Messi Misses All-Star Game Again: Exempt from Punishment for Second Straight Year

Last season, Lionel Messi was suspended for one game due to missing the All-Star Game. Team management called the punishment "excessively harsh" at the time, revealing that it left the Argentine superstar "very frustrated." However, officials announced on Saturday that Messi will miss the event for the second consecutive year, but this time he will face no penalty.

Given that Messi and his teammate Rodrigo De Paul were in the 2026 World Cup final on July 19 local time, the league adjusted its policy this year. In a statement, the league said: "Before the start of the 2026 season, we reached a consensus with the players' union: when a player finishes a World Cup campaign, each club must negotiate individually with each player to determine a reasonable rest period and schedule for returning to training and matches."

Under this agreement, De Paul and Messi were approved to miss the 2026 All-Star Game. Neither has appeared in league matches since the World Cup concluded.

Last year, the International Federation of Professional Footballers signed an agreement with FIFA requiring players to have at least 21 consecutive days of mandatory rest at the end of each season. Additionally, Mbekezeli Mbokazi and Golden Boot winner Hugo Cuypers were also approved to skip the game, with the latter being exempted due to his transfer to Monterrey.

The four replacement players selected are: Jannik Bright, Andrés Cubas, Guilherme, and Filip Sincnagel. Stars such as Son Heung-min, Thomas Müller, and Tim Ream are expected to appear in the event, which will be played against the Liga MX All-Stars on Wednesday night local time in Charlotte, North Carolina.