Messi listed as unavailable for MLS all star game

Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi will not play in this week’s MLS All-Stars Game, Major League Soccer (MLS) said on Monday.

This has come eight days after the Argentine superstar left the Copa America final match with an ankle injury.

Messi was listed among unavailable players for Wednesday’s match in Columbus, Ohio, pitting MLS All Stars from 18 league clubs against top talent from Mexico’s LIGA MX.

The game would have been the 37-year-old’s MLS All-Stars Game debut after he joined Inter Miami in July 2023 following a storied career in Europe.

The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner has 12 goals and 13 assists in his first 12 games of 2024 for Inter Miami, making him the quickest to 25 goal contributions in an MLS season.

The All-Stars Game will be played at 8 p.m.