Lionel Messi has suffered a muscle strain in his left hamstring and has not suffered any muscle tear, which is a huge boost for Argentina and the World Cup organisers.
Messi limped off clutching the back of his left leg during Inter Miami’s 6-4 win over Philadelphia on Sunday, leading to fears that the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner’s participation in the World Cup could be in jeopardy.
But Miami’s statement provided good news and Messi should be available for Argentina’s opening match against Algeria on June 16.
The statement read: “The Inter Miami captain was forced to leave the field yesterday, Sunday, May 24, during the match against Philadelphia Union, due to physical discomfort.
“After undergoing further medical tests on Monday, the initial diagnosis indicates 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.”
Argentina is playing two friendly matches, against Honduras and Iceland, but Messi will not be at risk if he is not 100% ready.
What was the reaction after the match?
Miami interim coach Guillermo Hoyos said that Messi was “exhausted” on the field due to the rain.
Hoyos, who scored a hat-trick for Luis Suarez, the German Berteram scored two goals, and Rodrigo de Paul scored another goal, in a goal controlled by South American strikers, added: “Instead of doubting, you always say don’t take risks.”
His teammate Matteo Silvetti said: “I tried to see how he was after the match, but I did not see him in the dressing room.” “I don’t know if he was with the medical staff or went home.
He added: “At the moment he left, we were all focused on the match, so I didn’t think about whether it was because of the injury or because he was tired.”
Schedule of Argentina’s matches in the World Cup
Messi’s problem occurred three weeks before Argentina’s opening match of the tournament against Algeria.
If it tops its group, Argentina’s match will be in the round of 32 in Miami on July 3.
Argentina’s preliminary World Cup schedule looks like this. Start times marked with an asterisk indicate the previous day.
| date | Opponents | GMT | at | Pt | place |
| Tuesday 16 June | Algeria | 02:00* | 21:00 | 18:00 | Kansas |
| Monday, June 22 | Austria | 18:00 | 13:00 | 10:00 | Arlington |
| Saturday 27 June | Uruguay | 03:00* | 22:00 | 19:00 | Arlington |
Lionel Messi statistics, injury history
Messi, a two-time MLS Player of the Year, has produced an impressive total of 12 goals and eight assists in 14 league games this season.
With 116 goals in 198 appearances for Argentina, Messi has 60 more goals than his country’s second-highest goalscorer, Gabriel Batistuta.
Miami and Argentina have missed Messi in a total of 30 matches due to injury since September 2023, most notably when he was ruled out for two months due to an ankle injury he suffered during Argentina’s victory over Colombia in the 2024 Copa America final.
Who can replace Argentina’s Lionel Messi?
While many see Messi’s abilities as irreplaceable, the good news for Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni is that he has strong attacking options if the captain is not available.
Scaloni had not yet announced his lineup for the finals when Miami played its final match before the finals World CupBut Julián Alvarez is likely to be a starter, as he has contributed 20 goals and nine assists in 49 games for Atletico Madrid this season, scoring 10 goals and assisting four goals in 15 Champions League matches.
Lautaro Martinez has scored 22 goals in 41 appearances for Inter, and the likes of Liverpool’s Alexis McAllister, Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandes and former Atletico’s De Paul are providing ample creative display behind the attacking line.
However, Argentina were held to a scoreless draw in their last competitive match without Messi, losing 1-0 to Ecuador in a World Cup qualifier last September.
