Messi returns to play days after father's death, Inter Miami eliminated

Lionel Messi made a surprise return to the pitch for Inter Miami just days after the death of his father, Jorge, entering as a substitute at halftime in the Leagues Cup match against Club León. Despite his emotional return, Inter Miami lost 3-2 and was eliminated from the tournament Source: CNN. Messi had traveled to Argentina for the funeral and had not trained since returning, making his appearance unexpected Source: Emol. He received a standing ovation from the crowd at the Nu Stadium Source: El Colombiano.

The reaction

Teammate Casemiro praised Messi's commitment, saying, "Nunca había visto eso en mi vida" (I had never seen that in my life) Source: La Voz. Inter Miami coach Guillermo Hoyos expressed sympathy, recalling his own loss of his father Source: Emol. León's coach Javier Gandolfi called Messi "the best in history" and "a completely different human being" Source: Emol.

The match

Inter Miami took the lead through Daniel Pinter in the 42nd minute, but León equalized after the break through Daniel Arcila. Yannick Bright restored Miami's lead, but León came back with goals from Juan Pablo Domínguez and Arcila again, with the final goal validated by VAR Source: Infobae. León advanced to the quarterfinals with a perfect record Source: Excelsior.

What's next

Messi's return was a step in his reintegration, but his future remains uncertain. In an emotional Instagram post, he expressed doubts about continuing to play for much longer Source: CNN. Inter Miami now focuses on the MLS Cup Source: Infobae.