Lionel Messi's return to action ended in disappointment as Inter Miami were beaten 4-1 by Nashville SC, with the Argentine missing a penalty, receiving a yellow card and failing to score in his first match since the death of his father.

Messi was denied from the spot in the first half by Nashville goalkeeper Brian Schwake. The miss was his third consecutive failure from a penalty after he also failed to convert against Austria and Egypt during the 2026 World Cup.

Nashville took the lead through Andy Najar before Telasco Segovia equalised for Miami in first-half stoppage time. The hosts then pulled away after the break, with Hany Mukhtar scoring twice and Sam Surridge adding another to complete the 4-1 victory.

Messi was booked in the 59th minute after reacting to an incident following Nashville's third goal. He also had a late goal ruled out for offside, while an earlier sequence saw him hit both posts in the same attack, according to reports from the match.

The defeat ended Inter Miami's seven-match unbeaten run and allowed Nashville to strengthen its position at the top of the Eastern Conference. Nashville moved five points clear of Miami following the result.

The match was Messi's first since his father, Jorge Messi, died on 8 August at the age of 68 following a prolonged illness. Jorge had been a central figure throughout his son's career, serving as his father and long-time agent and helping guide his move from Argentina to Barcelona as a teenager.

Messi had returned to Inter Miami after publicly reflecting on his father's death earlier this week. In an emotional tribute, he said he had been left with doubts about his future in football following the loss.

Despite Messi's assist in the match, Miami could not recover from Nashville's second-half surge. The result leaves the Florida side facing a difficult stretch as the regular season continues.