MLS may be back, but its biggest star won’t be back on the pitch.
Lionel Messi, along with fellow Argentina and Inter Miami teammate Rodrigo De Paul, will not play in Inter Miami’s next two matches and will not be available for the MLS All-Star Game on July 29, ESPN reported.
That would mean that Messi and De Paul will not play in Wednesday’s match against Chicago Fire or the Saturday match versus CF Montreal.
Lionel Messi reacts after Spain won the World Cup final July 20. AFP via Getty Images
Both players are coming off appearances in the World Cup as Argentina reached the final, which it lost to Spain 1-0 at MetLife Stadium on Sunday.
FIFA and FIFPRO, the global body that represents professional soccer players, agreed in 2025 on a 21-day rest period at the end of each season for health reasons.
“There is a consensus that there must be at least 72 hours of rest between matches, and that players should have a rest period/holiday of at least 21 days at the end of each season,” FIFA said in a statement at the time. “This period should be managed individually by each club and the respective players also depending on their match calendars and taking into account applicable collective agreements.”
Lionel Messi is pictured after Argentina lost in the World Cup final July 19. Xinhua/Shutterstock
ESPN reported that they are planning their time off with Inter Miami, but it’s unclear if Messi and De Paul will use the entire 21-day window.
Both players were selected to the All-Star Game in Charlotte, and this year marks the third time that Messi has been chosen to be a part of the festivities.
However, he has yet to participate in a single one.
News that Messi will not be on the pitch is a tough blow to MLS as well, especially if his absence extends beyond just the first two games following the World Cup break.
Messi is the biggest name in MLS and arguably the sport’s greatest player, drawing in sold-out crowds wherever he plays.
It would be a missed opportunity coming off a World Cup tournament that had captured the attention of so many sports fans in the United States.
