Messi sat out Miami’s 2-1 Leagues Cup defeat to Monterrey on Saturday, but told coach Guillermo Hoyos he was available for the must-win clash with Mexican side Leon.
This is Miami’s first elimination in the opening stage since the competition expanded in 2023 — the year Messi arrived and they won the trophy.
Jorge, who began representing Messi when he was 14, guided him through a career that made him one of the sport’s all-time greats and was by his side when he captained Argentina to the 2022 World Cup title.
Argentina reached this summer’s final but lost 1-0 to Spain in extra time. Messi wrote that his father urged him to “play in one last World Cup” even as his health declined.
Miami midfielder Yannick Bright, who scored their second against Leon, called Messi’s return “incredible,” saying he and his teammates just wanted to rally around their captain.
“I didn’t expect it,” Bright said. “It shows how much he cares. When I saw he was here, all I wanted was to give everything for him.”
“It’s a tough moment. We’re trying to stay close and support him as much as possible, but it’s a lot.”
Leon coach Javier Gandolfi said Messi “is a human being unlike any other.”
He added: “Today he showed once again what he’s made of.”