Lionel Messi Will Miss the MLS All-Star Game
Messi takes a break and will not be at the MLS All-Star Game, the pause after the World Cup leaves him out of the most anticipated event of the summer.
Messi absent from the All-Star Game
Lionel Messi will not participate in the MLS All-Star Game, scheduled for July 29. According to ESPN, both he and Rodrigo De Paul, his teammate at Inter Miami, will begin a mandatory rest period after the World Cup campaign that culminated in the final against Spain in the United States
The strain of the World Cup and the necessary break
Messi played the full 120 minutes of the final. That accumulation of minutes and the intensity of the competition make a break inevitable. As a result, the Argentine captain will miss Inter Miami's matches against Chicago Fire and CF Montreal, as well as the highly anticipated league All-Star event
Pressure from FIFPRO and the new rules
The decision is part of FIFPRO's recommendations, which demanded a minimum rest period of 21 days at the end of each season to reduce the risk of injury. FIFA and players' representatives agreed on this measure in 2025, stipulating that players must have at least 72 hours of recovery between matches and a three-week break at the end of the season. For 39-year-old Messi, the priority is to preserve his physical condition
