Lionel Messi's Son Debuts at Argentina Youth Tournament | OneFootball

12-year-old Thiago Messi, son of eight-time Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi, is following in his father's footsteps.

The eldest of Messi's three sons traveled to his father's hometown of Rosario, Argentina to represent Inter Miami's U-13 side in the Newell's Cup tournament. The competition features eight clubs from North and South America as they compete against one another across five days.

Thiago honored his father by wearing his iconic No. 10 shirt for his first match against Newell's Old Boys, Messi's boyhood team. The 2022 World Cup winner spent five years playing for the Argentinian club before he left for Barcelona at the age of 13.

Thiago was joined on the pitch by Benjamín Suárez, son of Messi's ex-Barcelona and current Inter Miami teammate, Luis Suárez. The two could not help their team come away with a victory, though, as Newell's Old Boys walked away with a 1–0 win over the Herons' youth side.

Messi was not in attendance to watch his son's first match of the tournament. The 37-year-old was knocked out of the MLS Cup playoffs in a shocking Round One exit against inferior opponents, Atlanta United. Prior to the postseason disappointment, Inter Miami achieved the single greatest season in MLS history, recording 74 points.

Head coach Gerardo 'Tata' Martino parted ways with the club after the defeat for personal reasons. The club then named Barcelona and Argentina legend Javier Mascherano as the new boss ahead of the 2025 season.

Amid the turnover, Thiago and Benjamín continued carving out their own paths with the club's U-13 side, recording a 2–1 victory over Peñarol in their second match of the Newell's Cup tournament.