León player Jhohan Romaña embraces Messi during Inter Miami’s Leagues Cup return
The Inter Miami striker made his first on-pitch appearance since attending his father’s funeral, responding to a surprise hug from a León opponent with a smile.
Jhohan Romaña surprised Lionel Messi with a hug during the Leagues Cup group stage match between Inter Miami and León, a gesture that León’s social media account, La Fiera, characterised as one of respect and affection. The interaction occurred after a play that ended in a corner kick, with the Argentine striker responding with a smile before returning to action.
The incident marked Messi’s first on-pitch appearance since the death of his father, Jorge Messi, who passed away at the age of 68. The 39-year-old had cut short his return to Miami to attend a private funeral ceremony in Perez, near Rosario, in Argentina, before travelling back to the United States for the fixture.
León’s official social media channel posted a message accompanying the footage of the embrace, stating: "This hug is from León, from everyone, from football, and it is for you, dear Lionel. Respect and affection." The club’s statement framed the moment as a collective expression of support from the football community.
Messi’s return to the squad came amid public uncertainty regarding his future in the sport. In an emotional post on social media on 12 August, the Inter Miami striker had expressed serious doubts about continuing his football career following the loss of his father, who also served as his agent.
The match formed part of the Leagues Cup group stage, with Inter Miami facing León in a contest that resumed normal play following the brief, personal exchange between the two players. The specific timing of the hug within the match flow was not detailed beyond occurring after a play leading to a corner kick.
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence from the original Spanish version.
