The 38-year-old Argentine icon sustained an injury to his upper right leg early in Miami's home victory on penalties against Mexico's Necaxa during a Leagues Cup match on Saturday.

Messi left the field in the 11th minute but walked off and went into the locker room.

Messi "underwent medical evaluations to assess the severity of the muscle discomfort he felt,"which led to his departure from the game, as stated by Inter Miami.

"The results confirmed a minor muscle injury in his right leg. His return to play will depend on his clinical recovery and response to treatment."

This indicates that there is no set timeline for the return of the Miami star, who is currently tied for the MLS season lead with 18 goals and has also recorded nine assists in 18 matches.

Jordi Alba, who scored an equalizer for Miami during second-half stoppage time to initiate the penalty shootout that the hosts won 5-4, remarked that Messi's early departure was "a great sadness for the entire team."

Inter Miami holds a record of 12 wins, 4 losses, and 6 draws for a total of 42 points, placing them fifth in the Eastern Conference, eight points behind the league leader Philadelphia but with three games in hand.

Any prolonged absence would be a significant setback for Miami in the Leagues Cup, which Inter won in 2023 shortly after Messi's arrival in South Florida.

Miami, set to host UNAM Pumas on Wednesday, is currently second in the MLS standings to qualify for the Leagues Cup knockout stage with five points and would secure a quarter-final spot with a win.