Inter Miami closed its Major League Soccer schedule before the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a dramatic 6-4 win over the Philadelphia Union on Sunday night. But the focus quickly shifted to Lionel Messi after the Argentina captain left the match with apparent discomfort in his left leg.
Messi exited in the 73rd minute after grabbing the upper part of his left thigh and signaling toward the bench for a substitution. The 38-year-old walked off the field without assistance and headed directly to the locker room.
The timing immediately raised concern for Argentina ahead of the FIFA World Cup, which begins next month in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Lionel Scaloni is expected to submit Argentina’s final 26-player squad to FIFA soon, with Messi still central to the defending champions’ plans.
Messi had been in strong form entering the tournament, contributing two assists in Sunday’s win while helping Inter Miami erase a 4-4 deadlock late in the match.
GettyLionel Messi leaves the field during the Major League Soccer
Messi appeared uncomfortable midway through the second half against Philadelphia. He was seen touching the back and upper area of his left thigh before asking to come off.
Inter Miami interim manager Guillermo Hoyos addressed the situation after the game and suggested the substitution was precautionary.
“As far as I know, we don’t have a report on that yet, but he really was fatigued,” Hoyos said in his post-match press conference.
“It was fatigue. He was tired, the field was heavy, and rather than doubt, one always says not to take the risk.”
According to reports, no official diagnosis has been released yet. Gaston Edul later stated that Messi’s removal was precautionary and that the player “has no muscle injury.”
Lionel Messi exited Inter Miami’s final MLS game before the World Cup on Sunday with an apparent injury.
Messi walked toward the sideline, asked for a substitute and then immediately left the pitch down the tunnel. He was seen grabbing at the back of his leg.
Inter Miami did
Messi had been heavily involved before leaving the match. He registered two assists, including crosses that helped Germán Berterame score twice. He also played a role in three of Inter Miami’s six goals.
The match was played in difficult weather conditions, with heavy rain affecting the field in the second half. Messi slipped near the edge of the penalty area in the 62nd minute before continuing play.
He requested the substitution minutes later.
Messi has dealt with hamstring injuries during his time with Inter Miami. Earlier this year, he missed training after suffering a left hamstring strain during a preseason match against Barcelona SC. In August 2025, he also exited a Leagues Cup game against Club Necaxa due to a hamstring injury before returning two weeks later.
GettyLionel Messi of Argentina
Argentina are scheduled to open their World Cup campaign against Algeria on June 16 in Kansas City.
Messi’s fitness had already been closely managed in recent months as he prepared for what could become his sixth World Cup appearance.
Rodrigo De Paul recently explained that both players had increased their individual workloads to prepare for the tournament.
“Two and three months ago we started following a daily training regimen above and beyond what we do at the club,” De Paul said. “We’re both killing ourselves to ensure we’re in the best possible physical shape.”
Messi also spoke earlier about balancing match fitness with injury prevention.
“Even if [the rest] seems better, for me it’s worse because I need to compete,” Messi said in July 2025. “I feel good physically the more matches I play and get into rhythm.”
Inter Miami’s coaching staff had carefully managed Messi’s workload throughout the MLS season, especially during stretches with multiple matches in one week.
Former assistant coach Javier Morales previously said: “We’ve been playing a lot of games lately — Wednesdays, Saturdays.”
Despite the injury scare, there remains optimism around Messi’s availability for the World Cup.
The Argentina captain has overcome similar setbacks before. Ahead of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Messi also dealt with fitness concerns but still played every minute during Argentina’s run to the title.
For now, Argentina and Inter Miami are awaiting further medical evaluation to determine the extent of Messi’s discomfort before the World Cup preparations officially begin.
Debayan Biswas Debayan Biswas is a sports writer at Heavy Sports covering NBA, NFL, Golf, and Soccer. His work has been syndicated on Yahoo Sports, Yardbarker, Flipboard, The Sun News, and The Olympian. Previously, he contributed to Athlon Sports, EssentiallySports, and PFSN. More about Debayan Biswas
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