Messi will miss the MLS All-Star Game. The reason revealed

Lionel Messi will once again miss the MLS All-Star Game. The league's management has officially excluded the 39-year-old Inter Miami captain from the roster for the showcase match against the Mexican Liga MX All-Stars.

Alongside the Argentine, his Inter Miami teammate Rodrigo De Paul will also not feature in the match. Both players have been granted additional recovery time following the 2026 World Cup, where they reached the final with the Argentina national team.

MLS emphasized that this decision comes in accordance with the agreement between the league and the Players Association. Under this arrangement, players who recently wrapped up World Cup duties are allowed personalized schedules for rest and return to training. That’s why neither Messi nor De Paul will face any disciplinary action.

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This marks Messi’s third consecutive absence from the MLS All-Star Game. In 2024, the Argentine missed out due to an ankle injury sustained in the Copa America final. The following year, he withdrew on match day without medical grounds, leading the league to hand him a one-game suspension in the regular season.

The MLS All-Star Game is set for this Wednesday in Charlotte, where the top players from the North American league will square off against the Liga MX All-Stars.