Leaving the World Cup, Messi makes a sad decision for Inter Miami

Lionel Messi and Rodrigo De Paul are expected to be absent from Inter Miami's next games, taking a break after the demanding World Cup 2026 journey.

Inter Miami will likely be without Lionel Messi and Rodrigo De Paul for the upcoming matches in MLS. According to ESPN, the Argentine duo will be given rest after just completing a stressful World Cup 2026 campaign with the national team.

Messi and De Paul both featured in all 8 of Argentina's matches at World Cup 2026. Messi started all matches and played the full 120 minutes in the final loss to Spain 0-1 after extra time. This tournament saw the 39-year-old superstar continue to make a big impact with 8 goals and 4 assists.

After the final, Messi could not hide his sadness as Argentina failed to successfully defend the title. On social media, he wrote: “The pain is immense and will take time for this wound to heal. But I also cherish all the good things.”

According to plan, Messi and De Paul will miss two MLS matches for Inter Miami against Chicago Fire on July 22 and CF Montreal on July 25. In addition, both will not participate in the MLS All-Star match against the Liga MX All-Star team on July 29, despite having been selected to the roster.

This decision is made to ensure recovery time for players after the major tournament. FIFPRO has recommended that players should have 21 days off after each season to reduce the risk of injury and overload. FIFA also supports this view after discussions with player representative organizations.

In a statement regarding recovery, FIFA said: “There is consensus that at least 72 hours of rest between matches is necessary, and players should have at least 21 days of rest/holiday at the end of each season.”

Messi's absence from this year's All-Star match was also communicated to MLS in advance by Inter Miami. This is a notable detail, as in 2025 Messi missed the All-Star game without league approval and was subsequently suspended for one MLS match.

The absence of Messi and De Paul will certainly have a significant impact on Inter Miami. The team is currently second in the MLS Eastern Conference standings, five points behind leaders Nashville SC. During this crucial phase of the season, the lack of the two Argentine stars forces Inter Miami to quickly find replacement options.

Nevertheless, this break is necessary for Messi and De Paul to recover both physically and mentally. If they avoid injury, the duo could return when Inter Miami enters the decisive phase of the 2026 season.