Injury Blow For Lionel Messi, Just Before World Cup

The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off in June — and HuffPost will be live-blogging every twist, turn and controversy from the buildup through the final of what’s widely shaping up to be the most political soccer tournament of all time.From the action on the pitch to the potential chaos off it, the storylines are already piling up: Iran’s possible non-participation amid Donald Trump’s war, the president’s close relationship with FIFA’s Peace Prize-awarding President Gianni Infantino, and simmering tensions between the U.S. and fellow host nations Mexico and Canada fueled by Trump’s tariffs and divisive rhetoric.Trump’s travel bans could keep some fans out, there’s been fury over soaring ticket prices, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents could be present at games as the Trump administration continues its anti-immigration crackdown.Not to mention extreme heat concerns that scorched all those involved the last time the U.S. hosted the tournament some 32 years ago, in 1994.And that’s all before a ball has been kicked.U.S. President Donald Trump received the FIFA Peace Prize from FIFA President Gianni Infantino in December.Andrew Harnik via Getty ImagesOn the field, the men’s national teams from 48 countries will compete in a record 104 matches across the three host nations in what will be the biggest World Cup in history.Mexico will take on South Africa at the iconic Mexico City Stadium in the opening game on June 11. The U.S. will play Paraguay in Los Angeles on June 12, Australia in Seattle on June 19 and Turkey back in Los Angeles on June 25, in the group games, before potentially competing in the later knockout rounds.The final will be held on July 19 at MetLife Stadium, which is being temporarily rebranded as the New York/New Jersey Stadium for the competition.Current European champions Spain are favorites to lift the trophy. Defending champions Argentina, of Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi fame, along with France, England and Brazil, are also expected to be in the mix.Check out the full games schedule on the FIFA website.Follow along with our coverage below:Injury Blow For Lionel Messi, Just Before World CupInter Miami star captain Lionel Messi appeared to suffer a leg injury after grabbing his left thigh, forcing him out in the 73rd minute of a 6-4 home victory over the Philadelphia Union on Sunday night.In the 70th minute, the two-time reigning MLS MVP could be seen grabbing at the upper section of his left thigh following a free kick. The Argentine legend requested a substitution, then headed to the locker room after Mateo Silvetti replaced him.Messi, 28, who has a league-leading 20 goal contributions (12 goals, eight assists) in 14 matches this season, was able to get up and leave the field under his own power. In his fourth season with Inter Miami, Messi has 107 goal contributions (62 goals, 45 assists) in 67 games (59 starts).Miami coach Guillermo Hoyos, while admitting he hadn't spoken with Messi after the match, wasn't particularly concerned about the departure."As far as I know, we don't have a report on that yet, but he really was fatigued. It was fatigue," Hoyos said after the match. "Yes, it was fatigue. He was tired, the field was heavy, and rather than doubt, you always say not to take the risk."MLS began a six-week break after Sunday's matches with the FIFA World Cup set to begin June 11 and run through July 19.Messi is expected to play for Argentina, the defending World Cup champions, though this year's squad has yet to be announced. Argentina's first match in Group J play is June 16 against Algeria in Kansas City. Argentina will prep for group stage play with friendlies against Honduras on June 6 at Texas A&M's Kyle Field and Iceland on June 9 at Auburn's Jordan-Hare Stadium.Latest Live UpdatesWhite House Issues World Cup Isolation Warning To DR Congo Squad Amid Ebola OutbreakThe Democratic Republic of Congo have no plans to change their warm-up preparations for the World Cup despite a warning from the United States that the team must isolate for 21 days before arriving in the country, a team official said on Saturday.Andrew Giuliani, executive director of the White House Task Force for the World Cup, confirmed to ESPN on Friday that the Congolese delegation needed to maintain a bubble where they are training in Belgium and isolate for 21 days or risk being denied entry after a deadly outbreak of the Ebola virus in the central African country.The Congolese team are to be based in Houston at the tournament and will play an opening Group K fixture against Portugal on June 17, followed by matches against Colombia on June 23 in Guadalajara, Mexico, and against Uzbekistan on June 27 in Atlanta."We've been very clear to Congo that they should maintain the