Argentine superstar Lionel Messi had been enjoying a red-hot run in Major League Soccer (MLS), scoring multiple goals in five consecutive matches and delivering key assists for Inter Miami. However, his momentum was abruptly halted by a hamstring injury that forced him off the field just 11 minutes into their Leagues Cup clash against Necaxa on Sunday.
Inter Miami, featuring Messi and Rodrigo De Paul, hosted Necaxa at Chase Stadium. Despite securing a 5-4 victory in the penalty shootout after a 2-2 draw in regulation, the focus quickly shifted to Messi’s early exit. The severity of his injury remains uncertain.
The incident occurred in the 9th minute, when Messi, while attacking near the opponent’s box, was tackled by Raul Sanchez and Alexis Peña. He immediately appeared to feel discomfort in his hamstring and was substituted shortly after.
Lionel Messi
Speaking after the match, Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano said, “He wasn’t feeling well. We’ll assess the situation tomorrow to understand how serious it is. He doesn’t feel any pain right now, which is a good sign, but something might have happened.”
Despite Messi’s departure, Inter Miami struck first through a goal from Telasco Segovia. But the match took another twist in the 17th minute when Maximiliano Falcón received a red card, reducing Miami to 10 men. Necaxa equalized before halftime.
In the 60th minute, Necaxa were also reduced to 10 men when Cristian Calderón was sent off. The Mexican side took the lead in the 81st minute, but Jordi Alba netted a dramatic equalizer in stoppage time, assisted by De Paul, sending the game to penalties.
Under Leagues Cup rules, teams earn 3 points for a win in regulation and 2 for a penalty shootout win. After winning the tiebreaker 5-4, Inter Miami now have 5 points from 2 matches.
While the result keeps Miami in strong position in the group, all eyes will now be on Messi’s fitness and whether the injury will sideline him in the coming fixtures.
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