A moving moment in the USA: Messi scored for the first time since his father's death

Lionel Messi experienced a particularly moving moment tonight (between Wednesday and Thursday) in the MLS league, when he scored his first goal since the death of his father, Jorge Messi. The Argentine star found the net in Inter Miami's 2:2 draw against Philadelphia Union, in a game where he was involved in both of his team's goals.

Messi's moving goal

Inter Miami arrived at the match after three consecutive losses, and in the shadow of the defeat they suffered a few days ago against Nashville. The start belonged to Philadelphia, who took the lead, but Miami managed to return to the game quickly thanks to Messi, who was involved in the move that led to the equalizer.

In the 26th minute, the central moment of the match arrived: Messi broke free from his marker and sent a precise left-footed shot into the net, leading to a turnaround and a 1:2 lead for Inter Miami. Immediately after the goal, his teammates rushed to hug him, in a moment that became one of the most moving of the evening.

Despite the turnaround, Miami failed to hold onto the lead. Philadelphia equalized in the second half, and the game ended with a split of points. For the Florida team, the draw stopped the streak of three losses, but they again left an away game without a win.

Messi's father, Jorge, who served for years as his representative and a central figure in his career, passed away earlier this month at the age of 68 in Rosario, Argentina. Last week, Messi published a moving post in his memory, in which he referred to the close bond between them and the void he left behind.

Professionally, Messi continues to stick to the top of the MLS scoring table. The goal against Philadelphia was his 13th of the season, and he is now just one goal away from Petar Musa, who leads the race with 14 goals.