Lionel Messi and Jordi Alba suspended from Inter Miami clash with FC Cincinnati after snubbing MLS All-Star game
Updated 26/07/2025 at 09:08 GMT+1
Lionel Messi and Jordi Alba have been suspended from Inter Miami's clash with FC Cincinnati after they snubbed the MLS All-Star match with the Liga MX All-Stars. The League revealed they had no choice but to suspend the pair for one match after they broke MLS rules in what commissioner Don Garber called a "difficult decision". Garber later admitted the rules of the league would be looked at.
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Lionel Messi and team-mate Jordi Alba have been suspended after the pair missed the Major League Soccer All-Star match.
The pair have been banned from Inter Miami’s match with FC Cincinnati on Saturday, and Major League Soccer released a statement in which they announced the duo would be unavailable "due to their absence".
Both Argentine icon Messi and Spaniard Alba had been picked to represent a combined MLS squad in the match on Wednesday against a squad of a similar nature from Mexico’s Liga MX.
In the end though, both players withdrew for undisclosed reasons.
After making the decision to miss the match, the Barcelona legends were always going to be sanctioned, due to MLS rules which state players selected for the All-Star clash have to play unless they have a legitimate reason.
MLS Commissioner Don Garber was therefore left with no choice but to suspend the two players.
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He said: "I know Lionel Messi loves this league, I don't think there's a player, or anyone, who has done more for Major League Soccer than Messi.
"I fully understand, respect, and admire his commitment to Inter Miami, and I respect his decision.
"Unfortunately, we have a long-standing policy regarding participation in the All-Star Game, and we had to enforce it. It was a very difficult decision."
The league itself put out a brief statement that said: "Per league rules, any player who does not participate in the All-Star Game without prior approval from the league is ineligible to compete in their club's next match."
Garber also revealed the MLS will now review the policy and work out how it should evolve.
"We're going to take a hard look at the policy moving forward," he added. "I'm committed to working with our players to determine how the rule should evolve."
Messi himself has been described as being "very upset" by Inter Miami co-owner Jorge Mas.
"Leo Messi is very upset - I hope it doesn't have a long-term impact," Mas said.
"Will it have an impact on (Messi's) perception of the league and its rules? Without a doubt.
"Lionel is different from everyone else. He wants to participate in competitive matches."
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Lionel Messi is reportedly upset at having to miss an Inter Miami match
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Garber was sympathetic to the situation Messi and Inter Miami have faced, having played in as many as nine matches in 35 days.
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner played the full 90 minutes in all of those matches, four of which came in the FIFA Club World Cup.
"Miami has had a schedule that is unlike any other team," Garber added.
"Most of our teams had a 10-day break. Miami hasn't. So we have to manage through that as a league."
Last week Inter Miami manager Javier Mascherano made it clear he did not want either player to be involved in the All-Star match after such a difficult run of matches.
He said: "The players are called up, I'd prefer they rest, but it's not my decision."
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