Lionel Messi was not on the pitch, but the whole stadium seemed to feel his presence. As Rodrigo De Paul pulled off his jersey after scoring, a Messi No. 10 shirt was revealed underneath — a message of love and support for his grieving captain and close friend that touched football fans.
Only hours before kick-off, Messi’s father, Jorge Messi, 68, died while under treatment in Argentina. Messi rushed to Argentina to attend the funeral and so could not take the field for Inter Miami against the Mexican club Monterrey.
Both teams observed a minute’s silence before kick-off in tribute to Messi’s father. Miami supporters also turned up with banners and placards to show their support for Messi, with messages reading “Stay strong, Leo.” Then, in the 31st minute, De Paul paid his own tribute with a superb goal, beating Monterrey goalkeeper Luis Cárdenas with a powerful strike from well outside the penalty box.
Right after the goal, De Paul took off his jersey, revealing the Messi No. 10 emblem on the shirt beneath. Known as one of Messi’s closest friends and teammates, De Paul’s celebration was seen by fans as a message of love and support for his grieving friend.
Messi also went through a difficult time during the 2026 World Cup because of his father’s illness, and De Paul was by his side then for the national team. Now, in club football too, he offered this emotional tribute at his friend’s hardest moment. De Paul’s goal, however, could not win it for Inter Miami. Monterrey equalised through Hugo Cuypers in the second half, and when Diego Rossi scored in the 90th minute the Mexican club left the field with a 2-1 win.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report