Lionel Messi He will be out indefinitely due to ligament damage in his right ankle. Inter Miami It was announced two days later on Tuesday Messi’s emotional early exit He will be available to play from the Copa America final. His availability will depend on his recovery.
Inter Miami coach Tata Martino told reporters on Tuesday that Messi will likely miss at least the team’s next two games. Toronto Messi underwent tests on Wednesday and in Chicago on Saturday. Martino said at the time that further tests were needed to determine the severity of the injury, and the team later said Messi had undergone a medical.
The Argentina and Inter Miami captain appeared to slip on the pitch at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium during Sunday’s final. Argentina beats Colombia rear Lautaro MartinezThe goal came in extra time. Messi collapsed without any contact with any other players, and after being taken off during the second half, he was seen on the FOX broadcast crying on the bench with ice wrapped around his ankle.
Messi called for medical assistance after collapsing and was briefly treated on the field by staff before leaving the pitch without his right boot.
Messi returned to the field after the match and raised the trophy with his teammates, giving Argentina a record-breaking 16th Copa America title, in what is likely to be his final Copa appearance.
Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said after the match that Messi did not want to be sent off but had no choice.
“Leo has what everyone should have,” Scaloni said. “He’s the greatest player of all time and even with his ankle like this, he doesn’t want to retire.”
“Not because he’s selfish, but because he doesn’t want to let his teammates down,” Scaloni continued. “He was born to be on the pitch.”
An eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, Messi has played 187 games for his native Argentina, scoring 109 goals and providing 58 assists — all Argentina records. The win marked Messi’s third major tournament victory with the senior national team, after winning the 2021 Copa America and captaining Argentina to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
He also won an Olympic gold medal as an under-23 at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Messi has scored 12 goals in 12 games. MLS He added nine assists this season ahead of the Copa America tournament.
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(Photo by Buda Mendes/Getty Images)
