The Injury Changes the Math
Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni said his country—and the rest of the world—will have to "wait and see" the extent of the injury Lionel Messi suffered playing for Inter Miami.
The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner was forced to leave an MLS match against Philadelphia Union in the 79th minute on Monday with the score tied at 4–4. Miami's initial medical report revealed muscle fatigue in the left hamstring.
The Immediate Problem
"We were watching the match at the training ground. We realized he asked to be substituted, that he wasn't well," Scaloni told DSports. "The first reports are not that bad. Logically, we would prefer that nothing had happened to him. Now, we have to wait and see how he progresses."
The timing is delicate. The 2026 World Cup is approaching, and even at his age, Messi remains central to Argentina's hopes of becoming the first team in more than 60 years to retain the men's World Cup.
The Calendar Gets Tight
Messi has played 26 World Cup matches since his 2006 debut, making his first appearance alongside Cristiano Ronaldo—both teenagers the n, both now set for a record sixth tournament. Four more matches would tie him with Kristine Lilly's women's record of 30 World Cup appearances; five would break it.
Scaloni indicated Argentina's roster announcement remains imminent. "We would have liked him to arrive [in camp] with out any kind of problems, but that is not the case with him and with most of the players who have had problems," he said. "Our goal is to try to recover the m and have the m arrive in the best possible condition."