Messi Scores Tribute Goal Eleven Days After Father's Death

Lionel Messi finally found the net for Inter Miami just eleven days after his father Jorge passed away. The historic moment happened in the twenty-sixth minute of their MLS match against the Philadelphia Union. It was a curling left-footed strike into the far corner that gave the Argentine superstar the first goal since August 8, 2026, when Jorge died at age 68.

Messi pointed his hands to the sky over Philadelphia as a tribute before settling for a brief smile with his teammates during a restrained celebration. Despite this personal breakthrough, Inter Miami could only manage a two-all draw. The hosts took a two-one lead initially thanks to Messi's assist five minutes earlier. He collected a pass down the left flank from Uruguayan forward Luis Suarez, who then headed the ball across for young American Daniel Pinter to finish close-range.

The Union eventually equalized through goals by Indiana Vassilev in the eleventh minute and Neil Pierre in the fifty-eighth. Miami coach Guillermo Hoyos expressed his frustration clearly after the final whistle. "We came to win but we couldn't," he said. He admitted they are not happy with the draw because they do not like it, yet now they must rest and think about their next game which is less than seventy-two hours away. That upcoming fixture is against Toronto FC on Saturday.

The broader picture for Inter Miami looks grim. The thirty-nine-year-old legend moved into second place on the league's scoring chart with thirteen goals, sitting just three behind Croatian Petar Musa. Musa scored twice for Dallas in a four-three victory over Real Salt Lake earlier on Wednesday. Messi had failed to find the net in the two matches played since he returned from Argentina following his father's death.

Those previous games went poorly for the Miami squad. They lost three-two to Mexican side Leon, an defeat that eliminated them from the Leagues Cup. Afterward they endured a four-one MLS loss to Nashville where Messi missed a penalty. The team has now gone four matches without a victory and sits seven points behind Eastern Conference leaders Nashville, who beat New York Red Bulls one-nil on Wednesday.