integrity of their bubble for 21 days before they can then come to Houston on June 11," Giuliani said."We've made it very clear to the Congo government as well that they need to maintain that bubble or they risk not being able to travel to the United States. We cannot be any clearer."But a team spokesperson said that at this stage there was no change to their schedule in the coming weeks, which includes a friendly against Denmark in Liege, Belgium, on June 3 and another against Chile in Cadiz, Spain, six days later.The team had planned a three-day trip to Kinshasa next week as a celebratory send-off before heading to their first World Cup in 52 years but that was cancelled before the U.S. warning."We have kept our training programme. No player in the squad has come from DR Congo," the official said."The friendly matches are still scheduled. The only modification to the programme has been the cancellation of the Kinshasa leg."The entire squad of players are based outside the DR Congo, mostly in Europe, including coach Sebastien Desabre. A few team officials arrived at the training camp in Belgium from the DRC earlier this week.The World Health Organization on Friday raised to "very high" the risk of the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola turning into a national outbreak in the DRC and has declared the outbreak there and in neighbouring Uganda an emergency of international concern.Nearly 750 suspected cases and 177 suspected deaths have been recorded following the outbreak in DRC.Iran Moves World Cup Base Out Of U.S.Iran’s World Cup training base has been moved from the United States to Mexico with the approval of FIFA, the president of the governing body of Iranian soccer said Saturday.Read more here:Alexi Lalas Trashes U.S. Players’ World Cup Pressure Talk: 'Bunch Of Whiners'Alexi Lalas doesn’t want to hear U.S. players citing pressure ahead of playing in a World Cup at home and says Christian Pulisic, the top American, is “never going to be the leader.”“Cry me a river, OK, when it comes to the pressure. Bunch of whiners, that they’re whining about the pressure,” Lalas said Thursday at a Fox event to promote its World Cup coverage.Read more here:End Of An Era: Pep Guardiola To Leave Manchester CityPep Guardiola will leave Manchester City at the end of the season after a decade in charge, the club announced on Friday, bringing an end to one of the most successful eras in English soccer and one of the most influential managerial reigns of all time.The departure of the 55-year-old Catalan coach will close the book on a remarkable chapter that has seen City transform into a footballing juggernaut.Guardiola, who took charge of City in 2016, has won six Premier League titles -- including four in a row -- three FA Cups, five League Cups and the Champions League, but his side have not won the league in two years."Don't ask me the reasons I'm leaving. There is no reason, but deep inside, I know it's my time," Guardiola said in a statement."Nothing is eternal, if it was, I would be here. Eternal will be the feeling, the people, the memories, the love I have for my Manchester City."We worked. We suffered. We fought. And we did things our own way. Our way."Although City sealed the domestic cup double this season, Guardiola saw his dreams of a seventh Premier League crown dashed when they drew 1-1 at Bournemouth on Tuesday to hand Arsenal the title, with City set to finish second.His final game in charge is Sunday's home fixture against Aston Villa.RECORD-BREAKING CAMPAIGNSGuardiola had arrived in Manchester with a resume already stuffed with silverware from Barcelona and Bayern Munich, taking over from Manuel Pellegrini in July 2016.After inheriting a successful club financed by the Abu Dhabi United Group, Guardiola will walk away having built a footballing empire after overseeing a paradigm shift in Premier League tactics.As Guardiola faced the challenge of adapting to England's famously fast-paced and physical league, possession became an art form and a defensive tool at City as his teams craved complete control.The result was not just utter dominance -- evidenced by record-breaking campaigns like the 100-point 2017-18 season with 106 goals scored -- but also relentless consistency year after year, including a record four league titles in a row.Guardiola's squads set new standards, forcing other teams to evolve, while City's financial muscle combined with shrewd signings such as the much sought-after striker Erling Haaland helped deliver the treble in 2022-23.However, the spectre of the 115 charges of alleged breaches of the Premier League's financial rules looms large over his tenure at the club.GUARDIOLA RAISED THE BARHis rivalry with former Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp raised the bar in the Premier League so high that even 97 points proved insufficient