Will he or won’t he...question marks linger over Messi playing in MLS All-Star Game
Austin, Texas is the setting for the 2025 All-Star Game as an MLS XI face a team composed of Liga MX stars with doubts remaining over Messi’s participation.
Lionel Messi has been with Inter Miami for two years, and MLS has seen a boom in this period. From raising the competitive bar for a franchise that seemed destined for mediocrity in its early years, to breaking historic records that have garnered significant attention around the globe, Messi has been good, very good for the league.
The annual All-Star Game this year sees an MLS and Liga MX XI’s face off this Wednesday at Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas, but there is still one issue to be resolved. Inter Miami duo Leo Messi and Jordi Alba have yet to arrive at the MLS training camp in Texas.
In Messi’s case, his relationship with the All-Star Game is somewhat strange. It was impossible for him to attend the 2023 edition, as it was held between the announcement of his signing with Inter Miami and his debut as a MLS player in the Leagues Cup. In 2024, he missed the All-Star Game as a result of the ankle ligament injury he suffered during that year’s Copa América final; the same situation prevented him from playing in the Leagues Cup with the Miami team last year.
Now, MLS executives are sweating until Wednesday to find out if Messi joins the last-minute all-star team and takes part in the game against the biggest names Liga MX. Yesterday at a press conference, Nico Estévez, head coach of Austin FC and in charge of leading the MLS All-Star Team: “I hope Messi makes it, because having the best player in history here is very important.” The positive news for fans in Austin is that the Argentine’s name did appear on the official MLS All-Star squad list.
Possible MLS lineup
With Messi potentially missing, it’s likely that Estévez has his sights set on selecting a team without the Argentine star in the starting lineup. Given that possibility, the Spanish coach could field several of the following in his starting line-up: Denis Bouanga (LAFC), Evander (FC Cincinnati), Anders Dreyer (San Diego FC), and Sam Surridge (Nashville SC).
The rest of the team could see Yohei Takaoka (Vancouver Whitecaps) in goal; a defensive line with Alex Freeman (Orlando City), Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati), Michael Boxall (Minnesota United), and Max Arfsten (Columbus Crew); finally, Sebastián Berhalter (Vancouver Whitecaps) and Jeppe Tverskov (San Diego FC) could appear in midfield.
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