Lionel Messi is expected to sit out the 2026 MLS All-Star match just days after Argentina’s agonising World Cup final defeat to Spain, amid growing concern over player burnout.
The 39-year-old forward, who plays for Inter Miami, is not likely to feature in the showcase fixture on 29 July at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, according to ESPN. The game will pit a selection of Major League Soccer stars against leading players from Mexico’s Liga MX.
Messi was named in the MLS All-Star squad alongside his Inter Miami and Argentina team-mate Rodrigo De Paul, but is preparing to miss the event for a second consecutive year.
The decision comes in the immediate aftermath of Argentina’s 1-0 extra-time loss to Spain in the 2026 World Cup final on Sunday – a result that denied Messi and his team-mates back‐to‐back world titles after their triumph at Qatar 2022.
Rest over spectacle after World Cup exertions
Most of Argentina’s Europe-based players have already begun their off-season breaks, but Messi remains officially in the middle of the MLS campaign with Inter Miami.
However, his return to club action will not be immediate. The move to miss the All-Star fixture is understood to be in line with guidance from FIFPRO, world football’s players’ union, which recommends a minimum rest period of 21 days once a season has finished.
Although the MLS season is ongoing, Messi played in every match of Argentina’s run to the World Cup final, significantly increasing his recent workload. The tight turnaround between the final and the All-Star game has strengthened the case for granting him additional recovery time.
Inter Miami to be without star man in league fixtures
Reports in the United States say Messi will definitely miss Inter Miami’s next two league games, against Chicago Fire and CF Montreal. His absence is also expected to extend through the All-Star encounter in Charlotte on Wednesday.
It remains unclear exactly when he will resume training and match action for Inter Miami, with the club and player yet to agree a firm return date.
Last season, Messi was sanctioned by MLS authorities after missing the All-Star game without securing official approval from the league. A repeat punishment is thought to be unlikely in this instance, given the “exceptional” circumstances surrounding his World Cup involvement and the short gap before the exhibition match.
Coach: no timetable yet for Messi return
Inter Miami head coach Guillermo Hoyos told reporters on Tuesday that there is still no confirmed schedule for Messi’s comeback.
من جانبه، قال جييرمو هويوس، مدرب انتر ميامي، في تصريحات للصحفيين امس الثلاثاء، انه لا يوجد حتى الان موعد محدد لعودة النجم الارجنتيني الى التدريبات والمباريات.
Translation: For his part, Guillermo Hoyos, Inter Miami’s coach, told reporters on Tuesday that there is still no specific date for the Argentine star’s return to training and matches.
The club is expected to manage Messi’s minutes carefully once he does rejoin the squad, as he balances the demands of MLS with his continuing international ambitions following a gruelling World Cup campaign that ended just short of a second successive title.
