Chandan Khanna / AFP / Getty ImagesMay 24, 2026 Updated 9:21 pm EDTArgentina forward Lionel Messi exited Inter Miami’s final MLS game before the World Cup on Sunday with an apparent injury.Messi walked towards the sideline, asked for a sub and then immediately left the pitch down the tunnel. He was seen grabbing at the back of his leg. It was the 73rd minute of Miami’s wild match against the Philadelphia Union, which was 4-4 at the time. Miami wound up winning 6-4, in the second-highest-scoring game in MLS history, on goals by Luis Suárez (81st minute to complete his hat trick) and Messi’s Argentina teammate Rodrigo De Paul (third minute of stoppage time).Messi is due to join Argentina for World Cup preparations after this match, which is Miami’s last one before MLS takes a six-week break for the World Cup.
Messi is headed straight to the locker room after getting subbed out in the 73rd minute pic.twitter.com/BIpKA4M3TW
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) May 25, 2026Argentina is the defending World Cup champion and drew a group featuring Algeria, Austria and Jordan. The side’s first group game is June 16 against Algeria in Kansas City. Argentina will play two pre-tournament friendlies in college football stadiums in the U.S. on June 6 (vs. Honduras at Texas A&M’s Kyle Field) and June 9 (vs. Iceland at Auburn’s Jordan-Hare Stadium).Messi, 38, is still viewed as one of the best players in the world and is vital to Argentina’s hopes this summer. He is the back-to-back MLS MVP, the first player in league history to win the award in consecutive years. He has 13 goals and seven assists in 16 matches this year. He has been in his best form of the year heading towards the World Cup, with five goals and seven assists in his last five games, including Sunday.The global icon has 116 goals in 198 appearances for Argentina.May 25, 2026Connections: Sports EditionSpot the pattern. Connect the termsFind the hidden link between sports terms
