Messi's injury risks him missing the 2026 World Cup?

VHO - On the morning of May 25th (Vietnam time), superstar Lionel Messi left millions of fans and the Argentina national team's coaching staff breathless when he voluntarily left the field midway through his final match for Inter Miami in Major League Soccer (MLS) due to a thigh injury. This incident occurred less than three weeks before the start of their campaign to defend their 2026 World Cup title.

The nightmare of injuries from hard surfaces and harsh weather.

Inter Miami's final match for the 2026 MLS season between Inter Miami and Philadelphia Union is seen as Lionel Messi's final dress rehearsal before officially joining the national team.

The superstar wearing the number 10 jersey still chose to take to the field and contribute instead of resting like many other South American stars, and he delivered an explosive performance.

In the 13th minute, Messi provided an assist for German Berterame to open the scoring with a precise pass from the right wing. Before leaving the field, he contributed two assists (bringing his career assist record to 414), was involved in three of the six goals, and constantly troubled the opposing defense.

Messi went straight into the tunnel after his injury. Photo: MLS

However, difficulties arose in the second half when heavy rain poured down, making the pitch slippery and dangerous. In the 62nd minute, Messi suffered a hard fall after attempting to dribble the ball near the penalty area.

Although he got up to continue playing, at minute 70, after taking a free kick, he started touching the upper part of his left thigh and clutching the back of his left leg with a grimace, showing signs of discomfort.

Noticing signs of discomfort, Messi struggled to move, constantly checking his leg, and then proactively signaled for a substitution in the 73rd minute. At that point, the two teams were tied 4-4.

Immediately after leaving the pitch, Messi walked visibly tired, went straight into the tunnel, and entered the dressing room without needing assistance from medical staff.

At the post-match press conference, Inter Miami coach Guillermo Hoyos tried to reassure the public by stating: “We haven’t received any official medical report on Messi’s health and injury status. We’ll have it soon, but he was really tired and exhausted. The pitch was quite hard, and in situations like that, it’s best not to let him take any risks.”

This isn't the first time Messi has had muscle problems in the US. Earlier this year, he suffered a left hamstring injury in a friendly against Barcelona SC, and in 2025 he also left the field early in a match against Club Necaxa due to muscle pain but returned after two weeks.

Despite the absence of Messi in the final minutes, Inter Miami still secured a dramatic 6-4 victory thanks to a brilliant performance from Luis Suarez with a hat-trick, alongside goals from German Berterame and Rodrigo de Paul in the 90+3 minute.

Good news from within Argentina.

According to the latest information from journalist Gastón Edul, who has very close ties to the inner workings of the Argentine national team, confirmed on social media: Lionel Messi did not suffer a serious muscle injury as initially rumored. His decision to voluntarily leave the field was simply a precautionary measure when he felt stiffness in his hamstring muscles.

The test results showed that his left leg had no tears or muscle damage. Messi's goal is to proactively reduce strain, avoid further pressure on his thighs, and prevent any unnecessary risks right before a major tournament.

This positive news helps ease the pressure on head coach Lionel Scaloni, especially with the deadline for submitting the official 26-player squad to FIFA fast approaching on June 1st.

Although not seriously injured, this incident still serves as a warning about Messi's fitness at the age of 38. Messi himself has previously admitted that he has to monitor his physical condition daily to determine his ability to play, even though he and midfielder Rodrigo De Paul have been extremely serious about training with high intensity twice a day, and even doing extra training beyond their scheduled routines to maintain their fitness level.

With a relatively tight schedule and the physically demanding travel schedule ahead in North America, coach Scaloni will undoubtedly have to plan very carefully. It's highly likely that the Argentina coaching staff will prioritize preserving Messi's fitness in the opening match, reducing his playing time and minimizing the need for him to play the full 90 minutes in all three group stage matches.

The 2026 tournament holds special significance as it will likely be Messi's last World Cup. If he is able to participate and play, the superstar born in 1987 will officially set a record of six World Cup appearances in history.

This milestone is also currently being targeted by rival Cristiano Ronaldo, who has confirmed he will continue playing for the Portuguese national team.

Source: https://baovanhoa.vn/the-thao/messi-chan-thuong-co-nguy-co-bo-lo-world-cup-2026-231405.html