Inter Miami’s 6-4 home win over Philadelphia on May 24 was overshadowed by captain Lionel Messi making way late in the second half while clutching the back of his left thigh.
The Argentina international was substituted and clearly in discomfort, leading to concerns that the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner’s participation at the 2026 FIFA World Cup could be at risk.
“Honestly, as an Argentinean, I’m concerned like everyone else,” said teammate and fellow Rosario-born forward Mateo Silvetti.
Here’s the latest on Messi’s situtation, including when the 38-year-old could return and his prospects of playing at the World Cup.
What’s the latest news on Lionel Messi’s injury?
Interim head coach Guillermo Hoyos did not have a definitive update immediately after the win but said Messi was “fatigued” on a pitch made heavy by rain.
“Rather than doubt, you always say not to take the risk,” added Hoyos, who saw Luis Suarez hit a hat-trick, German Berterame score twice and Rodrigo De Paul net another on a scoresheet dominated by South American forwards.
“I tried to see how he was doing after the game but did not see him in the locker room,” said Silvetti. “I don’t know if he was with the medical staff or went home.
“At the moment he went off, we were all concentrating on the game, so I wasn’t thinking about if it was for an injury or because he was tired.”
How long will Messi be out for? Which games will he miss?
Hoyos’s remarks make Messi’s exit a potentially precautionary one, but a report by Ole has suggested the issue could be more serious.
The Argentinean outlet cited a source to have said that Messi, who led Argentina to World Cup glory in 2022, was “somewhat emotional” in the dressing room afterwards.
Depending on their severity, hamstring injuries usually take between four and six weeks to fully recover from, which could mean Messi will not be fit until at least the end of the group stage at the finals.
Will Messi play at the World Cup with Argentina? Potential return date
Messi’s issue occurred three weeks before Argentina’s opening match of the tournament against Algeria.
A return in four weeks could mean Messi misses two matches at the finals. Should they win their group, Argentina’s last-32 match will be in Miami on July 3.
Argentina’s initial World Cup schedule looks like this. Kick-off times with an asterisk denote the previous day.
| Date | Opponents | BST | ET | PT | Venue |
| Tue, June 16 | Algeria | 02:00* | 21:00 | 18:00 | Kansas |
| Mon, June 22 | Austria | 18:00 | 13:00 | 10:00 | Arlington |
| Sat, June 27 | Uruguay | 03:00* | 22:00 | 19:00 | Arlington |
Lionel Messi stats, injury history
Two-time MLS Player of the Year Messi has produced a remarkable total of 12 goals and eight assists in 14 league matches this season.
With 116 goals in 198 appearances for Argentina, Messi has 60 more goals than the next-highest scorer for his country, Gabriel Batistuta.
Miami and Argentina have missed Messi for a total of 30 matches through injury since September 2023, most notably when he was ruled out for two months with an ankle injury suffered during Argentina’s win over Colombia in the 2024 Copa America final.
Who could Argentina replace Lionel Messi with?
While many regard Messi’s abilities as irreplaceable, the good news for Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni is that he has potent attacking options if the skipper is unavailable.
Scaloni was yet to name his squad for the finals when Miami played their final game before the World Cup, but Julian Alvarez is likely to be a starter, having contributed 20 goals and nine assists in 49 appearances for Atletico Madrid this season, finding the net 10 times and setting up four goals across 15 games in the Champions League.
Lautaro Martinez scored 22 goals in 41 games for Inter and the likes of Liverpool’s Alexis Mac Allister, Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez and former Atleti schemer De Paul offer ample creative supply behind the forward line.
Argentina did, however, draw a blank in their last competitive match without Messi, losing 1-0 in Ecuador in World Cup qualifying in September.
