star shall be an excused absence from this yr’s MLS All-Star Recreation, the league confirmed on Saturday, July 25.
Messi performed each sport of Argentina’s run to the World Cup closing, which led to a
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The 39-year-old, alongside together with his Inter Miami and Argentina teammate , have been each excused from Wednesday’s All-Star Recreation, which is able to see the MLS All-Stars tackle a staff of Liga MX All-Stars in Charlotte.
“Previous to the beginning of the 2026 season, Main League Soccer and the MLS Gamers Affiliation agreed that upon a participant’s exit from the World Cup competitors, golf equipment would have particular person conversations with every participant to find out the suitable relaxation and return to coaching and competitors timeline,” MLS stated in an announcement.
“In step with that settlement, Rodrigo De Paul and Lionel Messi shall be excused from collaborating within the 2026 MLS All-Star Recreation.”
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Lionel Messi in MLS: Images from soccer star’s tenure with Inter Miami
Mar. 18, 2026: Lionel Messi #10 of Inter Miami CF celebrates with teammate Sergio Reguilon #3 of Inter Miami CF after scoring his staff’s first objective in the course of the CONCACAF Champions Cup Spherical of 16 Second Leg match between Inter Miami CF and Nashville SC at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Messi, the Argentine World Cup champion, scored his 900th objective for membership and nation in Inter MiamiÕs match towards Nashville SC.
(Carmen Mandato, Getty Pictures)
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Lionel Messi in MLS: Images from soccer star’s tenure with Inter Miami
Mar. 18, 2026: Lionel Messi #10 of Inter Miami CF celebrates with teammate Sergio Reguilon #3 of Inter Miami CF after scoring his staff’s first objective in the course of the CONCACAF Champions Cup Spherical of 16 Second Leg match between Inter Miami CF and Nashville SC at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Messi, the Argentine World Cup champion, scored his 900th objective for membership and nation in Inter MiamiÕs match towards Nashville SC.
(Carmen Mandato, Getty Pictures)
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Lionel Messi in MLS: Images from soccer star’s tenure with Inter Miami
Dec. 6, 2025: Lionel Messi lifts the Philip F. Anschutz trophy after Inter Miami’s win in 2025 MLS Cup. Messi was named the sport’s MVP within the 3-1 win over the Vancouver Whitecaps.
(Nathan Ray Seebeck, Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Pictures)
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Lionel Messi in MLS: Images from soccer star’s tenure with Inter Miami
Nov. 29, 2025:Lionel Messi and Tomas Aviles have a good time with the trophy after successful the Jap Convention closing towards New York Metropolis FC at Chase Stadium on in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
(Carmen Mandato, Getty Pictures)
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Lionel Messi in MLS: Images from soccer star’s tenure with Inter Miami
Nov. 8, 2025: Lionel Messi celebrates after scoring towards Nashville SC throughout a first-round playoff sport at Chase Stadium. Messi scored two targets as Inter Miami prevailed, 4-0, in Recreation 3 of the best-of-three collection to advance to the Jap Convention semifinals.
(Sam Navarro, Imagn Pictures)
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Lionel Messi in MLS: Images from soccer star’s tenure with Inter Miami
Nov. 5, 2025: Lionel Messi holds the “key to town” that he acquired from Miami mayor Francis Suarez on the American Enterprise Discussion board on the Kaseya Heart in Miami.
(CHANDAN KHANNA, AFP through Getty Pictures)
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Lionel Messi in MLS: Images from soccer star’s tenure with Inter Miami
Oct. 24, 2025: Lionel Messi scores a objective off a header towards Nashville SC in the course of the first half of a Spherical 1 playoff sport at Chase Stadium. Messi scored two targets as Inter Miami received the primary sport of a best-of-three collection, 3-1.
(Sam Navarro, Imagn Pictures)
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Lionel Messi in MLS: Images from soccer star’s tenure with Inter Miami
Oct. 24, 2025: MLS commissioner Don Garber presents the league’s Golden Boot award for probably the most targets scored in the course of the common season to Lionel Messi earlier than a playoff sport towards Nashville SC at Chase Stadium. Messi led MLS with 29 targets scored in the course of the 2025 season.
(Sam Navarro, Imagn Pictures)
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Lionel Messi in MLS: Images from soccer star’s tenure with Inter Miami
Sept. 24, 2025: Lionel Messi celebrates his objective towards New York Metropolis FC at Citi Subject. Messi scored two targets in Inter Miami’s 4-0 win.
(Mark Smith, Imagn Pictures)
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Lionel Messi in MLS: Images from soccer star’s tenure with Inter Miami
July 5, 2025: Lionel Messi celebrates together with his Inter Miami teammate after scoring a objective towards CF Montreal in the course of the first half at Saputo Stadium. Messi had two targets in Inter Miami’s 4-1 win.
