Lionel Messi injury update: Latest after Inter Miami star exits Leagues Cup match early
Messi slowly walked from the penalty area across midfield, in front of Inter Miami's bench as his frustration slowly boiled over. He slapped the back of his hips once, then slowly dropped to the pitch.
Messi laid on his back, looking up at the sky – as fans grew concerned inside Chase Stadium before he sat up so a trainer could begin working on the inside of his inner right thigh.
Messi suffered the upper-leg injury less than 10 minutes into Inter Miami's Leagues Cup match against Liga MX side Necaxa on Saturday, Aug. 2.
Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano will likely address Messi's injury status after the match.
Messi has dealt with recurring muscle injuries in the upper leg area during the later stages of his career, including during Inter Miami's run in the FIFA Club World Cup earlier this summer.
Saturday, he tripped while running past two defenders toward the penalty area in the 6th minute of the match, and was visibly upset as he walked back in front of Inter Miami's bench.
Messi waited until there was a stoppage in play to take a moment to rest on the pitch before he was evaluated. He took off the captain's armband and was substituted out in the 11th minute, replaced by midfielder Federico Redondo, and walked on his own toward Inter Miami's locker rooms.
It was the second match in four days for Messi, who returned to action after having a week off. He skipped the MLS All-Star Game on July 23, then served a one-game suspension for skipping it on July 26.
Messi had two assists leading Inter Miami to victory in their first Leagues Cup match against Atlas on July 30, but he complained of fatigue in the first half of the game due to his layoff.
'Even if (the rest) seems better, for me it's worse because I need to compete. I feel good physically the more matches I play and get into rhythm,' Messi told Apple TV. 'The other day they didn't let me compete, and I felt it in the first half, but the important thing is that we won.'
Before Messi's layoff, he played every minute in 22 of 23 matches with Inter Miami.
Inter Miami co-owner Jorge Mas said during a recent press conference: 'Load management is on Lionel Messi. … When he steps on the pitch, he will step off when the final whistle blows.'
Messi's injury is a clear blow to Inter Miami – which sits in fifth place in the MLS Eastern Conference with 42 points despite winning the Supporters' Shield last season.
It's also a blow to the Leagues Cup tournament, which thrives off Messi's presence. Messi led Inter Miami to the Leagues Cup title in 2023, but did not play in the 2024 tournament due to an ankle injury suffered during Copa America.
Leagues Cup executive director Thomas Mayo told USA TODAY Sports that Apple TV has experienced over 100% increase in viewership during the first week of the 2025 tournament, with Inter Miami's opening match ranking in the Top 3 on MLS Season Pass this year.
After the Necaxa match, Inter Miami will play Pumas on Aug. 6 in their final match of the Leagues Cup group stage.
Inter Miami will play two regular-season matches – at Orlando City on Aug. 10, and at home against the L.A. Galaxy on Aug. 16 – before the Leagues Cup quarterfinals on Aug. 19 and 20, if they qualify for the knockout stage.
This story will be updated when more information becomes available.
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