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Argentinian footballer Lionel Messi suffered an injury on Sunday which forced him to leave the Leagues Cup match between Inter Miami and Necaxa held in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, organizers confirmed. The star athlete, now 38, joined Inter Miami in 2023 and is the US team's captain.
The injury occurred in the 11th minute when the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner ran into Necaxa defender Alexis Pena then tumbled to the ground. Moments later when Messi was alone in the midfield, he sat on the ground and waited till trainers arrived.
The 38-year-old footballer plays for both Argetina and Inter Miami at the Leagues Cup levelImage: Sam Navarro/IMAGN Images/REUTERSOnce tended to, the star forward footballer limped off the field under his own power.
What do we know about the injury?
Once Inter Miami completed the play with a 2-2 draw, manager Javier Mascherano said the footballer was experiencing "hamstring discomfort."
"Well, he felt a discomfort, and we will not be able to know until tomorrow how severe the injury is," Mascherano said after the match.
"There's probably something there. Maybe not as important, because he was really not in pain. But he did feel a pull."
The 38-year-old athlete captains both Major League club Inter Miami and the national Argentinian team. He is yet to score a goal in this year's Leagues Cup.
In 2023, Messi appeared in just half of the Inter Miami's 12 League games due to minor ailments and injuries. In 2024 he dealt with a torn leg muscle he sustained while played for Argentina in the 2024 Copa America final.
Edited by: Darko Janjevic
