Lionel Messi, the Argentinian captain was devastated after the loss of Argentina at the FIFA World Cup finals 2026. Fans now eagerly await to see the star player in action at the club matches. The 39-year-old had an incredible tournament, scoring eight goals and providing four assists. He will be on a rest period after the conclusion of the international match. His absence leaves Inter Miami without its leading scorer as the club looks to continue its strong run in the Eastern Conference.
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“There is a consensus that there must be at least 72 hours of rest between matches, and that players should have a rest period/holiday of at least 21 days at the end of each season,” FIFA said in a statement at the time. “This period should be managed individually by each club and the respective players also depending on their match calendars and taking into account applicable collective agreements.”
Both Messi and De Paul played in all eight matches for Argentina in the World Cup. Messi started all eight contests and played all 120 minutes in Sunday’s 1-0 loss to Spain in the final. Time for him to go back home and rest up before the grind begins once again only this time, for his club.
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Why will Messi not be playing?
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Messi’s absence has nothing to do with an injury or any disciplinary issues rather is a mandatory resting period agreed upon by FIFA and FIFPRO.
Messi and De Paul will not play against the Chicago Fire on Wednesday, July 22 and CF Montreal on Saturday, July 25. It would be the third year in a row Messi has failed to play in the MLS All-Star Game. Inter Miami are in second place in the MLS Eastern Conference standings with a 9-2-4 record, five points behind first-place Nashville SC. With the absence of Messi Inter Miami will have to work to compensate for its lack of attack and leading goal scorer, but nonetheless still have a chance at getting to the top.
By Harini Oviya
