SOCCER: Messi substituted after clutching thigh in final club game before World Cup

Lionel Messi came off in the 73rd minute of his final club match before the World Cup on Sunday, with Inter Miami coach Guillermo Hoyos saying the Argentine superstar was likely suffering from fatigue after playing on a heavy pitch.

The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner was substituted after appearing to clutch the back of his thigh following one of his trademark free kicks during Inter Miami’s 6–4 win over the Philadelphia Union in Miami.

“We don’t have a medical report on that yet, but we will have one shortly,” Hoyos told reporters when asked about the decision to take off the talismanic forward.

“He was genuinely experiencing fatigue in that moment. It is simply fatigue. He was tired, the pitch was heavy, and when in doubt, the standard approach is always to ensure you do not take any risks.”

Major League Soccer is now entering a mid-season break for the World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico from June 11 to July 19.

Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni has named a 55-man preliminary squad, including Messi, announced on May 11. The list must be trimmed to 26 players ahead of FIFA’s June 1 deadline.

Messi played a key role in Argentina’s World Cup triumph in Qatar four years ago, their third title overall. They will open their title defense against Algeria in Kansas City on June 16. -Reporting by Paras J. Haji in Bengaluru, editing by Nick Mulvenney and Christian Radnedge/Reuters