Messi joins – Lionel Messi has joined a growing list of injury concerns just weeks before the World Cup after leaving the field for Inter Miami with a left-hamstring problem. His scare comes as several major players—along with multiple starters from across Europe and the Am
The timing felt cruel—another Sunday, another moment where Lionel Messi reached toward his left hamstring and had to step away from the field.
Messi’s discomfort came during a match for Inter Miami in Major League Soccer on Sunday. leaving Argentina’s captain among the latest stars to carry injury anxiety as the World Cup begins next month. The tournament is co-hosted by the United States. Canada and Mexico. and as kickoff nears. teams are navigating a dangerous gap between playing through and pulling back.
For now. the story of the tournament build-up has started to look like a roll call of star names and new medical headlines. Messi joins Lamine Yamal. Spain’s new superstar. in a growing list of concerns—though Yamal is expected to be ready. The has missed the final weeks of the season for Barcelona due to a muscle injury in his left leg. but should be fit in time to play at the World Cup.
Not every scare has landed badly. Kylian Mbappé and Mohamed Salah have recovered from injuries ahead of the tournament. Still, the focus inevitably shifts to whoever is next to test a body that is already operating under strain.
France’s Hugo Ekitike offers a sharper warning. He sustained an Achilles injury in April that could take more than six months to heal, ruling him out of the tournament and likely keeping him out of the start of next season with Liverpool.
The list of players confirmed to be ruled out of the World Cup is now long. with injuries affecting multiple teams across different leagues. In Argentina, Joaquín Panichelli is ruled out with an ACL injury. Brazil will miss Éder Militão, ruled out with a hamstring issue, and Rodrygo, ruled out with an ACL injury. England’s Ben White is also ruled out, dealing with a medial ligament injury.
Germany’s Serge Gnabry is ruled out after injuring his adductor in training. The Netherlands are without Xavi Simons with an ACL injury. In the United States, Cameron Carter-Vickers is out with an Achilles injury, while Patrick Agyemang is also ruled out with an Achilles injury.
Algeria faces uncertainty around goalkeeper Luca Zidane, son of France icon Zinedine Zidane, who is a doubt after suffering a facial injury during an on-field collision last month.
Other absences and maybes hover around the tournament picture too. Argentina’s Cristian Romero has a knee injury, and it has not yet been confirmed if he is out of the World Cup, with Tottenham not giving a timeframe for his recovery.
Canada will miss Alphonso Davies, whose hamstring injury puts him out with just over a month to go before the tournament starts. The injury came after he was hurt during Bayern Munich’s defeat by Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League semifinals.
Croatia’s setbacks are mixed with returns. Veteran midfielder Luka Modrić broke his cheekbone last month but was back playing for AC Milan well in time for the World Cup. Defender Joško Gvardiol returned to training for Manchester City in early May after four months out with a broken leg.
Morocco’s challenge is straightforward: Paris Saint-Germain defender Achraf Hakimi has been sidelined with a right thigh injury.
In the United States camp, two more names underline how quickly injuries can pile up. Midfielder Johnny Cardoso sprained his right ankle five weeks before the World Cup while training with Atletico Madrid. Centre-back Chris Richards tore ligaments in his ankle playing for Crystal Palace.
What connects all of these moments is the sense that the calendar is squeezing the players just as sharply as any opponent. Players and coaches have increasingly warned about the impact of an ever-packed schedule. and the expanded World Cup comes a year after the relaunched. supersized Club World Cup. The Champions League has also been expanded in recent years.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta captured that frustration with a blunt line—describing the demand on players as “an accident waiting to happen.” With the World Cup just around the corner. teams are forcing themselves into a narrow window: keep rhythm. avoid risk. and hope the next training session doesn’t erase months of preparation.
Lionel Messi injury World Cup 2026 Inter Miami hamstring Lamine Yamal Kylian Mbappé Mohamed Salah Hugo Ekitike Achilles injury list ruled out Rodrygo Éder Militão Serge Gnabry Alphonso Davies Chris Richards Johnny Cardoso Luka Modrić Joško Gvardiol
Hamstring scares every year lol
So he left the field for Inter Miami? I swear these guys are always “injured” right before big tournaments. Like can’t they just rest earlier??
Wait, Messi has a left hamstring problem but the article also says “left leg” for that Yamal kid. Isn’t a hamstring basically the same thing as Achilles or whatever? I’m confused but either way, poor timing for them.
This is exactly why I hate the whole World Cup buildup. Every week it’s like another star reaching for a leg and then suddenly we’re supposed to just believe they’ll be fine next month. Mbappé and Salah recovered so people will say Messi will too, but hamstrings can linger… then they mention Achilles for that other guy and now I’m like wait who’s actually out for sure? Feels like it’s always “could” or “expected” til kickoff.