Messi and De Paul to miss Inter Miami’s next two games
Sources told ESPN the Argentina pair will take time off after the World Cup and sit out Inter Miami matches against Chicago and Montreal.
By Georgia Hale · Staff Writer
3 min read
Lionel Messi and Rodrigo de Paul are set for a breather before returning to Inter Miami, with sources telling ESPN both players will miss the club’s next two MLS matches after Argentina’s World Cup run.
The pair are expected to be unavailable for Inter Miami’s July 22 game against Chicago Fire FC and the July 25 match against CF Montreal, according to ESPN. Their exact return date has not been confirmed.
Messi and De Paul both featured for Argentina in the World Cup final, a 1-0 defeat to Spain after extra time. Messi, Argentina’s captain, played the full 120 minutes, ESPN reported. He started all eight of Argentina’s matches at the tournament.
The planned time off comes against the backdrop of player workload concerns. FIFPRO, the global players’ union, has pushed for footballers to receive a 21-day rest period at the end of each season for health reasons.
FIFA reviewed that request in 2025 during talks with FIFPRO and said there was agreement on the idea. In a statement cited by ESPN, FIFA said the governing body and player unions had discussed rest and recovery, as well as competitions in the international match calendar.
FIFA said there was consensus that players should have at least 72 hours between matches and a holiday or rest period of at least 21 days after each season. The statement added that the break should be arranged by clubs and players individually, depending on calendars and any collective agreements.
ESPN reported that it is not yet clear whether Messi and De Paul will miss the full recommended 21 days. The players are expected to coordinate their breaks with Inter Miami.
The pause also affects the MLS All-Star Game. Sources told ESPN that Inter Miami has informed MLS that Messi and De Paul will not be available for the July 29 match, which falls inside the 21-day window. Both had been picked for the MLS squad to face the Liga MX All-Stars.
Messi’s World Cup haul
Messi finished the World Cup with eight goals and four assists, according to ESPN. He placed second in the Golden Boot race behind Kylian Mbappé, who scored 10 goals at the tournament.
The final defeat ended Argentina’s bid to win back-to-back World Cups after lifting the trophy in 2022. ESPN reported that Messi also became the first player to start three World Cup finals, having been in the starting lineup in 2014 against Germany, 2022 against France and 2026 against Spain.
Messi’s international total rose to 125 career goals during the summer, ESPN reported.
In a Spanish-language social media post Monday, Messi wrote that the pain of the defeat was immense and would take time to heal. He also said he would hold onto the good moments from the tournament and thanked supporters for their messages.
Messi wrote that Argentina had again united as a country through the team’s run and congratulated Spain on winning the championship.
This story draws on original reporting from ESPN.com.