Lionel Messi has been seen publicly for the first time since the death of his father, Jorge, photographed arriving at Rosario aboard a private jet with his wife Antonela Roccuzzo on Sunday. The images — the first of Messi since Jorge's passing at 68 became public — show a man returning home for the hardest kind of reason.
Jorge Messi wasn't just a father. He was the architect of one of the most consequential careers in football history, serving as his son's advisor and representative for years, navigating the labyrinthine early negotiations with Barcelona that shaped everything that followed. Newell's Old Boys called him "the pillar" behind Lionel's journey. That's not sentiment — it's accurate.
A match played in his absence
Inter Miami played Monterrey in the Leagues Cup without their captain, losing 2-1. Players wore black armbands. A minute of silence was observed. The club released a statement: "Our hearts are with our captain, Leo, and the entire Messi family."
The most striking tribute came from Rodrigo De Paul. After scoring, he pulled off his jersey to reveal one underneath reading simply: "Messi 10." De Paul and Messi have been close for years through the Argentine national team — this wasn't a PR moment, it was personal.
Inter Miami's Leagues Cup campaign now has a significant question mark hanging over it. There's no timeline for Messi's return, and without him the team's attacking threat drops sharply. Anyone looking at Miami's odds to progress in the competition has to factor in that their entire attacking structure is built around one player — and that player isn't currently in the country.
Tributes from across the game
FC Barcelona issued a formal statement of condolences, thanking Jorge for the role he played during Lionel's time at the club. The Argentine Football Association did the same. These aren't routine press releases — Jorge Messi was a figure well known to the sport's institutions over three decades.
Messi remains in Rosario with his family. No return date has been confirmed.
