Leagues Cup: Messi rejoins Inter Miami squad, returns to pitch after …

Miami [US], August 13 (ANI): Argentina’s FIFA World Cup-winning legend Lionel Messi made a return to the pitch, but Inter Miami crashed out of the Leagues Cup with a 2-3 loss to Leon on Wednesday.

Messi, who lost his father, Jorge (68) on Tuesday, was not part of the starting line-up as Leon faced Inter Miami at their home venue. With the side leading 1-0 at the half-time, Messi was brought in as a substitute for Daniel Pinter, who had put the home side in the lead, as per ESPN. fish-roadgame.com

Jorge died Saturday at a hospital in Rosario, and Messi had travelled to Rosario via plane on Saturday, having attended a private memorial service.

Leon, having all three of their Leagues Cup games, secured an equaliser with a 50th-minute strike from Daniel Arcila, but Yannick Bright put Inter Miami back in the lead with a 54th-minute strike. The back-and-forth continued with Juan Dominguez scoring in the 61st minute to level the scores.

Arclina struck the winner in the 83rd minute, eliminating Inter Miami from the knockout round. Inter Miami have won just one and lost twice during the group stage in the competition. Last year, they made it to the finals before losing to Seattle Sounders FC.

Hours before the game, Messi had paid an emotional tribute to his late father, Jorge Messi, reflecting on their close bond and the pivotal role he played throughout the Argentine football star’s life and career.

In a heartfelt message, Messi recalled his father’s unwavering support, their shared World Cup dreams and the pain of losing him, admitting that he is struggling to imagine life without him.

In a post on Instagram, Messi uploaded a picture with his late father and wrote a heartfelt message for him.

Messi expressed deep grief over his father’s death, saying he still struggled to accept the loss and felt Jorge had left too soon. He recalled how his father urged him to play in the 2026 World Cup despite his worsening health, while Messi remained hopeful that Jorge would recover enough to attend the tournament’s final.

“Dad, I still can’t believe you’re gone. It has not sunk in–or rather, I do not want it to sink in. It is so hard to imagine that I would not see you again, that we would not talk anymore. I know you were suffering and that this is for the best, but you left too soon. We still had so much left to enjoy together. You kept asking me to play in that last World Cup, but just days before it started, your condition took a turn for the worse. It was the first time you would not be at a tournament, but Mom kept telling me you would improve and be well enough to travel. I kept telling you we’d make it to the final so you could come," Messi wrote in the post.

Argentina, who were the defending champions at the 2026 World Cup, reached the final but failed to win the World Cup as they went down to Spain 1-0. Messi was a central figure in Argentina’s excellent run in the World Cup as he scored eight goals and four assists for the La Albiceleste.

Messi said his father’s absence became painfully clear after each World Cup match, when he waited in vain for his messages. He kept hoping Argentina would reach the final so his father could attend, and wanted to win the trophy for him, but admitted he was unable to overcome his physical limitations.

“After every match, I had wait for your message and miss hearing from you. That is when I realised how serious the situation really was. Even so, I kept thinking about going as far as possible–to buy time so you could see a game. We made it to the final, but you could not be there. I wanted to win it so I could bring it to you and show you a new trophy. I could not do it; my legs just gave out. This time I tried to push past my physical limits, but I couldn’t. I never felt right," he said.

Messi said his father never got to learn the full story of the World Cup, including what happened after the final. He regretted that they could not discuss the tournament, but recalled how they spoke every day and stayed closely connected whenever his commitments allowed.

“When I got back, you thought we’d lost the final on penalties. We never got to talk about what happened. You did not get to enjoy any of it. We did not become champions, but you have no idea how much we enjoyed every match. Once again, you were right: I had to be there and play. I am telling you this because it was the one thing we did not get to talk about–you already know everything else. We spoke every day and saw each other whenever my commitments allowed," he said.

Messi also said he is unsure how to move forward and even questioned how much longer he will continue playing football. He reflected on his father’s constant support throughout his career and said Jorge’s greatest joy was seeing his family happy, especially watching Messi play.

“I do not know what I am going to do without you; I do not know how to go on. All I ever did was play soccer, and now I have serious doubts about whether I will keep doing it for much longer. You were by my side from the very beginning, and we were so close to the end. Why couldn’t you hold on just a little longer so we could finish this journey together? I know your happiness came from seeing your family–your wife and children–doing well, and above all–without anyone else knowing–watching me play," he said.

Messi recalled how his father supported his football journey from childhood, taking him to training sessions and never missing a match. He described Jorge as not only his father but also his friend and agent, praising his guidance, support and wisdom throughout his career.

“It was always like that, ever since I was little. You would take me to every practice right after getting home from work. Mom would take me to many of them because you were working. Of course, you never missed a single match. You suffered so much watching me, yet you enjoyed it too–even if you rarely heaped praise on me. You were a dad, a friend, and an agent. You were always exactly who you needed to be in any given moment, and you never put a foot wrong. Beyond the occasional argument or disagreement, you were always right. In the end, things always turned out just the way you said they would," he said.

