MIAMI — Lionel Messi exited the pitch in the 73rd minute during Inter Miami‘s 6-4 victory over the Philadelphia Union at Nu Stadium on Sunday night, heading straight to the locker room while holding his left thigh.
In the 70th minute, Messi was seen grabbing the upper part of his left thigh after delivering a free kick. He requested a substitution and was replaced by Mateo Silvetti.
Messi did not require any extra assistance while exiting the field or heading to the locker room.
“As far as I know, we don’t have a report on that yet, but he was definitely fatigued,” Miami coach Guillermo Hoyos commented after the match. “Yes, it was fatigue. He was tired; the field was heavy, and rather than take chances, it’s better to be safe.”
Hoyos noted that he had not had a conversation with Messi post-match.
The substitution of the Miami star, occurring just ahead of the World Cup, somewhat overshadowed a thrilling comeback victory featuring a record eight-goal first half.
The Union surged to a 2-0 lead, with Milan Iloski netting two goals—one from open play and another from the penalty spot—before Germán Berterame capitalized on a cross from Messi to score and narrow the gap.
Minutes later, the Union regained their two-goal advantage when Bruno Damiani found the net following a deflection by Miami keeper Dayne St. Clair.
Following the Union’s third goal, Miami mounted an impressive comeback. Luis Suárez scored, Berterame netted his second, and Suárez again on the scoresheet to push Miami ahead 4-3.
Just before halftime, Sergio Reguilón was penalized for a handball following a VAR review, allowing Iloski to complete his hat trick and equalize at 4-4.
The teams entered halftime after setting a record for the highest-scoring first half in MLS history.
The second half commenced under heavy rain, slowing the pace of the game and limiting the chances each team created compared to the first half.
Shortly after Messi’s substitution, Suárez completed his hat trick with a goal assisted by Berterame, giving Miami a 5-4 lead in the 81st minute. Messi’s Argentina teammate Rodrigo De Paul later added Miami’s sixth goal, marking the match as one of the highest-scoring regular-season games ever.
MLS will take an extended break as teams prepare for the upcoming World Cup, resuming in late July. Following this victory, Miami sits in second place in the Eastern Conference with 31 points, just two behind leaders Nashville.
Argentina has yet to finalize its World Cup squad, but Messi is expected to play for the defending champions when they begin Group J against Algeria on June 16.