Inter Miamis Lionel Messi to miss World Cup due to injury

Lionel Messi Requests Substitution in Inter Miami Game Ahead of World Cup

In the 72nd minute of Sunday’s Major League Soccer (MLS) game against Philadelphia Union, Lionel Messi requested a substitution and left the field. The 38-year-old forward, who has been instrumental for his team Inter Miami, walked off the pitch with an apparent hamstring injury.

Messi had played 90 minutes in all MLS games in the past month before being substituted out of the match. He was replaced by Mateo Silvetti, and immediately left the field via the tunnel without any support from medical personnel.

Inter Miami coach Guillermo Hoyos stated that it was too early to determine if Messi’s substitution was due to injury or fatigue. “As far as I know, we don’t have a [medical] report on that yet, but we will have one shortly,” Hoyos said. He attributed Messi’s exit to the player’s overall fitness and approach to not taking any risks.

Teammate Silvetti expressed uncertainty about Messi’s condition, saying “We’re hoping it turns out to be nothing serious.” The match recap for Inter Miami’s game against Philadelphia Union did not mention Messi’s substitution or injury scare.

Messi has been managing his workload since joining Inter Miami in 2023 and has a history of hamstring injuries. He is expected to return for the upcoming FIFA World Cup, but any significant injury could impact Argentina’s title defense. The team’s squad is due to be named next week, with pre-World Cup friendlies against Honduras and Iceland scheduled for June 6 and 9, respectively.

The World Cup campaign begins on June 16, with Argentina facing Algeria, Austria, and Jordan in their group stage matches.

Source: Al Jazeera