Messi cleared to skip All-Star Game by MLS after reaching World Cup final

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/inter-miami/0AheRyBg/"]Inter Miami[/a] superstar [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/messi-lionel/vgOOdZbd/"]Messi[/a] had been sanctioned last year for skipping [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/liga-mx-all-stars-8v74vG3f/mls-all-stars-Mqp3HsDl/?mid=d0OLOOJ5"]the annual showcase[/a], which pits top players from across MLS against rivals from the Mexican Liga MX.[/p][p]Participation is usually mandatory, with exceptions for injury.[/p][p]But this year, the World Cup took place in the middle of the MLS season, which paused for a seven-week break, and the league confirmed exceptions had been pre-arranged for players reaching the international tournament's final stages.[/p][p][b]"Prior to the start of the 2026 season, Major League Soccer and the MLS Players Association agreed that upon a player's exit from the World Cup competition, clubs would have individual conversations with each player to determine the appropriate rest and return to training and competition timeline,"[/b] said the statement.[/p][p][b]"Consistent with that agreement, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/de-paul-rodrigo/AZ6TTjDC/"]Rodrigo De Paul[/a] and Lionel Messi will be excused from participating in the 2026 MLS All-Star Game."[/b][/p][p]Fellow Argentine De Paul also featured in last Sunday's World Cup final in New Jersey, which [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/argentina/f9OppQjp/"]Argentina[/a] lost [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/argentina-f9OppQjp/spain-bLyo6mco/?mid=UgbUKPmT"]1-0 to Spain after extra time.[/a][/p][embed guid="7d4640eb-3129-41ea-9eb9-743dae7ec753" url="https://x.com/MLS/status/2081048345255067882" social-type="twitter" /][p]Messi had been among the first 11 players named to the MLS squad for this year's All-Star Game, which takes place in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Wednesday.[/p][p]In his absence, stars will include Los Angeles FC's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/son-heung-min/Mgg9oPeM/"]Son Heung-Min[/a], the Vancouver Whitecaps' [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/muller-thomas/8KpOJV2B/"]Thomas Muller[/a], and US national team captain [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ream-tim/rcZZwu8e/"]Tim Ream[/a], who plays for Charlotte.[/p][p]Last year, Messi and then-Inter Miami teammate [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/alba-jordi/42SIX9sl/"]Jordi Alba[/a] were slapped with a one-game suspension for skipping the All-Star Game at the last minute.[/p][image alt="Messi's recent domestic league stats" id="636581e6-b681-4e89-880a-7c151f075482" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="5331866f-e17d-479d-8b19-14a6b1c8ccb4" original-width="2160" original-height="2700" /][p]MLS commissioner Don Garber at the time expressed sympathy for Messi's gruelling schedule, saying it had been a "very difficult decision" and that the league's long-standing All-Star Game policy would be reviewed.[/p][p]Nonetheless, Inter Miami's billionaire co-owner Jorge Mas said Messi was "very upset" by the suspension.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/liga-mx-all-stars-8v74vG3f/mls-all-stars-Mqp3HsDl/?mid=d0OLOOJ5"]Follow the MLS-Liga MX All-Star game here.[/a][/b][/p]