Lionel Messi, 38, was forced off with an injury in the 11th minute of Saturday’s Leagues Cup match against Necaxa at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdable.

Prior to exiting the match, the Argentine star seemed to be treated for discomfort in his upper right leg or groin area, then walked unaided to the locker room.

How did Messi get injury during Inter Miami vs Nexaca game?

Messi advanced with the ball and drove toward Necaxa’s defensive line, but he lost his footing near the edge of the penalty area, colliding with defender Alexis Peña before falling to the turf. Frustrated, he struck the ground as Necaxa cleared the ball from danger.

Shortly afterward, Inter Miami captain Lionel Messi was isolated near the left sideline around midfield when he suddenly sat down on the field, then reclined onto his back for a moment before the medical staff came over to assess him.

Inter Miami head coach Javier Mascherano made the decision to substitute Lionel Messi with Federico Redondo during a recent match. Messi, who has been dealing with recurring thigh strain issues since Argentina’s World Cup qualifiers in March, has still managed an impressive season, scoring 18 goals and providing nine assists in 18 MLS appearances.

Netizens react

One of the users said, “This is what happens with good players you get 3 players for one player!! 🙄” Another stated, “cause it literally wasnt a foul lmao.” “Damn it he’s injured fr 🤦🏾‍♂️”, “There was no foul” were some other comments made.

His playmaking continued in Inter Miami’s Leagues Cup opener on Wednesday, where he assisted both goals in their 2-1 victory over Atlas. The tournament, which features clubs from both MLS and Mexico’s Liga MX, will see Miami conclude group stage play this Wednesday with a match against Pumas.

Messi guided Inter Miami to win the first-ever Leagues Cup title in 2023 shortly after joining the MLS team.