(Eric Bolte, Imagn Pictures)
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Lionel Messi in MLS: Images from soccer star’s tenure with Inter Miami
June 29, 2025: Lionel Messi is consoled by Paris Saint-Germain’s Khvicha Kvaratskhelia throughout Inter Miami’s 4-0 loss to PSG within the Spherical of 16 of the FIFA Membership World Cup at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
(Dale Zanine, Imagn Pictures)
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Lionel Messi in MLS: Images from soccer star’s tenure with Inter Miami
Might 31, 2025: Lionel Messi scores a objective towards the Columbus Crew at Chase Stadium. Messi scored two targets in Inter Miami’s 5-1 win.
(Sam Navarro, Imagn Pictures)
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Lionel Messi in MLS: Images from soccer star’s tenure with Inter Miami
Might 3, 2025: Lionel Messi celebrates with Inter Miami teammate Luis Suarez (9) after scoring a objective towards the New York Pink Bulls at Chase Stadium. Inter Miami received the sport, 4-1.
(Nathan Ray Seebeck, Imagn Pictures)
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Lionel Messi in MLS: Images from soccer star’s tenure with Inter Miami
April 9, 2025: Lionel Messi scores towards Los Angeles FC in the course of the first half at Chase Stadium. Messi scored twice within the sport as Inter Miami went on to defeat LAFC, 3-2 on combination, of their Concacaf Champions Cup quarterfinal matchup.
(Sam Navarro, Imagn Pictures)
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Lionel Messi in MLS: Images from soccer star’s tenure with Inter Miami
March 16, 2025: Lionel Messi celebrates after scoring a objective towards Atlanta United throughout Inter Miami’s 2-1 win at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
(Dale Zanine, Imagn Pictures)
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Lionel Messi in MLS: Images from soccer star’s tenure with Inter Miami
Feb. 22, 2025: Lionel Messi (10) controls the ball in the course of the MLS season-opening weekend match towards New York Metropolis FC at Chase Stadium. Inter Miami tied NYCFC, 2-2, within the sport.
(Sam Navarro, Imagn Pictures)
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Lionel Messi in MLS: Images from soccer star’s tenure with Inter Miami
Nov. 9, 2024: Lionel Messi leaves the pitch after Inter Miami’s first-round playoff loss to Atlanta United at Chase Stadium.
(Nathan Ray Seebeck, Imagn Pictures)
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Lionel Messi in MLS: Images from soccer star’s tenure with Inter Miami
Oct. 2, 2024: Lionel Messi celebrates after scoring a objective towards the Columbus Crew in the course of the first half at Decrease.com Subject. Messi scored twice in Inter Miami’s 3-2 win, which clinched the MLS Supporters’ Defend.
(Joseph Maiorana, Imagn Pictures)
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Lionel Messi in MLS: Images from soccer star’s tenure with Inter Miami
Sept. 14, 2024: Lionel Messi celebrates a objective scored towards the Philadelphia Union at Chase Stadium. Messi scored two targets within the 3-1 Inter Miami win.
(Wealthy Storry, Imagn Pictures)
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Lionel Messi in MLS: Images from soccer star’s tenure with Inter Miami
April 27, 2024: Lionel Messi makes an attempt a nook kick towards the New England Revolution at Gillette Stadium. Messi scored two targets in Inter Miami’s 4-1 win. A crowd of 65,612 confirmed up at Gillette Stadium, setting a New England Revolution dwelling attendance report (earlier excessive: 61,316 for 2002 MLS Cup).
(Paul Rutherford, USA TODAY Sports activities)
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Lionel Messi in MLS: Images from soccer star’s tenure with Inter Miami
April 20, 2024: Lionel Messi shakes fingers with the officers after the sport towards Nashville SC at Chase Stadium. Messi scored two targets in Inter Miami’s 3-1 win.
(Sam Navarro, USA TODAY Sports activities)
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Lionel Messi in MLS: Images from soccer star’s tenure with Inter Miami
April 6, 2024: Lionel Messi and the Colorado Rapids’ Kimani Stewart-Baynes (27) battle for the ball in the course of the second half at Chase Stadium. Messi scored a objective for Inter Miami in a 2-2 draw.
(Nathan Ray Seebeck, USA TODAY Sports activities)
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Lionel Messi in MLS: Images from soccer star’s tenure with Inter Miami
March 13, 2024: Lionel Messi celebrates with Luis Suarez after scoring a objective towards Nashville SC in the course of the second leg of a Concacaf Champions Cup Spherical of 16 match. Inter Miami received the sport, 3-1, and superior on combination 5-3, to the quarterfinals.
