Lionel Messi Injury Update, Timeline for Inter Miami Star to Return Ahead of 2026 MLS Season

Inter Miami announced that superstar forward Lionel Messi did not take part in training on Wednesday due to a "muscle strain in his left hamstring sustained during the match against Barcelona SC in Ecuador, which has persisted since then."

The club added that Messi has undergone additional testing and has confirmed the diagnosis, and his "gradual return to training will depend on his clinical and functional progress in the coming days."

Inter Miami open their MLS season on Saturday, Feb. 21 against LAFC.

There is simply no replacing Messi. The 38-year-old superstar is unquestionably the most dynamic and valuable player in MLS, notching 29 goals and 20 assists during the 2025 regular season and six goals and nine assists during the MLS playoffs as Inter Miami claimed the league title.

He led the league in both goals and assists during the regular season, earning him his second straight MVP award.

So long as Messi is playing, Inter Miami will be among the favorites to win the league. Whether he'll be playing to start the season, however, is now very much up in the air.