With just days to go before Inter Miami kicks off the inaugural expanded Club World Cup, concerns are mounting over the fitness of star forward Lionel Messi. The Argentine legend failed to complete Argentina’s recent World Cup qualifier against Colombia, sparking fears about his availability for Inter Miami’s opening match against Egyptian giants Al Ahly.
The incident occurred during a hard-fought 1–1 draw at River Plate’s Monumental Stadium. Messi, captaining the reigning world champions, started the match but unexpectedly left the pitch in the 78th minute. By that stage, Argentina were trailing after a stunning first-half goal from Colombia’s Luis Díaz and were down to 10 men following a straight red card to Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernández for a high boot.
Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni addressed the situation post-match, revealing that the decision to substitute Messi was initiated by the player himself. “Leo wasn’t going to come off, but he ended up coming off near the end,” Scaloni told reporters. “He told me it was better for him to come off, and so we decided to change him.”
Despite the setback, Argentina showed resilience, with Thiago Almada salvaging a point for the team. Scaloni praised his squad’s determination, noting, “The good thing we always showed, with 10 men and without Messi, is that we kept looking, not giving up on a ball. That makes us very satisfied.”
The exact nature of Messi’s issue remains undisclosed, leaving Inter Miami fans and management anxious about his condition. With Argentina’s World Cup qualification already secured, it’s possible Messi’s substitution was a precautionary measure with his club commitments in mind. Inter Miami faces a challenging Club World Cup group that includes European side Porto and Brazilian powerhouse Palmeiras, making their opener against Al Ahly potentially their best opportunity for a win in the tournament.
As FIFA president Gianni Infantino’s ambitious Club World Cup project approaches, all eyes will be on Messi’s recovery. Inter Miami will be hoping their talismanic captain can return to full fitness in time to lead them in this historic competition.