Inter Miami CF has announced that Lionel Messi is dealing with muscle fatigue in his left hamstring, which has sparked fresh injury concerns for the Argentina captain ahead of the upcoming World Cup.
The Major League Soccer side announced the update on Monday following tests that were conducted after Messi was pulled off on Sunday in Miami’s dramatic 6-4 victory over Philadelphia Union.
The 38-year-old forward was seen scratching the back of his left leg before asking for a substitution at the 73rd minute in the second half, when he seemed to be troubled.
Fans and Argentine officials were immediately concerned when Messi walked off the pitch. However, he did not show evidence of any injury when he made an early exit before the World Cup.
Inter Miami stated in a press release, that the “initial diagnosis is an overload that is related to the fatigue of his left hamstring, and his timeline for return would depend on his medical status and recovery.”
The club has not confirmed a date when he will return to action and has left many people wondering whether he will be fit for action before the tournament.
The injury scare has come at a critical time for defending champions Argentina national football team, who will start their World Cup run against Algeria national football team in Kansas City on June 16.
Additionally in early June, Argentina will have warm-up games with Honduras national football team and Iceland national football team.
Messi has been careful about playing when clubs have too many fixtures, which is why he has limited his playing time since joining Inter Miami in 2023.
He’s yet to officially confirm his appearance in the World Cup, but everyone believes he’ll play. This will be his 6th World Cup.
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