Inter Miami confirmed that Lionel Messi had a problem with his left hamstring after the victory over Philadelphia Union, forcing the Argentine superstar to leave the field in the 73rd minute.
In the latest announcement, Miami said that initial medical examination results showed Messi to have muscle overload and muscle fatigue in the left hamstring area.
The time he can return to training and play will depend on his recovery process as well as his ability to move in the near future" - Inter Miami said.
Messi actively requested to be substituted after a free kick situation in the second half of Inter Miami's last match before the World Cup break.
Before leaving the field, Messi was seen hugging his left thigh and walking straight into the tunnel without the support of the medical team. Mateo Silvetti came in to replace him.
Messi's incident somewhat overshadowed Inter Miami's dramatic victory. At the time he left the field, the match was a 4-4 draw, before Miami scored two more goals to win and temporarily ranked second in the MLS Eastern Conference before the World Cup break.
Coach Guillermo Hoyos said Messi's condition mainly stems from overload: "As far as I know, it's a sign of fatigue. He's exhausted. The pitch is very heavy and in such a situation, it's best not to take risks.
Messi's injury makes Argentine fans worried as the World Cup is approaching.
The Argentine team is in Group J with Algeria, Austria and Jordan. Before the tournament starts, the reigning world champions will have two friendly matches against Honduras and Iceland.
Argentina will begin their journey to defend the World Cup championship with a match against Algeria in Kansas City, Missouri. Coach Lionel Scaloni has not yet announced the list of 26 players participating in the tournament.
