Lionel Messi will be sidelined indefinitely after suffering a minor muscle injury in his right leg in Inter Miami’s 2-2 draw with Mexican side Club Necaxa in the Leagues Cup on Sunday, Afrosport reports.
The 38-year-old Argentine was taken off after just 11 minutes after injuring his upper right leg and was replaced by Federico Redondo. Inter Miami went on to win the game on penalties 5-4.
Messi has provided two assists in the first game against Atlas, which ended in a 2-1 win. It is however unknown when he will return, with Inter Miami not giving a specific date.
“Messi underwent medical tests to evaluate the extent of the muscle discomfort he experienced during last night’s Leagues Cup match against Necaxa, which forced him to leave the field,” read a club statement.
“The results confirmed a minor muscle injury in his right leg. His medical clearance will depend on his clinical progress and response to treatment.”
Injury update: Leo Messi.
Here: https://t.co/3vWDpkNPgF pic.twitter.com/SyibxW0lgA
— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) August 3, 2025
Messi is the leading scorer for both goals (18) and assists (18) in the MLS this season, with Inter Miami fifth in the Eastern Conference standings with three games in hand.
The South Florida club won the Leagues Cup in 2023 after Messi’s blockbuster move from Paris Saint-Germain.
They are second on the MLS table of the ongoing 2025 tournament and will face UNAM Pumas on Wednesday, with a victory sending them through to the quarter-finals.
