3 min readMay 25, 2026 10:21 PM IST
Days before the 2026 FIFA World Cup begins, Argentina have been given an almighty scare with their captain Lionel Messi walking off injured during an Inter Miami match and casting doubts over his fitness ahead of what could be his final World Cup.
Messi kitted out for Miami against Philadelphia – his final game for his American club before joining the Argentine national team camp ahead of the World Cup. Around the 70th minute, Messi started to clutch his thigh. Then after a freekick in the 73rd minute, the diagnosis was immediate by the maestro – there would be no more playing. Signalling to be substituted, the fear that Messi might have picked up an injury grew.
But after the match, Inter Miami manager Guillermo Hoyos allayed most of those fears and said that his substitution was precautionary and that Messi had some muscle fatigue and the call in the situation was to give him rest.
“We have no information indicating any injury. He was truly fatigued; it was just fatigue,” the manager stated. “He was tired, and the pitch was heavy. When in doubt, it’s always best not to take risks,” Hoyos added.
Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni has yet to announce the 26-man Argentina team to defend their World Cup crown but it’s understood that Messi will be part of the proceedings. The Argentine attacker has taken a limited role at his club in the MLS and has preserved himself over the last four years to make it to the 2026 World Cup. This World Cup will also see Neymar and Cristiano Ronaldo be a part of the Brazil and Portugal squads, marking what could possibly be the last FIFA WC where the trio are present.
Argentina start their defense on June 16 against Algeria and are in a tough group alongside Jordan and Austria.
Kylian Mbappé and Mohamed Salah have recovered from injuries ahead of the tournament co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.Now the focus will switch to Messi, the Argentina great who left the field after reaching toward his left hamstring in a game for Inter Miami in Major League Soccer on Sunday.Yamal, Spain’s new superstar, missed the final weeks of the season for Barcelona because of a muscle injury in his left leg but should be healed in time to play at the World Cup.
Others have not been so fortunate.
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France striker Hugo Ekitike sustained an Achilles injury in April that could take more than six months to heal, ruling him out of the tournament and probably the start of next season with Liverpool.Brazil stars Rodrygo and Éder Militão are definitely out. So is Bayern Munich and Germany forward Serge Gnabry after injuring his adductor in training.
© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd
