Messi exits Inter Miami win with left leg concern before World Cup

Lionel Messi’s night ended with a scare that mattered far more than the scoreline. He grabbed at the back of his left leg before leaving Inter Miami’s 6-4 win over the Philadelphia Union in the 73rd minute and walked straight to the locker room, a rare exit that immediately shifted attention from the goals to his health.

Inter Miami interim coach Guillermo Hoyos said Messi described the issue as fatigue and asked to come out. The club had no further details after the match. Mateo Silvetti replaced Messi with the game tied 4-4, moments after a first half that had already produced an MLS record eight goals and sent the match into the kind of chaos that usually would dominate the conversation.

Instead, the biggest question became whether Messi’s departure was precautionary or the first sign of a more serious problem. That uncertainty carries extra weight because the World Cup begins in two weeks, and Argentina opens its title defense on June 16 against Algeria in Group J. Messi is approaching 200 caps for Argentina and has already played in a record 26 World Cup matches, with 13 goals and eight assists on the sport’s biggest stage.

Inter Miami still found a way to win, with Luis Suárez completing a hat trick and Rodrigo De Paul adding the sixth goal at Nu Stadium at Miami Freedom Park. The result lifted Miami to 6-4 and kept it two points behind Supporters’ Shield leader Nashville SC, while leaving the club with a league-best 39 goals. But the evening also showed how tightly Inter Miami’s identity still tracks Messi’s availability. When he is on the field, the attack can overwhelm anyone. When he leaves, even briefly, the club’s outlook changes at once.

Philadelphia contributed to the spectacle despite entering the night last in the MLS table at 1-10-4. Milan Iloski scored a first-half hat trick and Bruno Damiani added another goal before halftime, helping make it the highest-scoring half in league history. The 10 combined goals tied for the second-most in MLS history, behind only LA Galaxy’s 7-4 win over Colorado in May 1998.

For Inter Miami, the standings still matter. For Argentina, the clock is ticking faster. Every step Messi takes between now and the World Cup will be watched for signs that the left-leg concern was only fatigue, and not the start of something far more consequential.