Lionel Messi was substituted in the 73rd minute of Inter Miami's 6-4 win against the Philadelphia Union on Sunday night, raising concerns ahead of his departure for Argentina's 2026 World Cup campaign. The 38-year-old captain appeared to signal for a substitution before heading straight down the tunnel, though he showed no visible signs of injury during the match.
Inter Miami head coach Guillermo Hoyos said the club had not yet received a medical report on Messi, but suggested fatigue may have been a factor due to the heavy rain affecting the pitch. 'He was simply fatigued, with the pitch becoming heavy,' Hoyos stated. However, it is highly unusual for Messi to be substituted, as he has played the full 90 minutes in every appearance this season and most of last season.
Messi's health will be closely monitored in the coming days given his importance to Argentina's World Cup title defence, which begins on 22 June against Algeria in Kansas City. Before that, Argentina have friendlies against Honduras on 6 June and Iceland on 9 June. They also face Austria on 22 June and Jordan on 27 June in the group stage.
Messi has previously expressed uncertainty about his availability for the 2026 World Cup, stating in an interview last year: 'I would like to be there, to be well and be an important part of helping my team, if I am there. I'm going to assess that on a day-to-day basis.' Despite his age, Messi has been in brilliant form for Miami this season, scoring 12 goals and adding seven assists in 14 appearances.
