Sad Messi Hints at Retirement

Argentine star Lionel Messi made an emotional return following his father’s death and hints of retirement, but it was not enough to save his American club, Inter Miami, from elimination from the Leagues Cup after a 3-2 defeat to Mexican side Leon on Tuesday. The Miami captain returned to Florida on Tuesday evening from Argentina, where he had attended his father Jorge’s funeral on Sunday, and entered the pitch at the start of the second half to warm applause from the fans. In a poignant message to his father and the godfather of his career, Jorge, who died last Saturday, the Argentine star sparked speculation about his future on the pitch by saying he was unsure whether he would continue playing football “for a long time” anymore. Messi, 39, wrote in the message published on his Instagram account: “I don’t know what I’ll do without you, and I don’t know how I’ll go on. I only ever played football, and now I have many doubts about whether I’ll continue playing for much longer.” In his message, Messi recalled the last months of his father’s life, which coincided with the 2026 World Cup. He wrote: “I kept telling you that we would reach the final so you could travel and come.” He added: “We reached the final, but you couldn’t be there. I wanted to win it (the trophy) to dedicate it to you and show you a new title. I couldn’t do it; my legs failed me. This time I tried to push beyond my physical limits, but I couldn’t. I never felt okay,” in his first comments since the 1-0 final loss to Spain, played in New Jersey. His main rival during his years of brilliance, Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo, offered his condolences on Wednesday. “CR7” replied to the Argentine’s message: “I send you and your family my deepest condolences during these difficult times, Leo. Stay strong.”