(Nathan Ray Seebeck, USA TODAY Sports activities)
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Lionel Messi in MLS: Images from soccer star’s tenure with Inter Miami
March 2, 2024: Lionel Messi talks to the media after Inter Miami’s 5-0 win towards Orlando Metropolis at Chase Stadium. Messi scored two targets within the win.
(Sam Navarro, USA TODAY Sports activities)
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Lionel Messi in MLS: Images from soccer star’s tenure with Inter Miami
Feb. 25, 2024: Lionel Messi scores an equalizing objective previous Los Angeles Galaxy goalkeeper John McCarthy in the course of the second half at Dignity Well being Sports activities Park. Messi’s objective salvaged a 1-1 draw for Inter Miami on the street in Carson, California.
(Jayne Kamin-Oncea, USA TODAY Sports activities)
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Lionel Messi in MLS: Images from soccer star’s tenure with Inter Miami
Feb. 21, 2024: Lionel Messi reacts after a 2-0 season-opening win over Actual Salt Lake at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
(Sam Navarro, USA TODAY Sports activities)
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Lionel Messi in MLS: Images from soccer star’s tenure with Inter Miami
Nov. 10, 2023: Lionel Messi poses with the Ballon d’Or trophy earlier than Inter Miami’s pleasant towards New York Metropolis at DRV PNK Stadium.
(Sam Navarro, USA TODAY Sports activities)
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Lionel Messi in MLS: Images from soccer star’s tenure with Inter Miami
Sept. 20, 2023: Lionel Messi locations the captains armband on defender DeAndre Yedlin after being subbed off in the course of the first half of Inter Miami’s 4-0 win over Toronto FC at DRV PNK Stadium.
(Wealthy Storry, USA TODAY Sports activities)
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Lionel Messi in MLS: Images from soccer star’s tenure with Inter Miami
Sept. 3, 2023: Lionel Messi and Los Angeles FC’s Mateusz Bogusz (19) battle for the ball in the course of the second half of Inter Miami’s 3-1 win at BMO Stadium.
(Kirby Lee, USA TODAY Sports activities)
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Lionel Messi in MLS: Images from soccer star’s tenure with Inter Miami
Aug. 30, 2023: Inter Miami’s DeAndre Yedlin (2) and Lionel Messi hoist the Leagues Cup trophy earlier than the sport towards Nashville SC at DRV PNK Stadium.
(Sam Navarro, USA TODAY Sports activities)
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Lionel Messi in MLS: Images from soccer star’s tenure with Inter Miami
Aug. 26, 2023: Lionel Messi (10) celebrates after scoring a objective towards the New York Pink Bulls with teammate Benjamin Cremaschi (30) in the course of the second half at Pink Bull Enviornment. Inter Miami received, 2-0, in what was Messi’s first MLS regular-season sport.
(Vincent Carchietta, USA TODAY Sports activities)
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Lionel Messi in MLS: Images from soccer star’s tenure with Inter Miami
Aug. 23, 2023: Lionel Messi celebrates with Facundo Farias (11) after defeating FC Cincinnati in penalty kicks within the U.S. Open Cup semifinals at TQL Stadium.
(Aaron Doster, USA TODAY Sports activities)
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Lionel Messi in MLS: Images from soccer star’s tenure with Inter Miami
Aug. 19, 2023: Messi in the course of the trophy ceremony for the Leagues Cup Championship match.
(Alan Poizner, USA TODAY Sports activities)
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Lionel Messi in MLS: Images from soccer star’s tenure with Inter Miami
Aug. 19, 2023: Messi waves after successful the Leagues Cup closing towards Nashville.
(Christopher Hanewinckel, USA TODAY Sports activities)
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Lionel Messi in MLS: Images from soccer star’s tenure with Inter Miami
Aug. 15, 2023: Messi reacts after scoring towards the Philadelphia Union. Inter Miami received the Leagues Cup semifinal, 4-1.
(Eric Hartline, USA TODAY Sports activities)
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Lionel Messi in MLS: Images from soccer star’s tenure with Inter Miami
Aug. 11, 2023: Messi celebrates after scoring towards Charlotte FC within the Leagues Cup quarterfinals.
(Jeremy Reper, USA TODAY Sports activities)
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Lionel Messi in MLS: Images from soccer star’s tenure with Inter Miami
Aug. 6, 2023: Lionel Messi scores in penalty kicks towards FC Dallas in a Leagues Cup Spherical of 16 knockout sport.
(Jerome Miron, USA TODAY Sports activities)
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Lionel Messi in MLS: Images from soccer star’s tenure with Inter Miami
Aug. 6, 2023: Messi celebrates a objective towards FC Dallas with teammate Jordi Alba.
(Kevin Jairaj, USA TODAY Sports activities)
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Lionel Messi in MLS: Images from soccer star’s tenure with Inter Miami
Aug. 2, 2023: Lionel Messi scores a objective previous Orlando Metropolis SC goalkeeper Pedro Gallese in the course of the Leagues Cup.
