Inter Miami's star player, Lionel Messi, withdraws from the game, seemingly due to a hamstring strain.
Lionel Messi Sustains Minor Muscle Injury in Right Leg
Inter Miami star, Lionel Messi, has suffered a minor muscle injury in his right leg during the Leagues Cup match against Necaxa on August 2, 2025. The injury occurred around the eighth minute of the match, when Messi fell while being challenged by a pair of defenders near the penalty area.
Messi immediately walked to the locker room after being substituted. Trainers worked on his right upper thigh area for a couple of minutes before he subbed out for Federico Redondo. The team's coach confirmed that Messi felt discomfort but not severe pain.
Medical tests have confirmed the injury is minor, and his return will depend on how he progresses clinically and responds to treatment. There is currently no exact timeline for his comeback. The injury puts Messi's availability for Inter Miami's next Leagues Cup match against Pumas UNAM on Wednesday in doubt.
Javier Mascherano, Inter Miami's coach, has been managing Messi's packed workload all season. He indicated that Messi would undergo testing on Sunday to determine the severity of the injury. Mascherano added that Messi knows his body's limits and is a special case, as resting him might make him feel worse.
Messi has a history of dealing with numerous hamstring injuries throughout his career. The most recent leg injury he had was with his left adductor, which sidelined him for a pair of Argentina's World Cup qualifiers earlier this year.
Rodrigo De Paul, a teammate of Messi, expressed his concern about the injury, stating that Messi is not just a player, but the soul of the team. Messi's absence was also felt last month when he experienced fatigue and missed the MLS All-Star game, resulting in a one-match suspension by the league.
Despite the concerns, Mascherano stated that they manage Messi's situation, but the conversation about rest is with the player. According to Mascherano, if there are signs of a red flag or risk, he aims to speak to the players about rest. However, Messi would rather play than rest and communicates any feelings of fatigue to the team.
Football, with American-football leagues like the NFL not being mentioned in the context, seems to be the sport Messi is playing, given his injury occurred during a Leagues Cup match. Messi's injury could potentially affect his future participation in the upcoming American-football (NFL) season, if Inter Miami decides to use him in an exhibition game, as he is known for his versatility in multiple sports, including football.