Notably, Jorge Messi was not just Lionel Messi’s father but also played an important role in shaping his football career. After Lionel Messi’s football career took off, Jorge became his son’s agent and strategic adviser after working for years as a supervisor at a steel factory.

Jorge was also closely involved in Lionel’s early career at Newell’s Old Boys. When Messi was 13, he helped facilitate his move to Spain to join Barcelona’s youth academy. The Catalan club also covered the cost of his treatment for a growth hormone deficiency, a condition that affected his physical development. Messi underwent daily injections as part of the treatment, which helped him reach a final height of 1.70 metres.

Messi said he will deeply miss his father but will keep his memory alive by raising his own children with the same values and upbringing he received from his parents. He ended his tribute by thanking Jorge for everything and asking him to continue watching over the family.

“I am going to miss you terribly, but you will always be with me–especially in how I raise my own children, because I am teaching and bringing them up just the way you and Mom did with me. Rest in peace, and watch over us from up there just as you did down here. Thank you for everything. I love you, Dad," Messi concluded.

In his Instagram story, Lionel Messi thanked fans and well-wishers for their support, messages and gestures following his father’s passing. He also expressed gratitude for respecting his family’s grief and privacy during the difficult time.

“I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for all the affection, respect, and immense consideration shown to me and my family during this painful time following my father’s passing. Thank you for being there for us, for every message and gesture, and–above all–for respecting our grief and our privacy," he wrote in his Instagram story. (ANI)

(This content is sourced from a syndicated feed and is published as received. The Tribune assumes no responsibility or liability for its accuracy, completeness, or content.)

લિયોનેલ મેસ્સીના પિતા જોર્જ મેસ્સીનું 8 ઓગસ્ટના રોજ 68 વર્ષની વયે લાંબી બીમારી બાદ અવસાન થયું હતું. આ પછી લિયોનેલ મેસ્સીએ 12 ઓગસ્ટના રોજ તેમના પિતાના અવસાન પર પહેલીવાર મૌન તોડ્યું જેમાં તેને સોશિયલ મીડિયા પર એક ઈમોશનલ પોસ્ટ શેર કરી જેમાં તેમણે ભવિષ્યમાં ફૂટબોલ રમવા અંગે શંકા વ્યક્ત કરી હતી.

લિયોનેલ મેસ્સીએ સોશિયલ મીડિયા પ્લેટફોર્મ ઈન્સ્ટાગ્રામ પર તેમના પિતા જોર્જ સાથેનો એક ફોટો પોસ્ટ કર્યો અને એક નોટ પણ શેર કરી જેમાં તેને લખ્યું કે તેઓ આ મોટી ખોટ સ્વીકારી શકતા નથી અને તેને સમજાતું નથી કે તે તેના પિતા વિના જીવનમાં કેવી રીતે આગળ વધશે કારણ કે તેઓ મારા બેસ્ટ મિત્ર, માર્ગદર્શક અને એજન્ટ પણ હતા.

મને ખબર નથી કે આગળ કેવી રીતે આગળ વધવું

પિતાના અવસાન પછી લિયોનેલ મેસ્સીએ ઈન્સ્ટાગ્રામ પર શેર કરેલી એક પોસ્ટમાં લખ્યું છે કે "મને ખબર નથી કે હું તમારા વિના શું કરીશ. મને ખબર નથી કે આગળ કેવી રીતે વધવું. હું ફક્ત ફૂટબોલ રમી રહ્યો હતો, પરંતુ હવે મારી પાસે ઘણા સવાલો છે કે શું હું ચાલુ રાખી શકીશ." મેસ્સીએ સમજાવ્યું કે તેના પિતાએ તેને દરેક બાબતમાં સપોર્ટ આપ્યો અને હંમેશા તેના નિર્ણયોમાં વિશ્વાસ રાખ્યો. "બધા માટે આભાર. હું તમને પ્રેમ કરું છું, પપ્પા."

વર્લ્ડકપ શરૂ થવાના થોડા દિવસ પહેલા તે બીમાર પડ્યા

પોતાની પોસ્ટમાં લિયોનેલ મેસ્સીએ સમજાવ્યું કે વર્લ્ડકપ 2026 શરૂ થવાના થોડા દિવસો પહેલા તેના પિતાની તબિયત અચાનક બગડી ગઈ હતી, જેના કારણે જોર્જ પહેલી વાર કોઈ ટુર્નામેન્ટમાં હાજરી આપી શક્યા ન હતા. "હું દરેક મેચ પછી મારા પિતાના મેસેજની રાહ જોતો હતો. મને તમારી ખૂબ જ યાદ આવશે, પણ તમે હંમેશા સાથે રહેશો. ખાસ કરીને મારા બાળકોને ઉછેરવામાં, કારણ કે હું તેમને એ જ રીતે શીખવીશ અને ઉછેરીશ જે રીતે તમે મને ઉછેર્યો છે."

