![Lionel Messi of Inter Miami, who played in the 2026 North and Central America World Cup final, will not appear in the 2026 MLS All-Star Game. [Reuters]](https://wimg.heraldcorp.com/news/cms/2026/07/26/rcv.YNA.20260723.PRU20260723224201009_P1.jpg)
Lionel Messi of Inter Miami will not play in the 2026 MLS All-Star Game after appearing in the 2026 North and Central America World Cup final.
MLS announced Sunday that Messi and Inter Miami teammate Rodrigo De Paul have been excused from the All-Star Game. "Prior to the start of this season, MLS and the MLS Players Association agreed that players who participated in the World Cup would determine appropriate rest, training and return-to-play schedules through individual discussions with their clubs," the league said in a statement. "In accordance with that agreement, Lionel Messi and Rodrigo De Paul are exempt from the MLS All-Star Game obligation."
Messi and De Paul both featured for Argentina in the 2026 North and Central America World Cup final against Spain, played Monday at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Argentina lost 1-0 to Spain after extra time, falling short in their bid to defend the title and finishing as runners-up.
After the final, ESPN reported, citing sources, that Inter Miami had informed MLS of the two players' unavailability for the All-Star Game. MLS made the absences official Sunday.
As a result, fans will not see Son Heung-min of LAFC and Messi share the pitch when the MLS All-Star team faces the Liga MX All-Stars in the 2026 MLS All-Star Game.
The 2026 MLS All-Star Game is scheduled for Thursday at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Meanwhile, Son has been included in the lineup for the MLS All-Star Skills Challenge, held Saturday.
The Skills Challenge showcases players' individual abilities across five events: shooting, passing, a goalkeeper duel, a crossbar challenge, and a relay featuring dribbling, passing and shooting in a team format.
greg@heraldcorp.com
