Messi left the match ahead of the World Cup, Inter Miami is calming concerns for now
Lionel Messi has once again found himself at the center of attention just a few weeks before the start of the 2026 World Cup, but this time not because of a goal or a record, but because of the way he left Inter Miami's match against the Philadelphia Union. The Argentine captain was substituted in the 73rd minute of a dramatic MLS clash played on May 24, 2026, in Miami, in which Inter Miami won 6:4. According to an MLS report, Messi himself signaled to the bench that he wanted to be substituted, and after leaving the pitch he immediately headed toward the tunnel of Nu Stadium. Inter Miami interim coach Guillermo Hoyos, according to MLS, described the situation after the match as muscle fatigue and a precautionary measure to avoid risking any worsening of the condition.
Although the club did not release a detailed medical report in the first hours after the match, the sight attracted great attention because Messi rarely leaves a game without a clear reason. The Associated Press reported that the Argentine forward reached toward the back of his left leg in the closing stages of his match and then, walking under his own power but more slowly than usual, went to the dressing room. According to the same report, no preliminary diagnosis was immediately announced, and substitute Mateo Silvetti also could not say after the match exactly what had happened. For that reason, for now it is most accurate to speak of possible discomfort or caution, rather than a confirmed more serious injury.
A spectacular ten-goal match
The match itself between Inter Miami and the Philadelphia Union was one of the most unusual in recent MLS history. According to Inter Miami's official report, the Florida team won 6:4 after a major comeback, with the scorers for the home side being Luis Suárez, who scored a hat-trick, Germán Berterame with two goals, and Rodrigo De Paul in stoppage time. The club stated that with this victory Inter Miami moved to a 9-2-4 record and 31 points, extending its winning streak before the World Cup break to four matches. The home team had 61 percent possession, 18 shots and six goalkeeper saves, while Philadelphia, according to the same report, recorded 21 shots.
The match began extremely badly for Inter Miami because Philadelphia took the lead as early as the 4th and 10th minutes. Inter Miami reduced the deficit in the 13th minute, when Berterame made use of Messi's assist in the penalty area, but the visitors again moved two goals ahead in the 20th minute. According to the club report, Suárez scored in the 29th minute for 2:3, Berterame scored in the 42nd minute after another precise Messi pass, and Suárez turned the result around in the 44th minute. Philadelphia nevertheless equalized at 4:4 in the eighth minute of first-half stoppage time, so the teams went into the break after as many as eight goals.
MLS announced that the total of ten goals equaled the second-highest goal tally in a single match in league history, behind only the meeting between the LA Galaxy and the Colorado Rapids from May 1998, which ended 7:4. According to MLS, the first half with eight goals was a record for the number of goals in one half of a match. Philadelphia, the league states, had a Milan Iloski hat-trick and a Bruno Damiani goal by halftime, while Inter Miami completed the comeback in the second half with goals by Suárez in the 81st minute and De Paul in the third minute of stoppage time. Messi, who had recorded two assists before leaving the game, was one of the key players in the home team's comeback.
What is known about Messi's exit?
The most important question after the match was whether Messi's substitution was related to a more serious injury or to a cautious decision ahead of the gathering of the Argentina national team. MLS carried a statement from coach Guillermo Hoyos, according to which it was muscle fatigue and a decision to avoid risk. The coach, however, did not present an official medical report, so the final assessment is expected only after additional examinations or a club announcement. The Guardian reported that Messi did not appear to be visibly limping on the television broadcast before leaving, but also that observers at the stadium said he was holding his leg after leaving the pitch.
According to the Associated Press, heavy rain began to fall at the start of the second half, and the surface became slippery and more difficult to play on. In such circumstances, some players had problems slipping, but AP states that in Messi's case there was no clear moment in which it could be seen that he had made a major misstep. That is precisely why the question remains open as to whether this was a preventive substitution, fatigue after a demanding match, or the beginning of a muscular problem requiring more detailed diagnostics. In football, hamstring injuries are often assessed only after examinations and imaging, and their seriousness can range from short-term discomfort to a break lasting several days or several weeks.
The situation is sensitive also because Messi had already had muscular problems earlier during his time at Inter Miami. The Associated Press recalls that he had dealt with hamstring difficulties at least two more times since arriving at the club. Such history does not mean that the current problem is necessarily serious, but it explains why the reactions of fans, media and the Argentine public were quick. Ahead of a major competition, every unusual exit by the captain and the national team's most important player becomes a matter of national sporting interest.
