Inter Miami co-owner Jorge Mas says that soccer superstar Lionel Messi is “extremely upset” over a one-game suspension that will see him miss the team’s matchup against FC Cincinnati on Saturday.Messi, a 38-year-old Argentinian national, is arguably the single most recognizable name in soccer across the world.Since joining the team in 2023, Messi has helped lead Inter Miami to become a powerhouse of Major League Soccer. This success allowed the team to win the Supporters’ Shield in 2024, the honor given out to the team with the best regular-season record. Inter Miami finished with a 22-8-4 record.However, this powerhouse status is also what led to Messi’s suspension, along with fellow All-Star player, Jordi Alba. Both Messi and Alba purposely skipped Wednesday’s MLS All-Star Game, with the team citing the need for them to rest amid an overly-demanding schedule.Inter Miami has already qualified for and played in two different tournaments this season in the Concacaf Champions Cup and the Club World Cup. They also are expected to participate in the Leagues Cup, which kicks off on July 30 for Miami.Still, the suspension could ultimately end up hurting Miami’s bid to remain as back-to-back Supporter’s Shield winners for the 2025 MLS season, with FC Cincinnati currently leading the pack as the team with the best regular season record so far. An Inter Miami win on Saturday over Cincinnati could go a long way to helping lift the team back into active contention in the race.”Lionel Messi is very upset, like we all are in the club, with the fact that they won’t be able to play tomorrow night,” Mas said at a news conference Friday. “But I think what we have to do as a club is to get together as one, have an attitude that is us against the world.” Most soccer leagues across the world do not have an all-star game, with the concept being relatively unique to sports leagues in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Mas said that he thought the mandatory suspension rule was “draconian” by MLS officials.”Obviously, it was not a positive reaction . They want to compete, they want to play games. That’s what they’re here for, to play and win. They understand the magnitude of tomorrow night’s game,” Mas continued.”So no, their reaction was exactly as expected of two competitive players who don’t understand the decision, who don’t understand why not attending an exhibition match leads directly to a suspension.”During the press conference, Mas also confirmed that the decision to sit out the All-Star Game was made by Inter Miami coaching staff and not by the players themselves.”I wanted to express today our full support for Lionel Messi and Jordi Alba, as the decision for them to sit out this week was made by the club. I think that is an important point. I want to assure everyone that Lionel and Jordi have acted in a way commeasured with what the club would want,” Mas said.Mas then went on to say that the club would likely make the same exact decision again next year if their schedule winds up being as equally demanding.”It’s untenable. For example, if faced with this situation next year, where we have an away game on Saturday, the All-Star Game is on a Tuesday or Wednesday, and we have a game on Saturday, an important game, we’re going to be in the same boat, in the same situation,” Mas said. For a while, it remained unclear if MLS officials would sanction Messi and Alba for missing their scheduled All-Star appearances, despite league rules requiring that they be each be issued a one-game suspension.MLS commissioner Don Garber declined to immediately suspend the pair after the All-Star Game on Wednesday, voicing sympathy for the decision by Inter Miami to sit out their players. Garber said that he would speak with Inter Miami on Thursday, before the league made a final decision.This led to widespread uproar among FC Cincinnati fans, who feared that the league was about to ignore its own rules and potentially harm the team’s ability to beat Inter Miami on Saturday.No other MLS players missed the All-Star Game besides the pair, although one player from Liga MX, who the MLS All-Stars faced off against, also skipped the game. FC Cincinnati players Evander da Silva Ferreira and Miles Robinson were the Orange and Blue’s two All-Star representatives during Wednesday’s game. Both Evander and Robinson are also expected to play in Saturday’s game against Miami.FC Cincinnati previously beat Inter Miami on July 16 by a score of 3-0. Both Messi and Alba played in that match, which was held at TQL Stadium.Ultimately, MLS decided to issue the suspensions against both Messi and Alba on Friday, leading to Mas’s comments during his press conference later in the day.The rematch between FC Cincinnati and Inter Miami is set to kickoff at 7:15 p.m. at Miami’s home of Chase Stadium.
