Lionel Messi takes break from football after father's death, return date unknown
Legendary Argentine footballer Lionel Messi has taken a break from football following the death of his father, Jorge Messi, according to a report by Spanish newspaper Marca. Messi travelled to Argentina for his father's funeral this week, days after Jorge died on Friday.
Lionel Messi has taken an indefinite leave of absence from competitive football to return to Argentina following the death of his father, Jorge Messi. According to a report by Spanish publication Marca, there is currently no timetable for the Inter Miami captain's return to the United States.
Messi flew to his hometown of Rosario on a private flight earlier this week to attend a private funeral service alongside his family. The 39-year-old forward was in South Florida preparing for Inter Miami's upcoming Leagues Cup fixture against Monterrey when he received word of his father's passing on Friday.
Inter Miami officials have granted Messi full support and unconditional leave, allowing him to remain in Argentina for as long as he deems necessary before rejoining the squad. As a result, the club has not established a potential return date.
The loss of Jorge Messi is a monumental personal blow for the world champion. Beyond their familial bond, Jorge served as his son's primary manager, representative, and advisor from the earliest stages of his youth career in Rosario through his decades at the summit of global football.
The interruption to Messi's season comes just as he was regaining top physical form. He had recently returned to action with a two-goal performance against Atltico San Luis in the Leagues Cup, but all sporting priorities have now been put on hold.
Messi's absence halts what has been an exceptionally productive stint in North American football. Since joining Inter Miami in 2023, he has logged 92 goals in 107 matches across Major League Soccer, Concacaf tournaments, the Leagues Cup, and domestic cup play.
Those figures represent an average of 0.86 goals per match and a strike rate of one goal every 96.2 minutes since his arrival in MLS. On a broader historical level, Messi's total career tally stands at 921 goals, leaving him 79 short of the 1,000-goal milestone.
For now, those career statistics remain secondary. Messi remains with his family in Rosario, with his return to Miami and subsequent availability for selection dependent entirely on his personal readiness to resume play.
Lionel Messi has taken an indefinite leave of absence from competitive football to return to Argentina following the death of his father, Jorge Messi. According to a report by Spanish publication Marca, there is currently no timetable for the Inter Miami captain's return to the United States.
Messi flew to his hometown of Rosario on a private flight earlier this week to attend a private funeral service alongside his family. The 39-year-old forward was in South Florida preparing for Inter Miami's upcoming Leagues Cup fixture against Monterrey when he received word of his father's passing on Friday.
Inter Miami officials have granted Messi full support and unconditional leave, allowing him to remain in Argentina for as long as he deems necessary before rejoining the squad. As a result, the club has not established a potential return date.
The loss of Jorge Messi is a monumental personal blow for the world champion. Beyond their familial bond, Jorge served as his son's primary manager, representative, and advisor from the earliest stages of his youth career in Rosario through his decades at the summit of global football.
The interruption to Messi's season comes just as he was regaining top physical form. He had recently returned to action with a two-goal performance against Atltico San Luis in the Leagues Cup, but all sporting priorities have now been put on hold.
Messi's absence halts what has been an exceptionally productive stint in North American football. Since joining Inter Miami in 2023, he has logged 92 goals in 107 matches across Major League Soccer, Concacaf tournaments, the Leagues Cup, and domestic cup play.
Those figures represent an average of 0.86 goals per match and a strike rate of one goal every 96.2 minutes since his arrival in MLS. On a broader historical level, Messi's total career tally stands at 921 goals, leaving him 79 short of the 1,000-goal milestone.
For now, those career statistics remain secondary. Messi remains with his family in Rosario, with his return to Miami and subsequent availability for selection dependent entirely on his personal readiness to resume play.
Lionel Messi has taken an indefinite leave of absence from competitive football to return to Argentina following the death of his father, Jorge Messi. According to a report by Spanish publication Marca, there is currently no timetable for the Inter Miami captain's return to the United States.
Messi flew to his hometown of Rosario on a private flight earlier this week to attend a private funeral service alongside his family. The 39-year-old forward was in South Florida preparing for Inter Miami's upcoming Leagues Cup fixture against Monterrey when he received word of his father's passing on Friday.
Inter Miami officials have granted Messi full support and unconditional leave, allowing him to remain in Argentina for as long as he deems necessary before rejoining the squad. As a result, the club has not established a potential return date.
The loss of Jorge Messi is a monumental personal blow for the world champion. Beyond their familial bond, Jorge served as his son's primary manager, representative, and advisor from the earliest stages of his youth career in Rosario through his decades at the summit of global football.
The interruption to Messi's season comes just as he was regaining top physical form. He had recently returned to action with a two-goal performance against Atltico San Luis in the Leagues Cup, but all sporting priorities have now been put on hold.
Messi's absence halts what has been an exceptionally productive stint in North American football. Since joining Inter Miami in 2023, he has logged 92 goals in 107 matches across Major League Soccer, Concacaf tournaments, the Leagues Cup, and domestic cup play.
Those figures represent an average of 0.86 goals per match and a strike rate of one goal every 96.2 minutes since his arrival in MLS. On a broader historical level, Messi's total career tally stands at 921 goals, leaving him 79 short of the 1,000-goal milestone.
For now, those career statistics remain secondary. Messi remains with his family in Rosario, with his return to Miami and subsequent availability for selection dependent entirely on his personal readiness to resume play.
