De Paul's Emotional Tribute to Messi After Father's Death Overshadows Miami Loss
De Paul honours Messi with jersey tribute as Inter Miami mourn Jorge Messi.
Lionel Messi missed Inter Miami’s Leagues Cup group-stage match against Monterrey on Saturday following the death of his father, Jorge Messi, at the age of 68. The Argentine captain remained with his family in Rosario, Argentina, while his club and teammates paid tribute during the fixture.
Before kick-off, players from both teams observed a minute’s silence in memory of Jorge Messi. Inter Miami’s players also wore black armbands as a sign of respect and solidarity. In a statement, the club said its thoughts were with its captain and the entire Messi family during the difficult period.
Messi’s close friend and Argentina teammate Rodrigo De Paul delivered a personal tribute after scoring Inter Miami’s only goal in their 2-1 defeat. The midfielder opened the scoring with a powerful strike from outside the penalty area, temporarily putting his team ahead in the group-stage encounter.
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After finding the net, De Paul removed his playing jersey to reveal another Inter Miami shirt underneath bearing Messi’s iconic No. 10. The celebration earned him a yellow card because football regulations prohibit players from removing their shirts, but the gesture served as a visible message of support for his absent teammate.
De Paul and Messi have developed a close bond while playing together for Argentina, sharing several major international achievements. His goal celebration added an emotional dimension to the formal tributes organised before the match and reflected the support being extended to Messi by his teammates and club.
Inter Miami were unable to protect the lead established by De Paul, with Monterrey recovering to secure a 2-1 victory. Despite the result, the match was marked by the minute’s silence, black armbands and De Paul’s No. 10 tribute. Messi’s return to club duties had not been confirmed at the time of the report.
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