Lionel Messi sat out Inter Miami’s Leagues Cup loss to Monterrey on Saturday night following his father’s death, as his team-mates honored him before and during the game.
Jorge Messi died on Saturday at the age of 68 after a long illness.
He had represented his son as agent since the forward was 14 and passed away at a hospital in his hometown of Rosario, Argentina.
Later that evening, Messi traveled by private jet from Miami to Argentina with his wife and their three children.
A private funeral was held on Sunday at a cemetery in the town of Perez, on the outskirts of Rosario.
Inter Miami marked the occasion with a minute’s silence before kick-off, players wore black armbands, and Jorge’s name appeared on the big screens at Nu Stadium.
The club added a black ribbon to its social media profiles and said in a statement: “Our hearts go out to our captain, Leo, and the whole Messi family.”
Argentina team-mate Rodrigo De Paul marked the opening goal in the 2-1 defeat by removing his shirt to reveal Messi’s underneath.
Supporters raised handmade signs to show support for Messi and to honor his father.
Miami striker Luis Suarez, suspended for the match, wrote on Instagram that Jorge would continue watching over his son “with pride, as he always did.”
Messi’s former club Barcelona also held a moment of silence before their 1-0 friendly victory over Nottingham Forest in Udine, Italy.
In 2000, Jorge accompanied his 13-year-old son to Catalonia and was instrumental in convincing the club to sign him.
Barcelona expressed gratitude to Jorge “for his dedication to our club and for entrusting us with the beginnings and the most glorious years of Leo’s football career.”
Fans placed flags and flowers outside Messi’s childhood home in Rosario, while Argentine powerhouses Boca Juniors and River Plate each observed moments of silence before their matches.
The Argentine Football Association said it “deeply mourns with profound sadness the passing of Jorge Messi, father of our captain and emblem, Lionel Messi.”
It added: “We stand with the entire family in this difficult time and send our warmest, most heartfelt embrace.”
Paris Saint-Germain, where Messi played from 2021 to 2023, said: “The club offers its full support to Leo, his family, and loved ones in this painful moment. May he rest in peace.”