for the Anfield side to claim the title in 2018-19.More recently, Guardiola has faced a challenge from his protege and former coaching assistant Mikel Arteta, who took charge at Arsenal and finished second behind City twice before ultimately winning the trophy this season.But Guardiola looked back fondly at his time in Manchester, remembering how the city came together after the Manchester Arena attack while also describing how the club helped him through a tough period when he lost his mother to COVID."The fans, the staff, the people of Manchester, you gave me strength when I needed it most," he added."Players don't forget - every single instant, moment, me, my staff, this club, everything. What we have done, we have done it for all of you. And you have been just exceptional. You don't know it yet, but you are leaving a legacy."Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for trusting me. Thank you for pushing me. Thank you for loving me... Tony Walsh said in his unforgettable poem, 'This is the place'. I'm sorry, Tony: this is my place."Ebola Risk At World Cup Is Low, Says Global Health AcademicThe risk of Ebola affecting fans at the World Cup is low, according to Dr Oliver Johnson, a global health academic at King's College London, but heightened screening and travel restrictions could complicate logistics.The expanded 48-team tournament, co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, runs from June 11 to July 19.An Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has recorded around 600 suspected cases and more than 130 deaths, prompting the World Health Organization to declare a public health emergency of international concern.The situation has already disrupted DR Congo's World Cup preparations. The team cancelled pre-tournament events in Kinshasa and relocated plans to Belgium.U.S. authorities have also barred entry to non-U.S. passport holders who have been in DR Congo, Uganda or South Sudan in the past 21 days, forcing Congo-based staff to depart early.The squad is due to arrive in the U.S. on June 10 or 11 and will be based in Houston."If you are a casual visitor to the World Cup from around the world, I think there is a very low risk that you would be at risk of Ebola," Johnson told Reuters. "Ebola has never really caused transmission in high-income country settings, where there have been very occasional cases."That is because it is not airborne. You had to normally have direct contact with someone who is quite sick, and there is usually good contact tracing. If a case does occur, it is identified quickly."Johnson said the outbreak could still have broader implications.U.S. authorities have introduced enhanced screening for travellers arriving at Washington Dulles who have recently been in affected countries, while health agencies are working with FIFA and local officials to manage potential risks."It will affect things like airport queues and screening, which will slow things down," Johnson said. "It is going to add a little extra stress and it's going to cost money to the U.S. to try and organise."I think the other possibility is that we hope this outbreak is not going to spread beyond DR Congo.... That could cause a knock-on effect of travel bans or extra screening, and it could happen quite last minute."Fans travelling to the tournament should follow basic precautions such as good hand hygiene and avoiding close contact if unwell, Johnson added. He advised supporters to respect others and avoid stigma, helping preserve the inclusive spirit of the World Cup.DR Congo open their campaign against Portugal in Houston before facing Colombia in Guadalajara and Uzbekistan in Atlanta.Notable Stars Left Out Of England World Cup SquadEngland will head to next month's World Cup without several familiar faces after midfielders Phil Foden and Cole Palmer missed the cut as manager Thomas Tuchel announced his squad on Friday.Manchester City's Foden and Chelsea's Palmer had both been vying for the No.10 role but have found themselves overtaken in Tuchel's pecking order after disappointing seasons.Real Madrid right back Trent Alexander-Arnold was also overlooked, having featured only once since Tuchel took charge in 2025.There was a surprise recall for striker Ivan Toney, who has not featured for England for 12 months while Brentford's veteran midfielder Jordan Henderson goes to his fourth World Cup.Manchester United centre back Harry Maguire, a mainstay of England's defence at recent tournaments, was also omitted, and there was no place for Nottingham Forest midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White despite an impressive season.England are one of the main favourites for the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico.They are in Group L with Croatia, Ghana and Panama.Squad:Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford (Everton), Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), James Trafford (Man City).Defenders: Reece James (Chelsea), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Jarell Quansah (Bayer Leverkusen), John Stones (Man City), Marc Guehi (Man City), Dan Burn (Newcastle), Nico O'Reilly (Man City), Djed Spence (Tottenham), Tino Livramento (Newcastle).Midfielders: Declan Rice (Arsenal), Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest), Kobbie Mainoo (Man Utd), Jordan Henderson (Brentford), Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Eberechi Eze (Arsenal).Forwards: Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Ivan Toney (Al-Ahli), Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Marcus Rashford (Barcelona), Anthony Gordon (Newcastle), Noni Madueke (Arsenal).U.K. Sending Just 3 Cops To World Cup As ‘Cultural Interpreters,' After U.S. Declines FundingBritish police are sending just three officers to the U.S. as "cultural interpreters" during the World Cup given the lack of any U.S. funding, U.K. police said on Thursday.By contrast, 40 officers went to Germany for the 2024 European Championship, with financing by the hosts, said Mark Roberts, who leads football policing."The States are not funding mobile travel delegations this time," Roberts told reporters of next month's tournament where England and Scotland will play their three opening group games in the U.S.Both nations have a huge travelling fan base and the English have a history of hooliganism, though the exorbitant cost may put many off this tournament which is being co-hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico."Our fans at World Cups are really well behaved ... I'm not anticipating problems, but clearly we'd rather have a presence there that can get involved if we are seeing issues develop," Roberts added, stressing that he was not criticising the U.S. decision nor was there hostility to a U.K. deployment.White House spokesman Davis Ingle said President Donald Trump was "focused on ensuring that this is not only an incredible experience for all fans and visitors, but also the safest and most secure in history".Two additional British officers will be working with U.S. authorities at the Washington-based International Police Cooperation Center."Most of the other European countries just aren't bothering" to send their own officers to the tournament, Roberts added. 'CULTURAL' ASSISTANCEThough the U.K. and U.S. share the same language and historical roots, British police accompanying fans would act as "cultural interpreters" to assist U.S. counterparts."We'll be saying to the local police often, 'This isn't a problem'," Roberts said."They (fans) might be noisy, they might be loud, clearly they may have a drink or two, but we will be often trying to calm people down and say, 'This is not a problem, it's not a precursor to disorder.'"Police are actually anticipating more problems domestically, linked to alcohol consumption and late kickoff times for British audiences, than at the tournament.Mike Ankers, deputy director of the Football Policing Unit, said police would also be focusing on online abuse.He cited the conviction of a man who sent racially abusive messages to England defender Jess Carter during the women's European Championship."What I would say is that anybody that's thinking about it ... we've got experts as digital media investigators that will find you and will make sure that we take action."Mamdani Announces $50 World Cup Tickets LotteryNew York City will offer its residents a chance to snag $50 tickets to World Cup games in New Jersey this summer, Mayor Zohran Mamdani said on Thursday, with 1,000 affordable tickets up for grabs through a lottery system.The discounted tickets come with free round-trip bus transportation to the stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey and will be split across five group-stage and two knockout games, with 150 tickets available per match."We are making sure that working people will not be priced out of the game that they helped to create," Mamdani told a press conference in the city's Harlem neighbourhood, quipping that the $50 price tag was the equivalent of five coffees in New York City.Starting on May 25, residents will be able to enter a lottery for a chance to purchase the tickets, which will be non-transferable and distributed to winners at the bus boarding location in an effort to prevent scalping.Ticket affordability has been a key issue for the tournament being co-hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico.According to TicketData, a ticket price tracking platform, the average "get-in" cost for a group-stage match in New York as of Wednesday was $864. Some resale tickets are listed for thousands of dollars across various platforms, including FIFA's official resale and exchange marketplace.The best