Inter Miami has confirmed that Lionel Messi suffered an injury to his left hamstring, calling the injury “muscle fatigue” in a statement released Monday. Messi left during a wild matchup between Inter Miami and Philadelphia Union on Sunday, the team’s last game before the 2026 World Cup, and immediately headed to the locker room.

Inter Miami said Monday that Messi left the match “due to physical discomfort,” citing an issue with his hamstring.

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“After undergoing further medical tests this Monday, the initial diagnosis indicates an overload associated with muscle fatigue in his left hamstring,” the team said.

Miami said that Messi’s timeline to return to the field “will depend on his clinical and functional progress.” The team did not outline the severity of the injury or clarify whether this would affect Messi’s World Cup availability.

During the second half of Miami’s 6-4 win over Philadelphia, Messi took a free kick and immediately grabbed at the back of his leg. He then asked for a sub and exited the game in the 73rd minute, heading straight to the locker room.

Sunday marks Inter Miami’s final game before MLS pauses for the World Cup. Messi is expected to return as Argentina’s captain as the reigning champions prepare to defend their title, though the final roster has yet to be announced ahead of FIFA’s June 1 deadline. Messi has not indicated whether he will play in what would be a sixth World Cup

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Postgame, Inter Miami head coach Guillermo Hoyos said that they don’t have more information on Messi’s potential injury at this time, but that they “didn’t want to risk anything” by keeping him out there, via The Athletic’s Tom Bogert.

Sunday’s game had one of the wildest first halves in MLS history, with Inter Miami and Philadelphia entering halftime tied 4-4. The Union went up 3-1 in the 20th minute after an early patch of goals, but goals from Germán Berterame and Luis Suárez gave Miami a slight lead. Milan Iloski ended with a first-half hat trick, after scoring a second penalty kick in first-half stoppage time to tie the game.

With all the goals and the penalties, that first-half stoppage time was particularly long. There was a brief stoppage as the referee’s shoe completely broke apart.

The two teams stayed scoreless for much of the second half. But shortly after Messi exited, Suárez completed a hat trick with a go-ahead goal in the 81st minute. Rodrigo dePaul then added another in stoppage time to give Miami the 6-4 win.

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The result ties four other games for the second-highest scoring game in MLS history, with 10 total goals.