Messi First Goal Since Father’s Death: Star Scores In Emotional Inter Miami Draw
Lionel Messi scored his first goal since the death of his father earlier this month, netting during Inter Miami’s 2-2 draw with Philadelphia Union on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, in an emotional moment that ended a difficult stretch both on and off the pitch for the Argentine superstar.
Messi’s father and longtime representative, Jorge Messi, died aged 68 on August 8 in Rosario, Argentina. In the 26th minute at Subaru Park, Messi shook off his marker and sent a left-footed shot into the net to give Miami a 2-1 first-half lead, before being embraced by his teammates in a visibly emotional scene. The 39-year-old also provided the assist on his team’s first goal of the night, on a hot and humid evening in Pennsylvania.
The goal came at the end of one of the toughest weeks of Messi’s career, having missed three consecutive penalties for club and country in the lead-up to the match, including two unsuccessful attempts for Argentina during the country’s run to the 2026 World Cup final. Despite that difficult run, Messi pushed through to find the back of the net once again, reasserting himself in the race for the MLS Golden Boot, an award he won last season. The goal was his 13th of the season, putting him one behind Dallas striker Petar Musa in the race for the league’s top scoring honour.
Messi had paid an emotional public tribute to his father last week, saying he did not know how to continue without him, and had reportedly hinted at the possibility of eventually stepping back from both Inter Miami and the Argentina national team in a heartfelt post dedicated to his late father. His return to scoring form on Wednesday offered a measure of resolve amid that grief, with the Argentine playing through what has been described as one of the most emotionally difficult periods of his career.
The draw brought an end to a three-game losing streak for the defending MLS Cup champions, who had struggled for results in the weeks surrounding Messi’s personal loss. With the goal, Messi continues to inch closer to notable career milestones, having now reached 93 goals for Inter Miami since joining the South Florida club, and 918 goals across his career spanning Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, Inter Miami and the Argentina national team, as he continues his pursuit of the 1,000-goal mark.
As Messi continues to balance grief with his ongoing commitments on the pitch, Wednesday’s performance offered a visible sign of his determination to continue competing at the highest level, even as questions persist about how the loss of his father, who had guided his career since childhood, will shape his outlook on the remainder of his playing days.
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