Lionel Messi suffers apparent leg injury in Inter Miami win before World Cup

Messi appeared to signal for a substitution midway through the second half of Miami's match against the Union and walked away from the play for several minutes before exiting the game. The Argentina and Miami captain went straight down the tunnel and was seen grabbing the back of his leg as he walked off.

The extent of the injury is not yet known, but it could be a massive blow for Argentina, who begin their World Cup preparations June 1. They play two pre-tournament friendlies June 6 and June 9 before opening group play June 16. Messi, despite his age, remains one of the best players in the world and captains Lionel Scaloni's side. This is expected to be his final World Cup.

The match around him, meanwhile, was one of the most memorable in MLS history. The Herons won 6-4 after falling behind 2-0 inside the opening 10 minutes. Longtime teammate Luis Suarez scored three goals, while Mateo Silvetti, who replaced Messi, provided a crucial assist and helped start another scoring move as Miami closed out a chaotic victory in their final match before the World Cup. They do not play again until mid-July.

Messi has remained relatively injury-free during his stint with Miami. After dealing with calf issues and an ankle sprain in 2024, the Argentine spent nearly all of 2025 healthy. He started 33 MLS matches and played nearly every available minute in 2025. Messi had played all 90 minutes in each of Miami’s 13 MLS matches this season.