Overview
- Messi asked to be substituted after holding his left hamstring in the 73rd minute of Sunday’s 6-4 win over Philadelphia, having provided two assists earlier in the game.
- Inter Miami issued a preliminary medical diagnosis of overwork-associated muscular fatigue in the left hamstring and scheduled further tests to monitor his clinical and functional recovery.
- Coach Guillermo Hoyos called the removal precautionary and highlighted a heavy pitch and fatigue as reasons for taking Messi off rather than an immediate ruling of serious injury.
- Any significant setback would complicate Argentina’s preparations with the 2026 World Cup beginning on June 11 and Argentina set to open their campaign on June 16, so the national team’s final selection will depend on Messi’s short-term progress.
- Messi, 38, has a history of recurring hamstring problems and Inter Miami has managed his minutes since 2023, a context that shapes the club’s cautious approach and that increases the focus on load management and rapid medical checks now.