De Paul & Miami honor Messi on emotional Leagues Cup night | OneFootball

By Harrison Hamm

Playing with a heavy heart for his Inter Miami CF and Argentina teammate, Rodrigo De Paul paid tribute to Lionel Messi’s late father on Saturday night.

De Paul struck a beautiful long-range shot in the 32nd minute to give Miami the lead in their Leagues Cup match against LIGA MX powerhouse Monterrey. 

Upon scoring, the midfielder took off his jersey to reveal a Messi kit underneath his own before pointing at the No. 10 on his back.

The touching gesture came hours after it was announced that Messi's father, Jorge Messi, passed away on Saturday at age 68 in Rosario, Argentina. 

De Paul, who won the 2022 FIFA World Cup and reached the 2026 World Cup final this summer with Messi, is a long-time friend of the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner. Both players reunited at Inter Miami in July of last year when the Herons acquired De Paul from LaLiga side Atlético Madrid. 

De Paul and the rest of the Miami squad wore black armbands in honor of Jorge Messi.

Inter Miami hold moment of silence for Jorge Messi

Leagues Cup outlook

Monterrey would go on to rally for a 2-1 win on goals from two MLS alums: former Chicago Fire FC striker Hugo Cuypers, and ex-LAFC and Columbus Crew standout Diego Rossi. 

With the loss, Miami face an uphill climb to reach the knockout stage, despite a convincing 4-2 midweek win over Atlético San Luis in their tournament opener. Only the fop four teams per league table advance to the quarterfinals.

The Herons will host Club León on Wednesday in their Phase One finale (7:30 pm ET | Apple TV). 

Messi's status for the match is unknown. He is reportedly home in Argentina with his family.

HIGHLIGHTS: Inter Miami CF vs. CF Monterrey | August 8, 2026