Just as the FIFA World Cup countdown has begun, there's a big worry for fans. Lionel Messi limped off the field during his last club match for Inter Miami, leaving everyone, from supporters to the national team staff, feeling very anxious.
There's a huge cloud of worry over Lionel Messi's fans and the Argentina camp. The superstar limped off the field during his last match for Inter Miami before the World Cup. With the tournament just around the corner, this incident has caused a lot of anxiety among supporters and the national team's coaching staff.
In a couple of days, Argentina's coach Lionel Scaloni is set to announce the World Cup squad. The entire football world is watching to see if Messi, at 38, will play in his record-breaking sixth World Cup. For context, he has played in every World Cup since 2006 in Germany, winning the trophy in 2022 and reaching the final in 2014. Now, anxious fans are waiting to find out just how serious this injury is.
Messi left the field in the 73rd minute
Messi was playing for Inter Miami against Philadelphia Union in the US Major League Soccer. During the second half of the match, he suddenly looked uncomfortable. He then signalled to the bench himself and walked off the field in the 73rd minute. A video that has gone viral on social media clearly shows the discomfort in his walk and body language. The initial guess is that it could be a muscle pull or a hamstring-related problem. However, the club's medical team has not yet released any official statement about the nature of the injury or how long he might be out.
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Watch: Messi leaves the field after injury
How serious is Messi's injury?
The only silver lining is that sources in the Inter Miami camp suggest that the decision to substitute Messi was a precautionary measure, and there's no need to panic just yet. The coaching staff is keeping a close watch on the situation. This match was extra important because it was Messi's last club game before the World Cup break. He is now scheduled to join the Argentina national team's training camp. That's why this injury news has naturally caused so much concern. Even at 38, Messi has been in fantastic form, scoring goals and creating chances for his teammates. His fitness is now the biggest topic of discussion ahead of the World Cup.
Argentina's schedule for this World Cup
In the upcoming World Cup, Argentina is in a group with Algeria, Austria, and Jordan. The world champions will play their first match against Algeria on June 17. Their other two group matches are against Austria on June 22 and Jordan on June 28. Before the tournament, Scaloni's team will also play two friendly matches – against Honduras on June 7 and Iceland on June 10.
