Lionel Messi Substituted Early in MLS Clash Due to Apparent Leg Injury Ahead of World Cup
मुख्य बातें
- •Lionel Messi was substituted in the 73rd minute of Inter Miami’s 6-4 win over Philadelphia Union on May 24, 2026, due to an apparent left leg injury.
- •The World Cup begins on June 11, 2026, with Argentina’s first group-stage match scheduled for June 16.
- •Messi contributed two assists before being withdrawn and left the field independently without immediate medical assistance.
- •Argentina’s provisional World Cup squad is expected to be announced next week, with pre-tournament friendlies against Honduras and Iceland.
Lionel Messi, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner and Argentina’s talisman, was withdrawn from Inter Miami’s Major League Soccer (MLS) match against Philadelphia Union on May 24, 2026, following an apparent leg injury. The substitution came in the 73rd minute of the high-scoring encounter, which Miami ultimately won 6-4. Messi, aged 38, immediately left the field and headed straight to the tunnel without assistance from medical staff, raising concerns about the severity of his injury just weeks before the FIFA World Cup.
The match, played under heavy rain that made the pitch slippery, saw Messi clutching the back of his left leg before signaling for a substitution. He had already contributed two assists to the team’s comeback, while former Barcelona striker Luis Suárez scored a hat-trick in a dramatic first-half that saw a record eight goals scored. Philadelphia had taken an early 2-0 lead, but the game turned into a goal fest, with Germán Berterame adding two goals and Rodrigo De Paul sealing the win with a late strike.
