Messi's Injury at Inter Miami Worries Argentina Ahead of World Cup

Argentinian fans are in a state of anticipation and worry after the injury that Lionel Messi sustained during Inter Miami's match against Philadelphia Union in the American league, just a few weeks before the start of the 2026 World Cup.

The departure of the Argentinian national team captain from the match raised widespread concerns within the 'Albiceleste' technical staff, especially with the announcement of the final World Cup squad approaching, while the Argentinian federation continues to closely monitor the player's condition.

The 72nd minute of the match witnessed a worrying moment when Messi himself requested to be substituted by coach Guillermo Hoyos after feeling pain in the left hamstring, following one of his sprints during the game.

Despite the injury, the Argentinian star delivered an impactful performance, assisting two goals before his departure, but he chose not to take any risks and headed directly to the locker room, while the score was an exciting 4-4 draw.

Inter Miami later managed to secure the match with a 6-4 victory, in a game that saw Uruguayan Luis Suarez shine by scoring a 'hat-trick', while Milan Iloski netted a hat-trick for Philadelphia Union, and Germán Berterame scored two goals for Inter Miami, before Rodrigo De Paul added the sixth goal in injury time.

This is the first time this season that Messi has not completed a full match with Inter Miami, which has increased concerns about his physical readiness, especially since he is having an outstanding season after scoring 12 goals and providing 7 assists in 14 matches.

According to reports, the muscular pain began to appear after Messi executed a direct free kick just minutes before his substitution, prompting him to request the change as a precaution. Although the player left the field without any clear signs of pain, Argentinian media noted that his expression was very serious, and he did not stop to greet the fans while heading to the locker room.

For his part, Inter Miami's coach tried to downplay the concerns, as Guillermo Hoyos said after the match: 'We do not have clear information yet about the presence of an injury. We will wait for the medical reports, but he was indeed fatigued, the pitch was heavy, and when there is doubt, it is always better not to take risks.'

The match against Philadelphia Union was Messi's last appearance in an Inter Miami jersey before joining the Argentina national team camp, in preparation to defend the World Cup title.

The Argentinian national team is scheduled to start its 2026 World Cup campaign on June 16 against Algeria in Kansas City, USA.

According to the Argentinian newspaper 'La Nación', recovery from a minor hamstring injury could take about three weeks, which may allow Messi to join the start of the World Cup, but he might miss the two friendly matches against Honduras and Iceland as part of the final preparations for the World Cup.