With the World Cup rapidly approaching, the tournament’s biggest star exited with an injury that could potentially throw the soccer world into a tailspin.
Miami FC superstar Lionel Messi departed Inter Miami’s 6-4 win Sunday against the Philadelphia Union after he was seen grabbing his left thigh.
Messi immediately walked off the pitch in the 73rd minute and asked for a sub before being replaced by Mateo Silvetti.
The injury to the Miami captain appears to have transpired after taking a free kick in the minutes before his departure.
He quickly went to the locker room instead of heading to the bench alongside his teammates.
There has been no injury update yet, but everyone is surely holding their breath as he prepares for his likely final run with his native Argentina at this year’s World Cup hosted in North America.
“As far as I know, we don’t have a report on that yet, but he really was fatigued. It was fatigue,” Miami coach Guillermo Hoyos said after the game. “Yes, it was fatigue. He was tired, the field was heavy, and rather than doubt, you always say not to take the risk.”
Hoyos did add that he hadn’t spoken to Messi after the match.
Still, it is highly unusual for Messi to pull himself out of a match, as he almost never is replaced.
Messi is a normal fixture for Miami, logging the full 90 minutes in each of his 13 previous MLS appearances and both of his CONCACAF Champions Cup games.
Argentina will face Algeria in their opening World Cup match for Group J on June 19, and before this worrisome development they expected Messi to be leading the charge in their attempt to repeat as champions after downing France in the 2022 final.
