Inter Miami star Lionel Messi scored his first goal since the passing of his father, Jorge Messi, and paid an emotional tribute to him during a Major League Soccer match. The strike came in the 26th minute of a game against the Philadelphia Union, giving Inter Miami a 2-1 lead.

Messi received a pass unmarked on the right side of the box, cut back to his left, and curled a shot into the net. After a small fist pump, he was embraced by his teammates before pointing his fingers toward the sky in a subtle tribute to his father, who died earlier this month from an undisclosed illness. This was the first goal Messi scored since Jorge's death.

Following the match, Messi shared a poignant tribute to his father on Instagram. "Dad, I still can't believe you're gone," the post read in Spanish. "It hasn't sunk in yet, or rather, I don't want to accept it. It's very difficult for me to imagine never seeing you again, never talking to you again."

Messi also spoke of his father's influence on his career, particularly his decision to play in the recent World Cup. "You kept asking me to play in the last World Cup, and just a few days before it started, you got worse," Messi wrote. "It was the first time you wouldn't be in a tournament... I told you we were going to reach the final so you could travel."

He expressed his regret that his father could not be present at the final and that his own physical limitations prevented him from winning the trophy for him. "I wanted to win it to bring it to you and show you a new one. I couldn't, my legs couldn't take it anymore. This time I tried to go against my physical limitations, but I couldn't."

Messi alluded to potential retirement in his tribute, stating, "I don't know what I'll do without you, I don't know how to go on. I only played football and now I have serious doubts that I'll continue doing that for much longer." He concluded by expressing his love and promising to honor his father's memory by raising his own children as he was.

Jorge Messi, who served as his son's agent and business manager, died on August 7 in Rosario, Argentina. His health had been a concern in recent months, with Messi himself displaying emotional reactions on the pitch during the World Cup, attributing his tears to "a few difficult days, complicated" unrelated to the sport.

Lionel Messi missed Inter Miami's previous match against Monterrey to return home following his father's passing. He later thanked fans for their support during this "incredibly painful time."

Cristiano Ronaldo offered his condolences on Messi's Instagram post, writing, "A huge hug to you and yours in these tough times, Leo. Much strength."