seats for the final on July 19 in New Jersey were put on sale for nearly $33,000.FIFA President Gianni Infantino defended high World Cup ticket prices this month."This is the moment to make sure that everybody is included, that everybody is lifted up," said New York City Councilman Yusef Salaam.Winners of the lottery will be able to purchase up to two tickets each.Germany Lures Legend Out Of Retirement For Surprise World Cup RosterGermany coach Julian Nagelsmann had a surprise inclusion with 40-year-old goalkeeper Manuel Neuer making the 26-man World Cup roster announced on Thursday.Neuer retired from international play after the 2024 European Championship and the Bayern Munich legend said just last month that he did not intend to return for the 2026 World Cup. But he will now make his fifth World Cup appearance as the first-choice goalkeeper ahead of Hoffenheim's Oliver Baumann and Stuttgart's Alexander Nubel.It was a surprise announcement from Nagelsmann, who is two years younger than Neuer. Baumann, 35, has made more than 500 Bundesliga appearances but has only 11 caps for Germany, compared to Neuer's 124.Bayern Munich defender Joshua Kimmich will serve as Germany's captain. He will be joined on the team by the likes of Borussia Dortmund defender Nico Schlotterbeck, Bayern Munich midfielder Jamal Musiala and forwards Deniz Undav (Stuttgart) and Kai Havertz (Arsenal). Musiala made the squad after recovering from a broken leg suffered during the 2025 Club World Cup.Among the biggest surprises not to make the roster were Robert Andrich, Chris Fuhrich, Niclas Fullkrug and Anton Stach, who was on the roster for March internationals. Bayern forward Serge Gnabry will miss the World Cup due to injury, while Karim Adeyemi has also been dealing with an injury.Germany, who were eliminated in the group stage of the past two World Cups, will play friendlies against Finland in Mainz, Germany, on May 31 and the United States in Chicago on June 6. The team's base camp will be at Wake Forest in Winston-Salem, N.C., with Germany renting out the university's Graylyn Estate for a combined training and lodging site.They begin Group E play against Curacao in Houston on June 14. They then face Ivory Coast in Toronto on June 20 followed by Ecuador in New Jersey on June 25.GERMANY WORLD CUP ROSTERGoalkeepers: Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich), Oliver Baumann (Hoffenheim), Alexander Nubel (Stuttgart)Defenders: Joshua Kimmich (captain, Bayern Munich), Nico Schlotterbeck (Borussia Dortmund), David Raum (RB Leipzig), Jonathan Tah (Bayern Munich), Waldemar Anton (Borussia Dortmund), Antonio Rudiger (Real Madrid), Nathaniel Brown (Eintracht Frankfurt), Malick Thiaw (Newcastle United)Midfielders: Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich), Florian Wirtz (Liverpool), Lennart Karl (Bayern Munich), Angelo Stiller (Stuttgart), Aleksandar Pavlovic (Bayern Munich), Leon Goretzka (Bayern Munich), Leroy Sane (Galatasaray), Felix Nmecha (Borussia Dortmund), Nadiem Amiri (Mainz), Pascal Gross (Brighton and Hove Albion)Forwards: Kai Havertz (Arsenal), Deniz Undav (Stuttgart), Jamie Leweling (Stuttgart), Nick Woltemade (Newcastle United), Maximilian Beier (Borussia Dortmund)World Cup Team Boss Hints At ExitMarcelo Bielsa hinted on Thursday that he may not remain as manager of Uruguay beyond July, saying that his job with the team ends with the World Cup."Our job ends with the World Cup," Bielsa said at an event organised by the Uruguayan Football Association.Although he did not elaborate on his remarks, local media reported that the Argentine will not continue once his current contract expires at the end of the June 11-July 19 tournament to be played in the U.S., Mexico and Canada.“It is a miracle in any professional’s sporting career to take part in the World Cup,” he said. “I will be forever grateful to Uruguay for allowing me to enjoy a competition like the World Cup.”Bielsa will coach at his third World Cup following Argentina’s group-stage elimination in 2002 and Chile’s round-of-16 loss to hosts Brazil in 2014.Coming off a successful stint at Leeds United, Bielsa took over Uruguay in 2023 following Diego Alonso’s departure and enjoyed a strong start, guiding 'La Celeste' through the CONMEBOL qualifiers and to third place at the 2024 Copa America.Yet his relationship with the squad gradually began to erode after he was publicly criticised by Uruguay’s all-time leading scorer Luis Suarez, amid a series of internal conflicts that raised doubts over his management of the team.Uruguay’s form has been inconsistent recently, with draws against England and Algeria during the March international window, as well as a 5-1 defeat to the U.S. in November.Uruguay will kick off their World Cup campaign on June 15 against Group H rivals Saudi Arabia before facing Cape Verde and Spain.See All Updates