- Messi attended local football match post-World Cup final.
- MLS confirmed Messi’s All-Star Game absence for recovery.
- Exemption allows players recovery before resuming club commitments.
- This avoids repeat of last season’s All-Star controversy.
Lionel Messi made his first public appearance since Argentina’s FIFA World Cup final defeat by attending a lower-division football match near his hometown of Rosario. The Argentina captain watched family-run Leones FC in Primera C action before Major League Soccer confirmed that he would also miss this week’s MLS All-Star Game as part of an agreed recovery plan following the World Cup. The captain hoped to stay out of the spotlight. Instead, fans quickly recognised him, turning an ordinary afternoon into an unforgettable occasion.
Messi Returns Home After FIFA World Cup Campaign
The 39-year-old arrived at the Antonio Di Giacomo Stadium wearing a black hoodie in an attempt to avoid attention. It did not take long for supporters to recognise him from a balcony overlooking the pitch.
Messi is spending time with his family in Rosario following Argentina’s World Cup campaign. Fans quickly gathered around the stadium and greeted him with chants before he acknowledged them with a wave.
WATCH: Messi’s First Public Appearance After FIFA World Cup
🚨🚨| Leo Messi seen for the first time in public since the World Cup Final loss. 👋 pic.twitter.com/lFUlmimPdw
— CentreGoals. (@centregoals) July 25, 2026
His appearance generated plenty of excitement, but Leones FC could not celebrate on the pitch. Central Córdoba claimed a comfortable 2-0 victory through goals from Marcos Córdoba and Franco Fernández.
MLS confirms All-Star Game absence
Soon after Messi’s appearance in Rosario, Major League Soccer confirmed that he would not feature in this year’s MLS All-Star Game in Charlotte.
The league said the exemption had already been agreed for players involved in the closing stages of the FIFA World Cup. The decision is intended to give those players additional recovery time before they return to club football.
MLS said in an official statement: “In accordance with this agreement, Rodrigo De Paul and Lionel Messi are exempt from participating in the 2026 MLS All-Star Game.”
The move allows Inter Miami’s captain to resume his club commitments without adding another fixture immediately after an extended international campaign.
The League Avoids Repeat Of Last Year’s Controversy
The exemption also prevents a repeat of last season’s All-Star controversy. Players who withdrew late from the event in 2025 faced automatic one-match league suspensions under MLS regulations.
By confirming exemptions before squad announcements, the league has avoided another dispute involving its biggest stars.
Despite Messi’s absence, this year’s showcase will still feature several high-profile names, including Son Heung-min of LAFC, Vancouver Whitecaps forward Thomas Müller and United States captain Tim Ream.
MLS worked with the MLS Players Association to create the recovery framework, allowing players returning from major international tournaments to rejoin their clubs with adequate rest rather than rushing back into competition.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: abplive.com
