Messi Scores First Goal Since His Father’s Death

Chester (GNP): Lionel Messi scored his first goal since the death of his father earlier this month, netting during Inter Miami’s 2-2 draw with Philadelphia Union at Subaru Park on Wednesday in an emotional return to form.

Messi’s father and longtime representative, Jorge, died aged 68 on August 8 in Rosario, Argentina, a loss that had visibly weighed on the 39-year-old forward in the weeks that followed.

In the 26th minute of the match, Messi shook off his marker and struck a left-footed shot into the net to give Miami a 2-1 first-half lead, prompting an embrace from his teammates immediately after the goal.

Beyond his own strike, Messi also provided the assist for Miami’s opening goal on a hot and humid night in Pennsylvania, underlining his influence on the match despite the emotional circumstances surrounding his return to scoring form.

The goal followed an emotional tribute Messi paid to his father last week, in which he admitted uncertainty over how he would continue in the sport without him. That vulnerability made Wednesday’s performance particularly significant, arriving as Miami looked to end a difficult run of results heading into the match.

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The draw brought an end to a three-game losing streak for Miami, the defending MLS Cup champions, offering the team a measure of stability after a challenging stretch. For Messi personally, the goal was his 13th of the season, placing him one behind Dallas striker Petar Musa in the race for the MLS Golden Boot, an award Messi had won the previous season.

The performance came in a year that also saw Messi captain Argentina to this year’s World Cup final, a tournament run that ended in defeat to Spain, adding further context to a season already marked by both high-profile competition and personal loss.