Lionel Messi don again miss MLS All-Star game, but dis time e get green light from league. Di 39-year-old Inter Miami star and im teammate Rodrigo De Paul don skip di showcase match for di third straight season, but no punishment go follow.
MLS announce on Saturday say Messi and De Paul don get official pass to miss di game wey go hold for Charlotte on Wednesday. Di reason na say both of dem don just finish playing for Argentina for di 2026 World Cup final, wey Spain win 1-0 on July 19.
Before di season start, MLS and di Players Association gree say any player wey exit World Cup go get individual talk wit dem club to decide rest time. So di withdrawal don get pre-approval, unlike last year when Messi and Jordi Alba bin get one-match ban for skipping di All-Star game.
Di league tok say: ‘Prior to di start of di 2026 season, Major League Soccer and di MLS Players Association agreed say upon a player’s exit from di World Cup competition, clubs go have individual conversations wit each player to determine di appropriate rest and return to training and competition timeline. Consistent wit dat agreement, Rodrigo De Paul and Lionel Messi go be excused from participating in di 2026 MLS All-Star Game.’
Messi don now miss three All-Star games in a row: 2024 for ankle injury, 2025 for unapproved absence wey lead to suspension, and 2026 for World Cup recovery.
Inter Miami teammate Yannick Bright don chop one of di four replacement spots. Bright, wey be midfielder, don play 12 games dis season wit two assists. E step up to fill di gap left by Sergio Busquets retirement.
Another Whitecaps midfielder, Andrés Cubas, don join di squad. Cubas star for Paraguay for di World Cup, wey reach round of 16. E lead all players in defensive contributions for di tournament wit 52, ahead of England’s Elliot Anderson (47) and Spain’s Rodri (42).
Chicago Fire forward Philip Zinckernagel, wit five goals and seven assists, don replace Hugo Cuypers. Cuypers bin lead di Golden Boot race but Chicago sell am to Liga MX’s CF Monterrey after Robert Lewandowski join. Also, Mbekezeli Mbokazi don drop out because of injury.
Houston Dynamo forward Guilherme, wey dey race for MLS Newcomer of di Year, don collect di last replacement spot.
Di All-Star game go feature big names like LAFC’s Son Heung-min, Vancouver Whitecaps’ Thomas Muller, and US national team captain Tim Ream for Charlotte. Di match go be against Liga MX All-Stars.
Last year, MLS commissioner Don Garber tok say e be ‘very difficult decision’ to suspend Messi and Alba, but league policy bin must follow. Dis year, di pre-arranged agreement don prevent any wahala.
