Inter Miami Duo to Miss Key League Matches Due to Post-World Cup Rest Period
According to authoritative sports media reports, Argentine national team members Lionel Messi and Rodrigo De Paul will temporarily not return to Major League Soccer's Inter Miami CF after completing their World Cup campaign. This decision means they will miss some of the team's upcoming matches. In the recently concluded Qatar World Cup final, Argentina lost 0-1 to Spain, with captain Messi playing the full 120 minutes. During the tournament, the legendary forward participated in all eight of Argentina's matches, starting each one.
FIFA and FIFPRO have previously reached a significant consensus aimed at protecting player welfare. After negotiations, both parties jointly confirmed that players should receive a minimum of 21 consecutive days of rest at the end of each season. An official FIFA document stated: “The governing body and the players’ representative organization have reviewed future collaboration projects, which are centered on optimizing players’ recovery mechanisms and reasonably planning fixtures within the international match calendar. Both sides agree that there should be at least 72 hours between matches, and a consecutive rest period must be arranged for players after each season, with the specific duration to be flexibly determined by clubs and players based on the schedule and agreements.”
Currently, the exact length of Messi and De Paul's rest period has yet to be finalized and will be jointly decided by them and Inter Miami CF. However, it has been clearly reported that the duo will definitely miss the team's league matches against Chicago Fire on July 22 and CF Montréal on July 25. Additionally, with the MLS All-Star Game scheduled for July 29—which falls within the recommended rest period—Inter Miami has officially informed the league that the two stars will not participate in the exhibition match against the Liga MX All-Stars. Both had previously been selected for the All-Star squad.
In this World Cup, Messi recorded 8 goals and 4 assists, ranking second in the scoring charts behind French forward Kylian Mbappé, who scored 10 goals. He led Argentina to the final again after their 2022 triumph. After the match, Messi expressed mixed emotions on his personal social media: “The disappointment is beyond words, and it will take time to heal. But I will also forever cherish the beautiful moments—the comeback fights, the wholehearted effort—they will always remain with us. The support of the entire country and the team's hard work allowed us to stand at the pinnacle of the world once again. Thank you all for your well-wishes and messages. We united the whole nation once more, proud to be Argentine. At the same time, congratulations to Spain for winning the title.” This summer, Messi increased his total international goals to 125 and set a record: becoming the first player to start in three different World Cup finals (2014 vs. Germany, 2022 vs. France, and 2026 vs. Spain).