Lionel Messi (foto: Getty Images)
Lionel Messi returned to action following the death of his father, Jorge, but Inter Miami suffered a 3-2 defeat to León and exited the Leagues Cup.
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Lionel Messi returned to football for the first time since the death of his father, Jorge Messi, but one of the most emotional appearances of his career ended with another painful blow.
The 39-year-old came off the bench for Inter Miami against León, only days after returning from Argentina, where he had been mourning the loss of the man who accompanied him throughout almost his entire football journey.
Inter Miami eventually suffered a 3-2 defeat, ending their hopes of reaching the Leagues Cup quarter-finals.
Messi returns with Miami ahead
This was no ordinary substitution.
Messi started on the bench before replacing Daniel Pinter at the beginning of the second half, with Inter Miami leading 1-0.
León had failed to register a shot on target during the opening 45 minutes, but the match changed dramatically after the break.
Daniel Arcila equalised following a counterattack before Yannick Bright restored Miami's advantage.
The Mexican side refused to surrender. Juan Dominguez made it 2-2 before Arcila struck again in the 83rd minute to complete the comeback and eliminate Inter Miami.
Messi unable to produce another miracle
Messi spent 45 minutes on the pitch and tried to change the course of the match, this time there was no decisive moment from the Argentine legend.
He recorded three shots, 49 touches and 29 completed passes, but failed to register a shot on target, goal or assist.
Inter Miami finished with 24 attempts, while León goalkeeper Oscar Garcia produced seven saves to help his team secure a place in the quarter-finals.
For Messi, the result was secondary to the circumstances surrounding his return.
"I don't know how to continue"
Hours before the match, Messi shared an emotional message following his father's death and admitted that he was struggling to understand how life would continue without him.
Jorge died last week at the age of 68. He had been far more than Messi's father, playing an important role in managing his son's career from his earliest years through his rise to become one of football's greatest players.
Messi also revealed that his father had wanted him to continue playing during the recent World Cup, despite his declining condition.
The Argentine later admitted how difficult it had been to concentrate on football while knowing his father's health was deteriorating.
Only days after saying goodbye to him, Messi returned to Florida and stepped onto a football pitch again.
Cristiano Ronaldo sends support
Messi's loss also prompted a public message from his great rival Cristiano Ronaldo, who offered his support to the Argentine following Jorge's death.
The gesture demonstrated how deeply the news affected the wider football community after decades in which Messi and Ronaldo defined an era of the sport together.
There was no fairytale ending to Messi's comeback. León finished the opening phase with three victories and progressed to the quarter-finals, while Inter Miami were eliminated.
For Messi, though, this night will be remembered for something much more personal than the result. He returned to football while still grieving the loss of one of the most important figures in his life.