Messi returns to Rosario after father's death, De Paul leads Inter Miami tribute

Lionel Messi has returned to Rosario after the death of his father, Jorge Messi, aged 68. Inter Miami and Rodrigo De Paul paid tribute as the forward stepped away to be with his family.Messi travelled to Argentina with his family on his private jet after learning of his father's death. (Photo: Reuters)Lionel Messi has returned to his hometown of Rosario following the death of his father, Jorge Messi, at the age of 68. As the Inter Miami captain stepped away from football to be with his family, his teammates paid tribute to Jorge before and during their Leagues Cup clash against Monterrey.Messi's return to Argentina came after Jorge died following a prolonged illness. His boyhood club Newell's Old Boys confirmed the news on Saturday, with reports in Argentina stating that Jorge passed away on Friday night at a clinic in Rosario where he had been receiving treatment.WATCH THE VIDEO:Inter Miami acknowledged the loss before their match, posting a message of support for their captain and his family. The players also wore black armbands, while supporters observed a moment of silence before kick-off.RODRIGO DE PAUL PAYS TRIBUTEWith Messi absent, Rodrigo De Paul wore the captain's armband for Inter Miami against Monterrey. The Argentina midfielder, who shares a close relationship with Messi through their national-team careers, gave his teammate a personal tribute after opening the scoring. De Paul removed his Inter Miami shirt to reveal another underneath bearing "Messi 10", dedicating his goal to the absent captain.The gesture provided an emotional moment in an otherwise difficult night for Inter Miami. Monterrey eventually turned the game around, scoring late to secure a 2-1 victory. Earlier, Inter Miami had written on social media: "Our hearts are with our captain, Leo, and the entire Messi family."JORGE MESSI’S ROLE IN LIONEL’S CAREERJorge was far more than a parent watching his son's rise from the sidelines. He played an important role in Lionel Messi's career from its earliest stages and was closely involved in major decisions throughout the Argentina star's journey.He was part of the discussions surrounding Messi's move from Argentina to Barcelona as a youngster and remained an important figure as his son's career developed.Jorge was also involved in negotiations during later stages of Messi's career, including his moves to Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Miami.Messi had taken a short break from football after leading Argentina to the 2026 World Cup final, where they finished runners-up to Spain. He returned to Inter Miami as a substitute against Columbus on August 1 before producing two goals and an assist in their 4-2 Leagues Cup victory over Atletico San Luis.It is not yet known when Messi will return to Inter Miami.Jorge's health had drawn attention during the 2026 World Cup after Messi became emotional during Argentina's win over Algeria. Messi later explained that his tears were related to something happening away from football, while his family subsequently denied reports that Jorge had died and said he was recovering.Now, Messi has returned to Rosario to be with his family after the loss of one of the most important figures in his life.- EndsPublished On: Aug 9, 2026 11:03 IST