Lionel Messi returned to Inter Miami on Wednesday following the death of his father, Jorge Messi, but could not prevent the club from being eliminated from the Leagues Cup after a 3-2 defeat to Club Leon at Nu Stadium.

Jorge Messi died Saturday at a hospital in Rosario, Argentina, aged 68. Messi had traveled to the city following his father’s death and reportedly attended a private memorial service.

The Argentine forward was named among Miami’s substitutes before being introduced at halftime, replacing Dániel Pintér, who had given the hosts the lead.

Club Leon responded strongly after the break, with Daniel Arcila equalizing in the 50th minute. Yannick Bright restored Miami’s advantage before Juan Domínguez levelled the score again.

Arcila then struck his second goal to complete Leon’s comeback and seal a 3-2 victory.

The result ended Miami’s Leagues Cup campaign, with the club having won once and lost twice during the group stage. Leon, meanwhile, maintained a perfect record with three wins from three matches.

Messi’s return came just days after he was absent from Miami’s defeat to Monterrey while attending his father’s memorial.

Bright said the squad was surprised to see Messi arrive at the club ahead of the match and praised his commitment despite the difficult circumstances.

“It’s incredible. I wasn’t expecting it and it shows how much he cares,” Bright said. “When I saw that he was here, all I thought about was giving 150% for him.”

Messi also paid tribute to his father in an Instagram post on Wednesday, reflecting on Jorge’s illness during Argentina’s run to the 2026 World Cup final.

Messi recalled how his father had repeatedly encouraged him to play at the tournament despite his declining health and revealed how difficult it was to continue playing while worrying about him.

Inter Miami reached last year’s Leagues Cup final with Messi but lost to Seattle Sounders FC. This time, their campaign ends before the knockout stage. (Arise News)