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Football Mourns Jorge Messi — Inter Miami Fall 2-1 to Monterrey in His Absence
2026-08-12
Published: August 8, 2026 — There are days when football is not the story. Today is one of them. Jorge Messi, Lionel's father, lifelong agent, and the man most responsible for shaping the greatest career in football history, passed away on Friday at a clinic in Rosario, Argentina. He was 68. Lionel boarded a private flight home this morning and was not at Nu Stadium for tonight's 2-1 Leagues Cup loss to Monterrey. The football world has united in grief. Tonight, the result matters less than the man being honoured.
Jorge Messi: The Man Behind the Greatest
Jorge Messi passed away Friday after a prolonged battle with an undisclosed chronic illness. He was 68 years old. He was not only Lionel's father but also his longtime agent, playing a central role in shaping his career from his early days at Newell's Old Boys through his moves to Barcelona, PSG and Inter Miami.
Lionel Messi boarded a private flight from Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport to Rosario at 11:20 AM today. The plane was expected to land in Argentina at around 8:34 pm local time.
Jorge Messi was the architect of a career the world has never seen before and may never see again. It was Jorge who negotiated the famous napkin contract that brought a teenage Lionel to Barcelona. It was Jorge who steered his son through six World Cups, four Champions League titles, eight Ballon d'Or awards, two World Cup finals — and one final, unforgettable tournament in 2026 that ended with his son lifting the Silver Ball after 21 all-time World Cup goals.
The football world responded immediately. FC Barcelona published a statement to express condolences on the passing of Jorge Messi. FC Barcelona held a minute of silence in memory of Jorge Messi before their preseason game against Nottingham Forest on Saturday.
Before kickoff at Nu Stadium, the stadium held a moment of silence for Messi's late father, with players, coaches and fans paying their respects.
Inter Miami 1–2 Monterrey: The Result
Inter Miami suffered a late 2-1 defeat to Monterrey in their second 2026 Leagues Cup match, squandering the lead after Rodrigo De Paul opened the scoring in the 32nd minute. De Paul produced a superb strike from outside the box to put Miami ahead in the first half. Monterrey responded almost immediately after the break, with Hugo Cuypers equalising in the 47th minute to shift the momentum. The visitors continued to threaten and were rewarded deep into the match when Diego Rossi struck in the 90th minute, completing the comeback.
With Messi unavailable, academy forward Lovens Delinois made his first-team debut alongside fellow academy forward Daniel Pinter.
Inter Miami (1-1-0, 3 points) won the tournament in 2023 and reached the final last year but its chances of advancing to the knockout stage appear bleak with one match remaining in its 18-team group.
Tonight's result means Inter Miami need a win against Club León on August 12 and results elsewhere to go their way to advance. It is the football that matters least tonight.
When Will Messi Return?
His return to the pitch remains uncertain. Three upcoming matches have been floated as possible comeback points: Wednesday's clash with Club León on August 12, which appears unlikely given the short turnaround, and Saturday's MLS match against Nashville SC on August 15. The August 19 meeting with Philadelphia Union, meanwhile, is widely seen as the most realistic option, allowing him more time with his family before returning.
There is no pressure on a timeline. Football will wait.
A Career Built by Two
The story of Messi's career is inseparable from his father. Jorge spotted his son's talent at Newell's Old Boys in Rosario and made the decision to take a chance on Barcelona when Lionel was 13 years old — a decision that required the whole family to uproot their lives and move to Spain. He negotiated every contract, managed every transition, and was at his son's side through every trophy, every heartbreak, every record.
The napkin contract at La Masia. The eight Ballon d'Or trophies. The Copa América 2021 title that ended Argentina's 28-year wait. The 2022 World Cup in Qatar. The final World Cup in 2026, where his son scored 21 all-time goals and walked off the MetLife Stadium pitch with the Silver Ball.
Jorge Messi saw all of it.
The Football World Responds
Tributes have poured in from across the sport — from club captains and coaches, from rivals and admirers, from the players who watched Messi from the other side of the pitch and knew they were watching something that would never come again.
The Inter Miami squad wore black armbands tonight. The Nu Stadium held its minute of silence in near-total quiet — 20,000 fans paying their respects to a man most of them had never met but whose work they had watched for decades.
JerseyFun extends its sincere condolences to Lionel Messi and the entire Messi family.
Next Match: Inter Miami vs Club León · August 12 · 7:30pm ET
Inter Miami's Leagues Cup campaign continues next Wednesday against Club León. The result matters significantly for their advancement chances. More importantly, it may be the match where the football world sees Messi return to the pitch for the first time since the loss of his father.
No jersey content today. Some moments are larger than the game.
Published: August 8, 2026. Jorge Messi passed away Friday August 7, 2026, in Rosario, Argentina. He was 68. Inter Miami 1–2 Monterrey, Leagues Cup 2026. Next match: Inter Miami vs Club León, August 12, 7:30pm ET, Nu Stadium, Miami.