Argentina, World Cup fans on tenterhooks as Messi limps off

Argentina national team supporters around the world are now holding their breath after Lionel Messi exited the field of Nu Stadium on Sunday night with an apparent discomfort in his left leg.

Inter Miami CF triumphed 6-4 over Philadelphia Union on Sunday in the final Major League Soccer game before the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but the score pales in comparison to one of the most anticipated tournament-bound players getting hurt.

Messi could be seen feeling the upper part of his left thigh in the 70th minute before requesting a substitution, a demand he rarely makes when on the pitch. He was replaced by Mateo Silvetti, leaving the field and walking directly to the locker room.

Messi required no additional help when leaving the field or making his way to the locker room.

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His participation in the summer tournament was always uncertain, dictated by his fitness level come June 1 when Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni officially submits Argentina’s 26-player roster to FIFA.

“I would like to be there. To feel well and to be an important part of helping my national team, if I am there,” Messi said in October. “I am going to assess that on a day-to-day basis when I start preseason next year with Inter [Miami] and see if I can really be 100%.”

He had evaded injuries the past couple of months, but now his involvement in the summer tournament is in doubt.

In the past few months, Messi worked to find the balance between being in rhythm for the World Cup and avoiding injury. Prior to Sunday’s game, Rodrigo De Paul revealed that he and Messi participated in double work out sessions to prepare for the tournament. The two booked additional time on the field, training with Inter Miami in the mornings and separately in the afternoons, to reach peak shape for the summer 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 in an interview. “We’re both killing ourselves to ensure we’re in the best possible physical shape. We committed to a two-a-day schedule with our trainer, and we’re really putting in the work…”

Former Miami head coach Javier Mascherano and new interim manager Guillermo Hoyos worked to carefully curate Messi’s workload, especially when Inter Miami played up to three matches in eight days at certain points of the season.

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Lionel Messi’s pair of assists spark Inter Miami’s comeback

Lionel Messi’s pair of assists spark Inter Miami’s comeback

Both Messi and De Paul sat out the game against Charlotte FC on March 14, the third match in a stretch of seven days.

“We’ve been playing a lot of games lately — Wednesdays, Saturdays,” former assistant coach Javier Morales said after the game of the players’ absences.

Messi could’ve sat out the game against the Union on Sunday night, joining an ongoing trend of players missing the final match of the season before the summer tournament out of precaution. James Rodríguez missed the last two Minnesota United matches to join the Colombia national team early, while goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa opted out of AEL Limassol’s games on May 11 and May 15 to be with Mexico.

Reports also claimed Diego Luna missed Real Salt Lake‘s last game before the World Cup simply out of precaution.

But not the Inter Miami captain, he went all in against the Philadelphia Union. Messi knows that playing serves his body best, even when watching from the sidelines seems like the safer option.

“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.”

Messi kicked off the match strong, recording his first assist of the night in the 13th minute when crossing the ball inside the box from the right to find Germán Berterame. He continued to pounce on every play, covering 49.8 meters by the 59th minute of the match.

His constant pressure on Philadelphia’s players propelled Messi to create the move for the team’s third goal of the night and a second assist to Berterame. All in all, Messi was involved in three out of six Inter Miami goals on Sunday night before leaving the pitch.

A torrential downpour in the second half posed a health risk for players as individuals began slipping on the field. Messi slipped just outside the Philadelphia box in the 62nd minute, before getting up to continue the play.

Messi then requested the substitution minutes later.

The severity of the situation remains unknown as Messi undergoes testing for any muscular discomfort he feels. Any speculation over his supposed time on the sidelines is premature, with no medical data to back up timelines.

Hoyos confirmed after the match that the player felt fatigued, with the rain playing a role in the conditions of the field and the risks he was willing to take with Messi.

“As far as I know, we don’t have a report on that yet, but he really was fatigued,” Hoyos said in the 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.”

Hoyos added he had not spoken to Messi after the match.

Messi has been in this situation before and bounced back.

Earlier this year, on Feb. 11, Inter Miami confirmed Messi failed to train with the club after sustaining a muscle strain in his left hamstring during the pre-season friendly against Barcelona SC in Ecuador. The club subsequently rescheduled the game against Independiente del Valle due to Messi’s injury.

He was back on the field one week later.

Before that, Messi suffered a hamstring injury during Inter Miami’s Leagues Cup match against Club Necaxa on Aug. 2, 2025. He left the field in the 11th minute after coming into contact with the opponents when dribbling into the box and stumbling to the ground.

The Inter Miami captain attempted to walk it off for a couple of minutes but ultimately sought medical attention and left the game.

Messi returned from injury two weeks later, recording a goal and an assist in his first game back from the muscle strain.

No one knows the extent of the situation after Sunday’s incident, but he’s managed to bounce back throughout his career in a grand, Messi fashion. At 38 years old, he has overcome injuries of all kinds to reach record-breaking heights and lead his teams to victory. Tests and time will determine how big of a hurdle Messi must overcome this time to try and reach the global stage at the World Cup one more time.