Mexican club León sent a special message to the Argentine star Lionel Messi following their Leagues Cup clash with Inter Miami, a match that produced a touching moment between the tango legend and León's Colombian defender Johan Romaña.
Posting a photo of the embrace between Romaña and Messi on their official "X" account, León wrote: "This embrace from León, from everyone, from football, it is for you, dear Lionel. Respect and affection."
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The message followed a 3-2 win for León that knocked Inter Miami out of the competition.
Messi was back on the pitch for the first time since the death of his father Jorge a few days earlier. He came on as a substitute in the second half.
The embrace came during a loose ball. Romaña moved in to stop the Argentine, then hugged him and lifted him clean off the ground. The gesture, the León man's way of offering his condolences after Messi's painful loss, sparked a wide reaction and quickly became one of the standout moments of the night.