3 min readAug 9, 2026 06:44 PM IST
Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami and Argentina teammate Rodrigo De Paul sent a tribute to his national team captain who lost his father on Friday. After scoring for Inter Miami against Monterrey in a Leagues Cup clash, de Paul removed his jersey and reveled that he was wearing Messi’s No 10 shirt underneath it as he celebrated the goal.
Messi did not take part in the match because his father Jorge died at the age of 68 in the city of Rosario, Argentina on Friday. News of Messi senior’s death was first reported in Argentinian news outlets before tributes came in from Newell’s Old Boys, Messi’s childhood club, and Club Atletico Rosario Central, the football club based in the city of Rosario that was Lionel Messi’s birthplace as well.
Jorge was crucial behind the scenes in his son’s prolific career. He coached Messi during his early years at a local club in Rosario and saw him through the period when he was diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency as a child.
Rodrigo De Paul strikes from distance for the opener and honors his friend Leo Messi and his family ❤️ pic.twitter.com/96GEG7XpMh
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) August 9, 2026
Jorge then travelled with the then-13-year-old Lionel to Barcelona where the latter joined the club’s famed youth system. Barcelona subsequently covered the cost of his treatment and just three years later, Messi made his senior debut for the Catalan giants. Jorge went on to become his son’s representative as he quickly went about establishing himself among the best of his generation, and eventually being recognised among the greatest players of all time.
In Saturday night’s match, Diego Rossi scored the go-ahead goal in the 90th minute to help Monterrey to a 2-1 win over Inter Miami. The strike by Rossi, who was acquired July 3 from the Columbus Crew, capped a two-goal second half for Monterrey (1-1-0, 3 points). Rossi won the 2022 MLS Golden Boot for Los Angeles FC and he helped Columbus to titles in the 2023 MLS Cup and 2024 Leagues Cup.