મેસ્સીને રોનાલ્ડોનો સપોર્ટ મળ્યો

મેસ્સીના પિતાના અવસાન પછી જ્યારે તેણે સોશિયલ મીડિયા પર એક પોસ્ટ શેર કરી, ત્યારે તેને ક્રિસ્ટિયાનો રોનાલ્ડોનો સપોર્ટ મળ્યો, જેમાં રોનાલ્ડોએ તેની પોસ્ટ પર કોમેન્ટ કરી અને લખ્યું છે કે લીઓ, આ મુશ્કેલ સમયમાં તને અને તારા પરિવારને મારું મોટું હગ, તમને ઘણી શક્તિ મળે.

આ પણ વાંચો: 25 સિક્સ, 15 ચોગ્ગા અને 233 રન... અભિષેક શર્માએ મચાવી ધૂમ, બોલર્સ થયા હેરાન

Former Australian opening batter Matthew Hayden has expressed confidence in 15-year-old Indian prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, saying that the young batter possesses the attributes required to succeed across both limited-overs and long-form cricket.

Speaking to ANI, Hayden lauded the teenager's courage, mental fortitude, and ability to perform under high pressure during the Indian Premier League (IPL), describing him as a player with all the components to reach world-class status.

Sooryavanshi recently enjoyed a stellar T20I campaign against Zimbabwe, scoring 151 runs over three matches to earn his first Player of the Series award during India's 3-0 sweep last month. Before that, during the T20I series against England, he became the youngest player ever to represent India in international cricket.

"Some people say he may be a short-format player only, but I personally disagree. I believe Vaibhav has the potential to succeed in the longer format of the game as well. Fitness is certainly one part of that, but more than anything, it's about mental strength. One of the things I love about Vaibhav is that, at just 15, he had the courage and commitment to take on a major, show-stopping, blockbuster tournament like the IPL, and not just participate, but thrive in it. That tells me he has many of the right ingredients to become a world-class player," Hayden said.

Hayden backs Sooryavanshi for international success after IPL breakthrough

Hayden was impressed by Sooravanshi's rapid rise to stardom but added that staying at the highest level will require continuous results.

"Vaibhav has an immense pool of talent, and we've all been incredibly excited, whether as broadcasters or coaches, to watch his development. But, as he's found out, at the very highest level, there's still work to do, and I'm sure he'll embrace that. He's a terrific young player with outstanding potential, and ultimately, it will be up to him how he wants to shape his career," he added.

The youngster's international call-up followed a sensational IPL 2026 season with Rajasthan Royals, where he finished as the tournament's top run-scorer with 776 runs at a strike rate of 237.30.

Earlier in the year, Sooryavanshi also dominated the ICC Men's Under-19 Cricket World Cup, scoring 439 runs and claiming the Player of the Tournament award to cap off a brilliant rise.

(With inputs from ANI)

Belfast [Ireland], August 13 (ANI): Afghanistan spinner Rashid Khan entered the top ten leading wicket-takers list among active players following another top-class bowling performance against Ireland in the fourth ODI at Belfast.

During the fourth ODI at Belfast, Rashid took 3/49 in 10 overs, helping his side to a massive victory, overtaking Indian pacer Mohammed Shami (462 wickets) to enter the top ten. He is currently at the ninth spot with 464 wickets in 244 matches at an average of 17.15, with 14 four-fers and three five-fors and best figures of 7/18.

Australian pacer Mitchell Starc, currently the 13th-highest wicket-taker overall, is the highest wicket-taker among active players with 759 scalps at an average of 25.28, with 27 five-fors and three ten-fers, with best figures of 7/58.

The leading international wicket-taker is Sri Lankan spin legend Muttiah Muralitharan, with 1,347 wickets in 495 matches at an average of 22.86, with 77 four-fers and 22 five-fors, with best figures of 9/51.

Coming to the match, Ireland opted to field first, and centuries from Sediqullah Atal (143 in 120 balls, with 17 fours and four sixes) and Ibrahim Zadran (107 in 118 balls, with 11 fours and a six) helped Afghanistan reach 343/9 in 20 overs.

Zadran also became the eighth Afghanistan batter to reach 2,000 ODI runs, with 2,105 runs in 45 matches and innings at an average of 50.11, with seven centuries and 10 fifties and best score of 177.

Byron McDonough (3/84), Mark Adair (2/60) and Gavin Hoey (2/71) were among the leading wicket-takers for Ireland.

In the chase, Andy Balbirnie (109 in 119 balls, with nine fours and three sixes) and Curtis Campher (84 in 46 balls, with eight fours and five sixes) played stunning knocks for Ireland, but Yamin Ahmadzai (4/71) and Rashid (3/49) produced masterful spells to restrict them to 301 all out in 48 overs.

Afghanistan has secured the five-match series 3-0, and Atal won the ‘Player of the Match’ award. (ANI)

(This content is sourced from a syndicated feed and is published as received. The Tribune assumes no responsibility or liability for its accuracy, completeness, or content.)