Lionel Messi was substituted in the 73rd minute of Inter Miami’s 6-4 victory over Philadelphia Union on May 24 after clutching the back of his left thigh following a free kick [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10]. Messi, 38, walked off the pitch without assistance and went straight to the locker room after being replaced [3, 8, 11, 10]. Inter Miami initially attributed the substitution to fatigue and a heavy pitch but provided no immediate medical report [1, 3, 4, 8].
On May 25, further medical tests revealed Messi has an overload linked to muscle fatigue in his left hamstring [2, 5, 6, 7, 9]. Inter Miami released a statement saying, "After undergoing further medical tests this Monday, the initial diagnosis indicates an overload associated with muscle fatigue in his left hamstring. The timeline for his return to physical activity will depend on his clinical and functional progress" [2, 9]. Inter Miami coach Guillermo Hoyos said, "He was genuinely suffering from fatigue in that regard; it is indeed fatigue. He was tired, the pitch was heavy and when in doubt, the standard approach is always to ensure you don't take any risks" [1].
Messi’s left hamstring issue comes weeks before the 2026 FIFA World Cup, scheduled from June 11 to July 19 and co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico [1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 12]. Argentina named Messi in their provisional 55-man squad on May 11, with the final 26-player roster due by June 1 [1, 4, 5, 6, 12]. Argentina will play friendlies against Honduras on June 6 and Iceland on June 9 prior to opening their World Cup group matches against Algeria on June 16 in Kansas City [3, 12, 9].
Messi was instrumental in Argentina’s 2022 World Cup win and is expected to captain the team again in what could be his sixth World Cup appearance [1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 12]. The team and fans await updates on his recovery as the June 1 roster submission deadline approaches. Inter Miami’s medical team will monitor his progress closely before determining when he can resume full training [2, 5, 6, 7, 9].
