Rodrigo De Paul, Lionel Messi‘s teammate for both Argentina and Inter Miami, scored for the Major League Soccer side on Saturday. De Paul picked up the ball outside the penalty area in the 31st minute and unleashed a long-range strike. Monterrey goalkeeper Luis Cardenas was left helpless despite a diving attempt to keep the ball out. After scoring, De Paul removed his shirt to reveal a Messi No. 10 shirt underneath. The gesture appeared to be a tribute to Messi and his family following the death of the Argentina star’s father, Jorge Messi.
Jorge Messi had reportedly been admitted to a hospital in Rosario, where he passed away. During the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America, Messi was noticeably distressed by off-field matters. De Paul, who is said to be one of Messi’s closest friends, stood by the Argentina captain during the World Cup and made sure he wasn’t forgotten at the club level too.
Rodrigo De Paul strikes from distance for the opener and honors his friend Leo Messi and his family pic.twitter.com/96GEG7XpMh
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) August 9, 2026
Jorge is survived by his wife and four children: Lionel, older brothers Rodrigo and Matias, and younger sister Maria Sol.
When Messi’s emotional distress made headlines during the World Cup, media reports prompted his family to release a statement confirming that “Jorge is experiencing a health issue,” without specifying the nature of his condition.
“A person’s health and the peace of mind of their loved ones should not be the subject of speculation or irresponsible media interest,” the statement read, expressing “discomfort at the lack of sensitivity, respect and scruples with which some people have treated a strictly private family matter.”
Jorge Messi was a chemical technician and steelworker. He played football as a midfielder, reaching the youth ranks of Newell’s Old Boys before having to leave the sport to complete mandatory military service in Argentina.
He played a pivotal role in his third son’s career, acting as his agent and managing his business affairs. He accompanied a young Messi to Barcelona in the early 2000s for the trial that secured his place at La Masia, the club’s youth academy. Lionel Messi made his senior professional debut in 2005, going on to win eight Ballon d’Or awards and lead Argentina to the 2022 World Cup title.
With AP Inputs