Miami: Lionel Messi of Inter Miami will miss this week’s MLS All-Star Game, Major League Soccer confirmed on Monday. The decision follows Messi’s recent ankle injury sustained during the Copa America final just eight days ago.
The Argentine superstar has been listed among the unavailable players for Wednesday’s high-profile match in Columbus, Ohio. The game will feature MLS All-Stars from 18 league clubs facing off against top players from Mexico’s LIGA MX.
This year’s All-Star Game was set to be Messi’s debut in the MLS All-Star event after joining Inter Miami in July 2023, ending a storied European career. Despite the setback, Messi has made an impressive start to his MLS career, registering 12 goals and 13 assists in his first 12 games of 2024. This remarkable performance has made him the fastest player to reach 25 goal contributions in a single MLS season.
The MLS All-Star Game is scheduled to kick off at 8 p.m. EDT (0000 GMT) on July 24.
