{
  "id": 342518,
  "title": "Rodrigo De Paul's Emotional Tribute To Lionel Messi After Scoring For Inter Miami Goes Viral | Video",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/09/rodrigo-de-pauls-emotional-tribute-to-lionel-messi-after-scoring-for",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-09T03:49:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Press Journal",
    "slug": "free-press-journal",
    "url": "https://www.freepressjournal.in/sports/rodrigo-de-pauls-emotional-tribute-to-lionel-messi-after-scoring-for-inter-miami-goes-viral-video"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Inter Miami's Rodrigo De Paul delivered an emotional tribute to his friend and teammate Lionel Messi following a goal in Saturday's Leagues Cup match against Monterrey. The tribute came as Messi was mourning the loss of his father, Jorge Messi, aged 68. De Paul removed his Inter Miami jersey to reveal a Messi No. 10 jersey beneath, then pointed towards the iconic number in a poignant gesture. The Argentine midfielder had scored in the 32nd minute with a long-range shot, leaving Monterrey's goalkeeper helpless. This emotional celebration came just hours after Jorge Messi's passing, a significant figure in Lionel Messi's life and career. They had been part of Argentina's 2022 World Cup-winning team and reached the 2026 World Cup final together. De Paul, who played alongside Messi, supported his friend during the difficult period, making his gesture even more meaningful. Despite Inter Miami's emotional display, Monterrey managed to secure a 2-1 victory, leaving the Herons in a challenging position in the competition.",
  "summary": "Rodrigo De Paul produced a deeply emotional tribute to his close friend and Inter Miami teammate Lionel Messi after scoring against Monterrey in the Leagues Cup on Saturday. With Messi mourning the death of his father, Jorge Messi, De Paul dedicated his goal to the Argentina icon and his family in a touching gesture. De Paul opened the scoring in the 32nd minute with a superb long-range strike,…",
  "key_points": [
    "Rodrigo De Paul mourns Lionel Messi's father Jorge Messi's passing.",
    "De Paul honors Messi with emotional tribute after scoring for Inter Miami.",
    "Inter Miami loses 2-1 to Monterrey despite De Paul's gesture."
  ],
  "editors_take": "Rodrigo De Paul's heartfelt tribute to Lionel Messi after scoring for Inter Miami underscores the strong bond between teammates and adds a poignant layer to their ongoing World Cup-winning partnership.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}