Casemiro hailed Lionel Messi’s commitment after the Inter Miami star returned to action just four days after the death of his father Jorge.
Messi was not expected back for the Leagues Cup tie with Club Leon – he had penned an emotional letter earlier Wednesday in which he questioned whether he wanted to carry on playing – but was named on the bench and came on at half-time at Nu Stadium.
His presence was not enough to stave off a 3-2 defeat as Miami crashed out of a competition they reached the final of last season but Brazilian team-mate Casemiro was quick to pay tribute to the 39-year-old.
The former Manchester United and Real Madrid midfielder said: “He [Messi] sets a great example. After all, he is surely going through a very difficult time, but the commitment he has shown, not just to the players but to the club, has been incredible. I’ve never seen anything like it in my life.
“We have to say thank you, thank you for coming here, for helping us, and for helping the club.”
Casemiro’s midfield partner Yannick Bright echoed those thoughts, adding: “It’s incredible. I wasn’t expecting it and it shows how much he cares.
“When I saw that he was here, all I thought about was giving 150% for him. It’s a tough situation, so we’re trying to stay close to him and offer as much support as we can.”
Daniel Arcila scored twice for Club Leon with the Mexican club finishing with three wins from three.
Miami have little time to dwell on a rare failure and must now retrain their focus on to Saturday’s clash against Major League Soccer Eastern Conference leaders Nashville SC.
Messi is likely to take on a more central role in that game in another indication that he intends to continue playing after suggesting he was considering his future following Jorge’s passing at the weekend.
What did Messi write on Instagram?
Jorge, who was also Messi’s long-time agent, missed the World Cup after his condition deteriorated following a prolonged illness. He subsequently died aged 68 in his hometown of Rosario, in the early hours of Saturday morning.
Messi, 39, wrote on Instagram: “I don’t know what I’m going to do without you.
“I don’t know how to carry on. I used to just play football, and now I’m really not sure if I’ll carry on doing it for much longer.
“You were by my side from the beginning; there was so little left until the end. Why couldn’t you hold on just a little longer so we could finish it together?”
Messi reveals Dad persuaded him to go to the World Cup
Messi gave serious consideration to not playing at the World Cup but revealed Jorge had persuaded him to give it one last shot.
Messi wrote: “Dad, you kept asking me to play in one last World Cup… just days before it began was when your condition got worse.
“It was the first time you weren’t going to be there with me at tournament… but Mom kept telling me you were going to get better and that you’d be well enough to travel.
“I kept telling you we were going to reach the World Cup final so you could make the trip, this was my mission once again.
“After every match, I waited for and missed your message. That’s when I realised how serious the situation really was.
“I couldn’t stop thinking about going as far as possible, give you more time and the chance to watch one of the games.”
Messi struggled to make an impact in the final
It was an exhausting tournament for the former Barcelona and PSG star, who captained his country to extra-time wins over Cape Verde and Switzerland before a mentally draining semi-final victory over old foes England.
And Messi conceded had nothing left to give against Spain as the defending champions lost 1-0.
He added: “We reached the final, but you couldn’t be there. I wanted to win it so I could bring the trophy to you and show you another one. I couldn’t.
“My legs just couldn’t give me any more. This time I tried to push beyond what my body could handle, but I couldn’t.
“I never managed to feel physically right.
“We didn’t become champions Dad, but you have no idea how much we enjoyed every match. Once again, you were right: I had to be there and play in it… as you told me, always.”