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. —Inter Miami co-owner Jorge Mas says that soccer superstar Lionel Messi is “extremely upset” over a one-game suspension that will see him miss the team’s matchup against FC Cincinnati on Saturday.
Messi, a 38-year-old Argentinian national, is arguably the single most recognizable name in soccer across the world.
Since joining the team in 2023, Messi has helped lead Inter Miami to become a powerhouse of Major League Soccer. This success allowed the team to win the Supporters’ Shield in 2024, the honor given out to the team with the best regular-season record. Inter Miami finished with a 22-8-4 record.
However, this powerhouse status is also what led to Messi’s suspension, along with fellow All-Star player, Jordi Alba. Both Messi and Alba purposely skipped Wednesday’s MLS All-Star Game, with the team citing the need for them to rest amid an overly-demanding schedule.
Inter Miami has already qualified for and played in two different tournaments this season in the Concacaf Champions Cup and the Club World Cup. They also are expected to participate in the Leagues Cup, which kicks off on July 30 for Miami.
Still, the suspension could ultimately end up hurting Miami’s bid to remain as back-to-back Supporter’s Shield winners for the 2025 MLS season, with FC Cincinnati currently leading the pack as the team with the best regular season record so far. An Inter Miami win on Saturday over Cincinnati could go a long way to helping lift the team back into active contention in the race.
“Lionel Messi is very upset, like we all are in the club, with the fact that they won’t be able to play tomorrow night,” Mas said at a news conference Friday. “But I think what we have to do as a club is to get together as one, have an attitude that is us against the world.”
Most soccer leagues across the world do not have an all-star game, with the concept being relatively unique to sports leagues in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Mas said that he thought the mandatory suspension rule was “draconian” by MLS officials.
“Obviously, it was not a positive reaction [from Messi and Alba]. They want to compete, they want to play games. That’s what they’re here for, to play and win. They understand the magnitude of tomorrow night’s game,” Mas continued.
“So no, their reaction was exactly as expected of two competitive players who don’t understand the decision, who don’t understand why not attending an exhibition match leads directly to a suspension.”
During the press conference, Mas also confirmed that the decision to sit out the All-Star Game was made by Inter Miami coaching staff and not by the players themselves.
“I wanted to express today our full support for Lionel Messi and Jordi Alba, as the decision for them to sit out this week was made by the club. I think that is an important point. I want to assure everyone that Lionel and Jordi have acted in a way commeasured with what the club would want,” Mas said.
Mas then went on to say that the club would likely make the same exact decision again next year if their schedule winds up being as equally demanding.
“It’s untenable. For example, if faced with this situation next year, where we have an away game on Saturday, the All-Star Game is on a Tuesday or Wednesday, and we have a game on Saturday, an important game, we’re going to be in the same boat, in the same situation,” Mas said.
For a while, it remained unclear if MLS officials would sanction Messi and Alba for missing their scheduled All-Star appearances, despite league rules requiring that they be each be issued a one-game suspension.
MLS commissioner Don Garber declined to immediately suspend the pair after the All-Star Game on Wednesday, voicing sympathy for the decision by Inter Miami to sit out their players. Garber said that he would speak with Inter Miami on Thursday, before the league made a final decision.
This led to widespread uproar among FC Cincinnati fans, who feared that the league was about to ignore its own rules and potentially harm the team’s ability to beat Inter Miami on Saturday.
No other MLS players missed the All-Star Game besides the pair, although one player from Liga MX, who the MLS All-Stars faced off against, also skipped the game. FC Cincinnati players Evander da Silva Ferreira and Miles Robinson were the Orange and Blue’s two All-Star representatives during Wednesday’s game. Both Evander and Robinson are also expected to play in Saturday’s game against Miami.
FC Cincinnati previously beat Inter Miami on July 16 by a score of 3-0. Both Messi and Alba played in that match, which was held at TQL Stadium.
Ultimately, MLS decided to issue the suspensions against both Messi and Alba on Friday, leading to Mas’s comments during his press conference later in the day.
The rematch between FC Cincinnati and Inter Miami is set to kickoff at 7:15 p.m. at Miami’s home of Chase Stadium.