Argentina is monitoring the situation ahead of its title defense
Messi's condition is especially important for Argentina because the reigning world champions are entering the final phase of preparations for the 2026 World Cup. FIFA has announced that the tournament will be held in the United States of America, Canada and Mexico, and that the competition begins on June 11 and runs until July 19. Argentina, according to the schedule cited by FIFA and MLS, opens its Group J campaign against Algeria on June 16, then plays Austria on June 22 and Jordan on June 27. MLS states that in the expanded 48-team format, the two best national teams from each group and the eight best third-placed teams advance to the knockout stage.
Argentina enters the tournament as the defending champion, having won the title in 2022 in Qatar, when it defeated France in the final after penalties. According to MLS, Messi has 116 goals in 198 appearances for the national team, making him the top scorer in the history of the Argentina national team. At the same time, an appearance at the 2026 tournament would be his sixth World Cup, which is cited in football as an exceptionally rare achievement. Still, Messi has previously said that his participation depends on whether he feels ready and useful to the team, so every piece of information about his physical condition is now viewed through the prism of that decision.
Head coach Lionel Scaloni is expected to finalize the list of players with whom Argentina will defend the title ahead of the tournament. According to media reports on the national team's preparations, Argentina has friendly matches before the start of the competition against Honduras on June 6 and Iceland on June 9. If it turns out that Messi's exit was only the result of fatigue and caution, those tests could serve to control rhythm and form before the first match at the tournament. If, however, a muscular problem is confirmed, the coaching staff will have to adjust the workload plan and assess how realistic it is to use him in the friendly matches.
Messi's form remains one of Argentina's main arguments
The concern is greater because Messi had been in very good form ahead of the World Cup. MLS states that before the break he had 20 direct goal contributions in 14 matches, namely 12 goals and eight assists, which was the best performance in the league by combined goals and assists. In the match against Philadelphia, he had already assisted Berterame twice in the first half, showing that even at the age of 38 he is capable of dictating the tempo of the attack and solving situations with a single pass. Such a role for Argentina is not only symbolic, but also tactically crucial because Messi still links midfield and attack, opens space for teammates and changes the rhythm of the match.
Inter Miami had one of the most efficient teams in MLS during the same period. According to MLS, after the match against Philadelphia the club had scored 39 goals, the most in the league, and before the break it was two points behind leading Nashville SC in the race for the Supporters' Shield. In that context, Messi was not an isolated star, but part of an attacking system in which Suárez, Berterame and De Paul also had an extremely important role. That is precisely why Inter Miami's coaches may be especially cautious with his workload, because after the World Cup break the club continues the season with major ambitions in MLS.
For Argentina, his form is even more important because the national team relies on a blend of the generation that won the Copa América and the World Cup and new players who are gradually taking on larger roles. Rodrigo De Paul, Messi's teammate at Inter Miami and a long-time pillar of the Argentine midfield, further connects the club and national-team contexts. If Messi is fully fit, Argentina will enter Group J with continuity and a clear hierarchy in its play. If he is limited, Scaloni will have to look for solutions that change the way the team attacks a set defense.
Caution instead of dramatic conclusions
At this moment there is no official confirmation that Messi has suffered a more serious injury. The most concrete public information remains the statement carried by MLS, according to which coach Hoyos spoke of muscle fatigue and avoiding risk. On the other hand, the fact that Messi went directly into the tunnel, and not toward the bench, understandably prompted additional questions. The Associated Press states that he walked independently and without the assistance of medical staff, which may be a reassuring sign, but only medical findings can provide a clearer answer.
From a sporting perspective, Inter Miami achieved a valuable victory against Philadelphia and enters the break on a winning streak. However, attention after the match naturally shifted from the result to the condition of the player who in a few weeks will again be at the center of football's biggest stage. Argentina opens the defense of its world title against Algeria on June 16, and until then every club announcement, training session and possible appearance in friendly matches will be an important signal about Messi's readiness. Until official medical information arrives, the most accurate description of the situation remains that it is a worrying, but for now unconfirmed, health issue.
Sources:
- Inter Miami CF – official match report Inter Miami CF - Philadelphia Union 6:4, scorers, statistics and course of the match (link)
- MLSsoccer.com – report on Messi's exit from the game, statement by coach Guillermo Hoyos and World Cup context (link)
- MLSsoccer.com – analysis of the ten-goal match and historical context of the 6:4 result (link)
- Associated Press / WSLS – report from the match, description of the exit from the pitch and information that no preliminary diagnosis was announced (link)
- FIFA – official schedule and framework of the 2026 World Cup (link)
- The Guardian – additional context on Messi's exit, weather conditions and Argentina's schedule before the start of the tournament (link)