Messi at the World Cup: Inter Miami injury update, substitution
Key takeaways
- Messi asks for a substitution and walks off, feeling his hamstring weeks ahead of Argentina’s World Cup title defence.
- The 38-year-old, who has missed only one game for his club during this ongoing MLS season, walked off the pitch in the 73rd minute as the defending champions completed a 6-4 win at home on Sunday.
- Here’s what we know about Messi’s substitution and fitness so far:
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
Messi asks for a substitution and walks off, feeling his hamstring weeks ahead of Argentina’s World Cup title defence.
xwhatsapp-strokecopylinkgoogle Add Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Lionel Messi, pictured in Miami, Florida, US, on May 24, 2026, asked to be substituted during Inter Miami's MLS match against Philadelphia [Chandan Khanna/AFP]By Al Jazeera Staff Published On 25 May 202625 May 2026When Lionel Messi requested a substitution in the 72nd minute of Inter Miami’s Major League Soccer (MLS) game against Philadelphia Union, football fans held their collective breath as speculation grew about the star forward’s participation in the upcoming FIFA World Cup.
The 38-year-old, who has missed only one game for his club during this ongoing MLS season, walked off the pitch in the 73rd minute as the defending champions completed a 6-4 win at home on Sunday.