'Son Heung-min·Messi joint goal' out of reach... World Cup finalists skip MLS All-Star Game

*This content was translated by AI.

The simultaneous participation of Son Heung-min (LAFC) and Lionel Messi (Inter Miami), both recently selected for the MLS All-Star Game, has effectively been canceled due to the impact of the 2026 FIFA North American World Cup. Messi's attendance at the MLS All-Star Game has become highly unlikely as a result.

On the 21st (Korean time), ESPN cited sources saying, "Inter Miami notified the MLS office that Argentina national team players Messi and Rodrigo de Paul will not participate in the MLS All-Star Game after competing in the North American World Cup final."

Messi and de Paul concluded their World Cup schedule following the final match held at New York-New Jersey Stadium in the United States the previous day. Earlier, FIFA and the International Federation of Professional Footballers (FIFPRO) had agreed to guarantee a minimum of 21 days of rest after the season ends. Having completed the lengthy World Cup journey, they now need time to recover.

As MLS operates on a spring-autumn schedule with the season already underway and the second half beginning after the World Cup break, it remains uncertain whether Messi and de Paul can complete all three weeks of rest. Coordination between players and clubs is required regarding the timeline. For now, their absence from this week's Chicago Fire FC match, the weekend CF Montreal match, and the MLS All-Star Game appears confirmed. Messi's participation in the MLS All-Star Game is realistically difficult.

Consequently, the possibility of seeing Son Heung-min and Messi play together on the same team has significantly diminished. Both Son Heung-min and Messi were previously selected for the MLS All-Star Game through fan voting. The MLS All-Star team will face Liga MX All-Stars in the MLS All-Star Game on the 30th. Expectations were high for the synergy between these two superstars representing MLS, but their joint participation has become virtually impossible.

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*This content was translated by AI.