Groin pain that’s finally getting attention: What is pubalgia?

Pubalgia is a chronic groin injury that causes persistent pain in the groin and lower abdomen. It’s a condition that frequently affects athletes — particularly footballers — and is notoriously difficult to treat, usually requiring long-term therapy and rest rather than surgery.

A Spanish sports surgeon explained that pubalgia most often occurs in explosive, fast players. It’s usually caused by early physical overload and rapid body growth, both of which put extreme stress on the lower core muscles.

The injury has recently gained public attention after being diagnosed in Lamine Yamal — and earlier in Franco Mastantuono. The topic spread quickly online, not least because of memes linking Yamal’s case to his now ex-girlfriend, singer Nicki Nicole. But pubalgia has been around for years.

Lionel Messi, Thierry Henry, Zinedine Zidane, Sergio Busquets, Dušan Vlahović, Toni Kroos, and Nico Williams are among many players who have struggled with it — often playing through pain or relying on injections to stay on the pitch. Vlahović battled it for nearly a year, while Messi dealt with the problem twice in his career — once as a teenager and again in 2016.

According to sports doctors, pubalgia limits a player’s ability to move freely, reducing explosiveness and sharpness. However, it usually doesn’t force players to stop entirely — which is why many continue to play through discomfort, even at the top level.

Published by Patrick Jane
08.11.2025