Inter Miami is under fire as former MLS stars have unleashed a scathing attack, accusing the club of hiding the truth about Lionel Messi’s latest injury. The controversy erupted after the 37-year-old soccer icon limped off the pitch just 11 minutes into a Leagues Cup clash against Necaxa on August 3rd, leaving fans and analysts reeling with concern.
The club’s official response? A vague, one-line medical update claiming Messi suffered a “minor muscle injury in his right leg” with no clear timeline for his return, stating only that his availability would “depend on his clinical progress and response to treatment.” While this technically checks the box for MLS protocol, the statement has been slammed as a smokescreen, fueling speculation about Inter Miami’s true motives.
Injury update: Leo Messi.
Here: https://t.co/3vWDpkNPgF pic.twitter.com/SyibxW0lgA
— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) August 3, 2025
On ESPN FC, former MLS standout and analyst Alejandro Moreno didn’t hold back, tearing into Inter Miami’s medical update as “as vague as vague can be.” He argued, “It’s a medical report without being a medical report. They’ve provided no real information whatsoever.” Moreno, a former Venezuelan international, dismissed the term “muscle discomfort” as absurd for a player of Messi’s caliber, who rarely leaves the field early. “Muscle discomfort doesn’t get Lionel Messi off the pitch,” he insisted. “This is obviously a soft-tissue injury, but Inter Miami isn’t telling us the full story.”
Moreno pointed to a troubling pattern with the club, noting that Messi’s previous injuries—often soft-tissue issues like hamstring or adductor problems—have been similarly shrouded in mystery. “We’ve seen this before with Messi at Inter Miami,” he said. “They say ‘we’ll see how recovery goes,’ and then it drags on beyond the usual two-to-three weeks.” He speculated that if this is indeed a hamstring injury, fans shouldn’t expect to see the Argentine superstar back for at least two weeks.
Adding fuel to the fire, former MLS forward Herculez Gomez joined Moreno in questioning Inter Miami’s transparency, suggesting a far more cynical motive. “They’re gonna milk this,” Gomez declared, accusing the club of exploiting Messi’s injury to boost ticket sales and sponsorships. “Every time he doesn’t show up, it somehow benefits the gate and the sponsors. If they admitted today that Messi’s out for a month, viewership would tank, and ticket sales would plummet. They’re using this to their advantage.”
Gomez emphasized Messi’s relentless drive, noting, “It’s never minor when Messi comes off the field. He’s not that type of guy. He wants to play every single game.” For Gomez, the lack of clarity points to one thing: “It all comes back to money.”
This isn’t the first time Inter Miami has faced scrutiny over Messi’s health. Throughout the 2024 and 2025 seasons, the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner has battled recurring soft-tissue injuries, including issues with his hamstrings and adductors, causing him to miss matches for both club and country. The club’s consistent vagueness has only deepened suspicions, with many wondering if Inter Miami is downplaying injuries to protect its commercial interests.
As the soccer world waits for answers, the accusations from Moreno and Gomez have sparked a firestorm. Is Inter Miami hiding the severity of Messi’s injury to keep fans hopeful and ticket sales soaring? Or is this simply a case of cautious medical reporting? One thing is clear: when it comes to Lionel Messi, nothing is ever as simple as it seems.