Inter Miami superstar Lionel Messi has again become the centre of injury concerns ahead of the World Cup after coming off during Sunday’s MLS encounter with Philadelphia Union.
The Argentine forward signalled to the bench to be replaced in the second half after seemingly feeling pain around his left leg during the match, which was played under difficult wet conditions in Miami. Despite the scare, the 38-year-old left the field without help and made his way down the tunnel on his own.
Speaking after the game, Inter Miami manager Guillermo Hoyos dismissed suggestions of a major setback, insisting the substitution was only done to avoid complications.
“At the moment, we have not received any medical update suggesting an injury. He was mainly feeling worn out,” Hoyos explained.
“The heavy surface made things tougher for the players, so there was no need to take chances.”
Messi has not publicly stated if he will feature for Argentina at the next World Cup, although expectations remain high that he will be part of the squad. Should he participate, the tournament would become his sixth World Cup appearance, matching the record for the most by any player.
Since arriving in the United States in 2023, Messi’s workload has been handled carefully because of previous muscle-related issues that kept him out of action on several occasions. Argentina’s coaching and medical staff are expected to monitor him closely before confirming the team for the competition.
