Lionel Messi marked his return to form with an emotional tribute on Wednesday, scoring his first goal since the death of his father and agent, Jorge Messi, who passed away on August 8, 2026, at age 68. During Inter Miami’s 2-2 Major League Soccer draw against the Philadelphia Union, the 39-year-old superstar found the net in the 26th minute with a signature curling left-footed strike into the far corner. Following a restrained celebration, the captain pointed his hands toward the sky in honor of his late father.
Messi’s impact was evident throughout the match, as he also played a key role in Miami’s opening goal five minutes prior. He initiated a play down the left flank to find Luis Suarez, who delivered a header across the box for Daniel Pinter to finish from close range. Despite the individual brilliance, the Philadelphia Union managed to secure a point through goals from Indiana Vassilev in the 11th minute and Neil Pierre in the 58th.
Miami coach Guillermo Hoyos expressed frustration with the result, noting, “We came to win but we couldn’t. We’re not happy with the draw because we don’t like it, but now we need to try to rest and think about the next game, which is in less than 72 hours.” That upcoming fixture is a Saturday meeting with Toronto FC.
The draw extends Inter Miami’s winless streak to four matches, leaving them seven points adrift of Eastern Conference leaders Nashville, who defeated the New York Red Bulls 1-0 on Wednesday. Before this result, Miami had suffered a 3-2 loss to Mexico’s Leon in the Leagues Cup and a 4-1 league defeat to Nashville, a match in which Messi missed a penalty.
On a personal level, Messi now sits second in the MLS scoring race with 13 goals. He remains three goals behind Croatian forward Petar Musa, who added two to his tally during Dallas’s 4-3 win over Real Salt Lake earlier on Wednesday.
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