Lionel Messi was expected to headline the 2025 MLS All-Star Game, a marquee event for Major League Soccer. With 18 goals and seven assists in just 18 games, his impact at Inter Miami has been transformative. Fans voted him in. The league made him the face of the July 23 match against Liga MX. But on the eve of the game, his participation remains uncertain.
A star in doubt
Messi and teammate Jordi Alba skipped the first All-Star training session and the skills challenge. As of Tuesday afternoon, Messi still hadn’t been seen in Austin. Inter Miami head coach Javier Mascherano said he’d prefer his veterans rest. The club has played seven matches in just 26 days, with Messi logging every minute.
Mascherano noted the team is managing “many muscle injuries,” suggesting Messi himself may not be fully fit. All-Star coach Nicolás Estévez, who also leads Austin FC, said he simply manages “the players they give me” and doesn’t know if Messi will arrive. Speculation has only grown, especially since Messi missed the 2024 All-Star Game due to injury.
League rules raise the stakes
MLS policy states that any selected player who misses the All-Star Game without a valid excuse must serve a one-game suspension during regular season play. Without medical clearance or a league exemption, Messi and Alba could be forced to sit out Inter Miami’s July 26 match against Eastern Conference leaders FC Cincinnati.
There’s precedent. Zlatan Ibrahimović received a suspension in 2018 for skipping the All-Star Game amid fixture congestion. Miami, meanwhile, faces three MLS matches in seven days. Mascherano called the schedule “very, very high” in intensity and said the staff’s priority is protecting players like Messi, who turns 38 this year.
What comes next?
There is still no official update. Messi and Alba are expected to travel to Austin, but neither has been seen in town. Estévez remains in the dark about Messi’s availability.
If he plays, it would mark Messi’s first MLS All-Star appearance. If not, it could lead to a suspension and spark wider questions about how the league balances commercial ambitions with player welfare.
Messi’s brilliance has elevated MLS to new heights of visibility. But now that same spotlight is shining back on the league’s policies, its handling of stars, and the expectations placed on aging legends in a grueling summer calendar.
