A Goal in Tribute
Lionel Messi scored his first goal since the death of his father in the 26th minute of Inter Miami's 2-2 Major League Soccer draw with the Philadelphia Union on Wednesday. As reported by Al Jazeera, the Argentine superstar pointed to the sky in tribute after a restrained celebration with teammates, in which he allowed himself a brief smile.
Jorge Messi, Lionel's father and agent, died on August 8, 2026, at age 68. The goal came just 11 days later. Messi gave Miami a 2-1 lead with a trademark curling left-footed shot into the far corner. He was also instrumental in the buildup to Miami's first goal about five minutes earlier, when Luis Suarez picked out Daniel Pinter, who scored with a close-range finish.
The Philadelphia Union secured a point with goals from Indiana Vassilev in the 11th minute and Neil Pierre in the 58th.
Miami's Form Slump
Miami coach Guillermo Hoyos expressed disappointment with the result. "We came to win but we couldn't," he said. "We're not happy with the draw because we don't like it, but now we need to try to rest and think about the next game, which is in less than 72 hours," he added, referring to Saturday's meeting with Toronto FC.
The draw extends Miami's run to four matches without a victory. According to Al Jazeera, they are seven points behind Eastern Conference leaders Nashville, who beat New York Red Bulls 1-0 on Wednesday.
Despite the draw, Messi moved into second place on the MLS scoring chart with 13 goals, three behind Petar Musa, who scored two for Dallas in a 4-3 victory at Real Salt Lake on Wednesday. Messi had not scored in the two matches he played since returning from Argentina after his father's death, which included a loss to Leon in the League Cup and a defeat to Nashville in MLS, where Messi missed a penalty.
A Tough Week
Messi's emotional state has been evident. On Wednesday morning, before the Philadelphia match, Messi posted on social media about his father's death, hinting at retirement. According to Al Jazeera, Messi wrote, "I don't know what I'll do without you, I don't know how to go on," and "I just played football, and now I have serious doubts about continuing to do so for much longer."
The remarks came after Messi flew back to Florida from Argentina on Tuesday night, after attending his father's funeral on Sunday. In his previous match, against Leon in the League Cup, Messi came on at half-time to a massive ovation. He had made himself available to Miami coach Guillermo Hoyos for the must-win final group match, having been absent in the prior loss to Monterrey.
That match ended in a 3-2 defeat for Miami, with Leon coming back from 1-0 down. Details of the goalscorers were not specified in the match report. The loss eliminated Miami from the League Cup, and it was their first group-stage exit since the tournament expanded in 2023.
Disciplinary Outcome
Messi's participation in Saturday's extended was in question due to an incident during the Philadelphia game. Yardbarker reported that Messi was involved in a heated confrontation with Philadelphia midfielder Quinn Sullivan, making contact with the back of Sullivan's head and neck during an off-the-ball exchange. MLS reviewed the incident and determined that Sullivan violated its rules concerning contact with an opponent's face, head or neck. The league refrained from a suspension and instead issued Messi an undisclosed fine, allowing him to be available for the match against Toronto.
This decision is good news for Miami, who will also be without suspended midfielder Yannick Bright, while Micael and Mateo Silvetti are expected to miss out through injury. Kickoff at Inter Miami's temporary home is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET.