Lionel Messi Suffers Muscle Injury, Out Indefinitely for Inter Miami

Inter Miami’s captain, Lionel Messi, will be out for an unknown period due to a minor muscle injury in his right leg, the club said on Sunday. The 38-year-old football legend got hurt early during Miami’s penalty shootout win over Mexico’s Necaxa in the Leagues Cup match on Saturday.

Messi left the game in the 11th minute but was able to walk off the field and go to the locker room on his own.

According to Inter Miami, Messi had medical tests to check the muscle pain he felt, which led to him leaving the match. The test results confirmed a small muscle injury in his right leg. When he returns will depend on how well he recovers and responds to treatment.

This means there’s no set date for when Messi will return. He is currently tied for the most goals in the MLS season with 18, and also has 9 assists in 18 games.

Jordi Alba, who scored a late equalizer in stoppage time to take the game to penalties (which Miami won 5-4), said Messi leaving the match early was “a big sadness for the whole team.“

Inter Miami has won 12 games, lost 4, and drawn 6, earning 42 points. They are currently in 5th place in the Eastern Conference, trailing league leaders Philadelphia by 8 points. However, Miami still has three games left to play compared to them.

If Messi misses more matches, it could seriously hurt Miami’s chances in the Leagues Cup—a tournament they won in 2023 after Messi joined the team.

Miami is set to play against UNAM Pumas on Wednesday. With 5 points, they are currently second in the MLS group stage standings for the Leagues Cup and will qualify for the quarter-finals if they win this match.