Miami (USA): Football superstar Lionel Messi suffered his third major setback in the space of a month on Wednesday. Argentina, led by Messi, lost 0-1 to Spain in the FIFA World Cup final at a stadium in New Jersey on July 19. Three weeks later, on August 7, Messi lost his father, Jorge Messi. And on Wednesday, for the first time in his 23-year professional career, Messi had to watch his team being eliminated from a tournament at the league-round stage itself.
Messi is the captain of Inter Miami, the club co-owned by England football legend David Beckham. On Wednesday, Inter Miami suffered a 2-3 defeat against Club León in the Leagues Cup. As a result, Messi’s team were eliminated in the League Stage itself, while Club León advanced to the knockout phase. Messi failed to score in the match.
Inter Miami collected only three points from their three matches in the tournament. Messi’s father, Jorge Messi, passed away last week at the age of 68. He played a major role in helping his son build his illustrious career. On Wednesday, Messi paid tribute to his father on social media, saying, “I don’t know how I will move forward in my career without you. I even doubt whether I will continue playing for a long time without you.”
Inter Miami had suffered a 1-2 defeat against Mexican club Monterrey on Saturday. Against Club León on Wednesday, Messi initially remained on the bench before coming on in the second half. Miami were leading 2-1 until the 54th minute, but Club León fought back in the second half. Daniel Arcila scored his second goal of the match, while Juan Pablo Domínguez also found the net as León completed a 3-2 comeback victory.
Also Read – “Terrible Mistake”: Donald Trump On Removing Gianni Infantino as FIFA President