Lionel Messi injury update: How bad is the Inter Miami captain’s ankle injury?

Lionel Messi’s fitness remains a key topic of discussion among Inter Miami fans, despite their continued run of good form in his absence. The Herons are sitting top of the Eastern Conference but are about to begin their 2024 Leagues Cup journey, the tournament that Messi led them to glory in last season.

The Miami captain suffered an ankle ligament injury in last weekend’s Copa América final and hobbled from the field in tears. The outlook for the 37-year-old did not look good. However it appears that the injury is not as serious as first feared and Messi may be able to return next month, potentially missing just two games for Inter Miami.

“Leo’s ankle is...well, you all saw the images,” Inter Miami coach Tata Martino explained on Wednesday. “He had a sprain. There will be further testing to determine the severity of the injury.”

“I don’t want to speculate further. He had a sprain. He has to have more tests and wait for the results. Walter [Insaurralde], our kinesiologist, is the same one used by the Argentine national team, he is always very cautious in his diagnoses until all the testing is done.”

When will Lionel Messi return for Inter Miami?

The Argentine will certainly miss three fixtures as he continues his recovery. Those games are this weekend’s visit of Chicago Fire, the midweek MLS All-Star Game and the Leagues Cup opener against Puebla on Saturday, July 27.

However beyond that, there is hope that Messi could return in time to play a part for Miami in August. That would make for a pleasantly swift recovery for Messi, who appeared to roll his ankle in the first half of the Copa América final against Colombia. He required treatment at the time but was allowed to play on until suffering a further setback in the second half, forcing him from the field.

Some may wonder whether the Argentine should have been substituted after the initial injury but Martino insisted that he does not blame the Argentina had coach for keeping Messi on.

“One should not offer opinions on how their coaches managed things, just like Lionel Scaloni doesn’t give opinions on how we use Leo,” Martino said. “Any player who injures an ankle in a final, especially Leo, would want to stay on the field. He went to the locker room, tried to keep playing and the point came where he couldn’t anymore.”

Miami will be eager to get Messi back in time to play some part in their Leagues Cup defence, but there is an understanding that the main objective is still to come. This campaign represents Inter Miami’s best chance at a Messi-led MLS Cup run and ensuring that he’s fresh for the crucial post-season period will be at the forefront of Martino’s mind going forward.