Lionel Messi, Inter Miami and Major League Soccer experienced the worst week in their two years together, collectively mishandling his 2025 All-Star Game absence.
Messi and Jordi Alba were disciplined by MLS commissioner Don Garber for skipping the All-Star Game, causing them to miss a marquee matchup against first-place FC Cincinnati on Saturday, July 26.
Soccer fans won’t see Messi, the 2024 MLS MVP, on a grand stage against Cincinnati’s Evander, a rising Brazilian who captained the MLS All-Stars in Messi’s place and is in the conversation with him for 2025 MVP.
Instead, there will be numerous shots of Messi stewing in an on-field suite, likely sitting next to Inter Miami’s newest signee, Argentina World Cup-winning teammate Rodrigo De Paul.
The situation marks the lowest point of the Messi era in this the league’s 30th season – all while he’s been in ongoing contract negotiations to continue his career with Inter Miami.
“He’s very upset,” Inter Miami co-owner Jorge Mas said of Messi during a Zoom press conference. “I’m hopeful it doesn’t have an impact long term.”
Messi, Inter Miami and MLS should have collectively agreed on him missing the All-Star Game. Garber could have granted Messi an excused absence. And Messi should be on the pitch Saturday doing what he does best.
This matter should have been resolved before All-Star Week, offering the spotlight to the MLS players who played in the showcase instead of the shadow cast by Messi’s whereabouts and whether he would be disciplined.
“I hope they respect the decision I made, and I understand they’re going to be disappointed by that decision,” Garber told USA TODAY Sports. “I hope that Leo’s commitment to our league, and the journey he’s been on and we’ve been on growing Major League Soccer is as important to him going forward as it has been in the past.”
What went wrong?
There was miscommunication from a series of phone calls exchanged between Inter Miami and MLS. There was no formal meeting on the matter, or a request from the club for Messi to miss the All-Star Game in Austin, Texas.
Mas spoke to the league on July 21 and 22, while some around the league expected Messi and Alba to show the day of the All-Star Game on July 23. Mas believed Messi would be exempt from attending – and the one-game suspension – because of his workload.
Messi played every minute in 22 of 23 matches since April 2, logging more than 2,000 minutes during the span. His last game off was April 27. He recently set an MLS record scoring two goals in five straight matches, and six of his last seven in the regular season.
“Load management is on Lionel Messi,” Mas said. “When he steps on the pitch, he will step off when the final whistle blows.”
The All-Star Game fell four days after Messi completed nine matches in 35 days, which included representing MLS on a global stage in the FIFA Club World Cup.
Inter Miami didn’t want Messi and Alba to travel to Texas, following road trips to face Cincinnati and the New York Red Bulls in New Jersey, with their second match with Cincinnati starting another stretch of 10 games in 34 days.
“He’s played more games than any player this year, and their schedule has him wanting to take a break. It was based on his commitment to his club, and I understand and respect his decision,” Garber said. “But we have a long-standing policy that is related to All-Star participation for all players. And unfortunately, I had to enforce the policy. It was a difficult decision to make.”
The MLS All-Star policy was first initiated in 2015 after players used “phantom injuries” to avoid the exhibition in previous years.
Zlatan Ibrahimović was suspended when he played for the LA Galaxy for skipping the event in 2018, criticizing the rule at the time for being “ridiculous.”
Messi missing the All-Star Game, however, is a different story.
“From the league’s perspective, this is really frustrating,” analyst and former U.S. men’s national team star Landon Donovan said on social media. “You have your best player. Your partners want him there. The owners want him there. The sponsors want him there. The fans want him there. The other guys on the MLS All-Star team want the chance to play with Messi. That’s a dream for them. So, this becomes a really challenging situation.”
Lionel Messi is ‘different’ for MLS
Messi isn’t entirely blameless in this, either. He could have jumped on a plane for the day, signed autographs and posed for photos with fellow players, waved at the fans, and even played a half so MLS could have a moment to celebrate having him in the league.
But Messi has done everything asked of him since he joined MLS in July 2023 – outside of playing in this All-Star Game, of course.
“Obviously, Lionel Messi is Lionel Messi. He is different. He has completely changed the economics of this league for every single club, every team, every sponsor, the league, media, etc.,” Mas said. “He’s important … But at the end of the day, league corporate sponsors are already taking advantage of Lionel Messi’s presence in the league.”
Messi has the best-selling jersey around the world and brought international attention to MLS. He’s provided awe-inspiring highlight plays and historic moments that make you wonder ‘how is this guy still doing this at 38 years old?’
Mas said Inter Miami’s Club World Cup loss to UEFA Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain was viewed globally by more than 30 million people.
“I know Leo Messi loves this league. I don’t think there’s been a player, or frankly just about anyone, who has done for MLS than Leo Messi has,” Garber said. “His games are special moments. Every one of them is a must-see match, and it’s that commitment what he does on the field that makes this decision so complicated.”
Messi stayed in Miami this week while his wife and three sons went to Italy on vacation. He practiced Friday, thinking he would be able to play against Cincinnati.
After practice, Messi reunited with De Paul on Inter Miami’s training fields. Then, he signed hundreds of autographs and posed for photos with kids attending Inter Miami’s summer camp before he received Garber’s decision.
“This whole Messi MLS All-Star game mess was avoidable,” analyst and former U.S. men’s national team standout Alexi Lalas said on social media. “Now, he can have a rest.”