(Nathan Ray Seebeck, USA TODAY Sports activities)
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Lionel Messi in MLS: Images from soccer star’s tenure with Inter Miami
July 25, 2023: Lionel Messi celebrates a objective towards Atlanta United in the course of the Leagues Cup.
(Jasen Vinlove, USA TODAY Sports activities)
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Lionel Messi in MLS: Images from soccer star’s tenure with Inter Miami
July 21, 2023: Lionel Messi celebrates scoring a game-winning objective towards Cruz Azul in the course of the Leagues Cup opener.
(Sam Navarro, USA TODAY Sports activities)
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Lionel Messi in MLS: Images from soccer star’s tenure with Inter Miami
July 21, 2023: Lionel Messi celebrates a objective towards Cruz Azul within the Leagues Cup opener.
(Sam Navarro, USA TODAY Sports activities)
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Lionel Messi in MLS: Images from soccer star’s tenure with Inter Miami
July 16, 2023: Lionel Messi was launched as a Miami participant at an occasion at DRV PNK Stadium.
(Wealthy Storry, USA TODAY Sports activities)
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Lionel Messi in MLS: Images from soccer star’s tenure with Inter Miami
July 16, 2023: Lionel Messi was launched as a Miami participant at an occasion at DRV PNK Stadium.
(Wealthy Storry, USA TODAY Sports activities)
Messi and Inter Miami teammate skipped the All-Star Recreation final season as properly, however each gamers have been as a result of they weren’t injured.
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Inter Miami proprietor Jorge Mas blasted the suspension as “draconian” on the time.
Messi and De Paul have been excused absences this time round, with the league asserting on Saturday that , who not too long ago transferred from the to Monterrey, and injured Fireplace defender Mbekezeli Mbokazi would additionally miss the sport.
Inter Miami midfielder , midfielder Andrés , ahead Guilherme and Chicago Fireplace ahead have been confirmed as their replacements.
2026 MLS All-Star Recreation roster
Goalkeepers: (), (), ()
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Defenders: Max Arfsten (), (), (), (), (Columbus Crew), (), (Nashville SC), (), ()
Midfielders: (Vancouver Whitecaps), (Charlotte FC), Yannick Vibrant (Inter Miami), Andrés Cubas (Vancouver Whitecaps), (), (), (), (Nashville SC), Thomas Müller (Vancouver Whitecaps), (Charlotte FC)
Forwards: (), Guilherme (Houston Dynamo), (), (), (), (Nashville SC), Philip Zinckernagel (Chicago Fireplace)
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Should-see World Cup closing images present Messi, Yamal pursue championship
The World Cup closing brings collectively two of soccer’s largest stars as Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal chase the game’s largest prize.
See the should‑see images from the championship match because the event reaches its conclusion.
Above, Argentina’s Lionel Messi in the course of the heat up earlier than the match.
(Hannah McKay, REUTERS)
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Should-see World Cup closing images present Messi, Yamal pursue championship
The World Cup closing brings collectively two of soccer’s largest stars as Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal chase the game’s largest prize.
See the should‑see images from the championship match because the event reaches its conclusion.
Above, Argentina’s Lionel Messi in the course of the heat up earlier than the match.
(Hannah McKay, REUTERS)
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Should-see World Cup closing images present Messi, Yamal pursue championship (ODD ANDERSEN, AFP through Getty Pictures)
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Should-see World Cup closing images present Messi, Yamal pursue championship
Common view of the tattoo of Argentina’s Lionel Messi in the course of the heat up earlier than the match.
(Hannah McKay, REUTERS)
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Should-see World Cup closing images present Messi, Yamal pursue championship
Spain’s Lamine Yamal and Dani Olmo in the course of the heat up earlier than the match.
(Dylan Martinez, REUTERS)
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Should-see World Cup closing images present Messi, Yamal pursue championship
Argentina’s Emiliano Martinez in the course of the heat up earlier than the match.
(VINCENT CARCHIETTA, IMAGN IMAGES through Reuters)
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Should-see World Cup closing images present Messi, Yamal pursue championship
Spain’s Rodri in the course of the heat up earlier than the match.
(Amanda Perobelli, REUTERS)
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Should-see World Cup closing images present Messi, Yamal pursue championship
Spain’s Lamine Yamal in the course of the heat up earlier than the match.
(Dylan Martinez, REUTERS)
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Should-see World Cup closing images present Messi, Yamal pursue championship
Argentina gamers in the course of the heat up earlier than the match.
(Mike Segar, REUTERS)
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Should-see World Cup closing images present Messi, Yamal pursue championship
Spain gamers in the course of the heat up earlier than the match.
(JAMES LANG, IMAGN IMAGES through Reuters)