
Messi’s father, Jorge Messi, passed away at the age of 68. The tragedy cast a somber mood over the match from the very beginning. Both teams observed a minute of silence before kick-off, while Miami’s players wore black armbands. The emotion continued in the 10th minute, when fans in the stands raised a banner reading “Fuerza Leo” (Stay strong, Leo), showing their love and support for the Argentine superstar.
However, Miami could not hold on to the lead given to them by De Paul. The Messi-less side eventually suffered a 2–1 defeat to Monterrey. After two matches in the Leagues Cup, Inter Miami are now ninth in the standings. To keep their hopes of reaching the knockout stage alive, they must win their final match against León on August 12.