Lionel Messi to Miss Inter Miami Games and MLS All-Star Game After Emotional World Cup Final Loss to Spain

Lionel Messi is expected to sit out Inter Miami's next several matches, including the 2026 MLS All-Star Game, as the Argentine captain takes a mandated recovery period following a heartbreaking extra-time loss to Spain in Sunday's World Cup final.

Messi played all eight matches for Argentina during the tournament, including the full 120 minutes of the final, a 1-0 defeat decided by a Ferran Torres goal in East Rutherford, New Jersey. It marked the third World Cup final appearance of his career, following Argentina's title run in 2022 and its runner-up finish in 2014.

A mandated rest period

Messi is expected to miss Inter Miami's upcoming matches against Chicago Fire FC on Wednesday and CF Montreal on Saturday, along with the MLS All-Star Game against the Liga MX All-Stars in Charlotte on July 29, as part of a recommended 21-day rest period established jointly by FIFA and the global players' union FIFPRO following the World Cup.

Inter Miami teammate Rodrigo De Paul, who also played a key role in Argentina's run to the final, is expected to take the same extended break. His earliest possible return would come against Club Leon on Aug. 12 if he uses the full recovery window, according to reporting on the situation.

For Messi, the earliest possible return to MLS action would be Aug. 1 against the Columbus Crew, though his actual return date will depend on how much of the 21-day recovery period he and the club decide to use. Neither Messi nor Inter Miami has confirmed publicly whether he will take the full break.

Because his absence falls within the FIFA-FIFPRO recovery window, Messi will not face any sanctions or suspension for missing the All-Star Game — a contrast to last year, when he and then-teammate Jordi Alba drew one-game suspensions under league rules after skipping the All-Star Game to rest following an ankle injury sustained at the 2024 Copa America.

Returning home to Rosario

Messi traveled from Fort Lauderdale to his hometown of Rosario, Argentina, on Tuesday for several days of rest, arriving on a private jet at 6:27 a.m. local time. Although fans gathered at the airport with signs and flags, Messi did not make a public appearance, and supporters caught only a brief glimpse of the vehicle that transported him and his family to the nearby private neighborhood of Funes.

He traveled with his wife, Antonela Roccuzzo, and their three children, all of whom had accompanied him throughout the tournament in North America. Waiting for him in Rosario was his father, Jorge, 68, whose ongoing medical treatment for an unspecified illness had been disclosed by the family during the World Cup.

Separately, 15 members of Argentina's 26-player World Cup roster, led by head coach Lionel Scaloni, landed at Buenos Aires' Ezeiza Airport on Monday aboard a chartered flight following the squad's return from the United States.

Messi's message to fans

In an Instagram post following the loss, Messi reflected on the tournament and expressed gratitude to his teammates and coaching staff. "Thanks to each of my teammates, the coaching staff, and everyone who works every day to make this national team a family," he wrote. "Whatever happens tomorrow, this group has already written a story that we will never forget and that no one can erase."

He also acknowledged the difficulty of the loss in a separate post, writing, "The pain is immense, and this wound will take time to heal," while adding that he would carry forward "the support of an entire nation which, combined with this group's hard work and effort, propelled us once again into the ranks of the world's best."

Tournament performance

Messi finished the World Cup second in the race for the Golden Boot, trailing France's Kylian Mbappe, after recording eight goals and four assists across the tournament. At 39, his performance throughout the run to the final drew widespread praise even as Argentina fell just short of a second consecutive title.

Impact on Inter Miami

The absence of Messi and De Paul comes at a pivotal moment for Inter Miami, which currently sits second in the MLS Eastern Conference, five points behind leaders Nashville. The club will also be without both players for the start of this summer's Leagues Cup, adding to the challenge of navigating a busy stretch of the schedule without two of its most important contributors.

Inter Miami's return to MLS play comes just three days after Messi and De Paul competed in the World Cup final, underscoring the tight turnaround between international duty and domestic obligations that MLS clubs with World Cup-involved players are now navigating across the league.

Why the rest period exists

FIFA and FIFPRO introduced the recommended 21-day post-tournament rest period specifically to reduce injury risk and manage player workload following major international tournaments, a measure that has taken on additional significance given the expanded, monthlong format of the 2026 World Cup, hosted across the United States, Mexico and Canada.

The exact length of Messi and De Paul's break remains subject to ongoing conversations between the players and the club, but the framework ensures both will miss Wednesday's and Saturday's league matches as well as the All-Star Game without facing any disciplinary consequences.

Barring an early return, Messi's next appearance for Inter Miami would come no earlier than Aug. 1 against Columbus, with a full 21-day rest period pushing his return closer to Aug. 12. Inter Miami has not indicated whether it plans to make any lineup changes or sign additional depth to cover the absences in the interim, but the club will need to navigate a stretch of matches, including the opening rounds of the Leagues Cup, without two of its most influential players as the 2026 MLS season resumes in earnest.