The Major League Soccer (MLS) announced on Friday a one-match suspension for Lionel Messi and Jordi Alba, players of Inter Miami, for failing to attend the MLS All-Star Game 2025 held this week in Austin, Texas.

MLS sanction on Messi and Jordi Alba

“Jordi Alba and Lionel Messi will not be available for their club’s match against FC Cincinnati this Saturday, July 26, due to their absence from the MLS All-Star Game,” the league officially stated.

According to MLS regulations, any player who does not participate in the All-Star Game without prior league approval will automatically be suspended for their team’s next match.

Both players were selected to represent the MLS team against a Liga MX selection but were ruled out of the event hours before the match began.

Messi and Alba with accumulated fatigue

In a press conference, Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano explained that both Messi and Alba did not train during the week due to muscular fatigue.

“Part of the plan was for Messi and Jordi to rejoin group training only today. They’ve been training separately all week,” Mascherano stated.

Regarding Messi, the coach detailed that he is experiencing “normal fatigue due to the number of matches and minutes accumulated recently.”

Mascherano criticizes the MLS for the schedule

Mascherano also took the opportunity to send a message to the league, requesting that the All-Star Game not coincide with official competition dates.

“These types of events, if they want to hold them, should not overlap with league matchdays. Playing midweek with this schedule is insane,” he concluded.