MIAMI: Inter Miami star Lionel Messi will miss the MLS All-Star Game due to an ankle injury. The 37-year-old Messi sustained a right ankle injury during the July 14 Copa America final win over Colombia.
Messi's teammate, Luis Suárez, will also miss the game on Wednesday in Columbus, Ohio, due to knee discomfort, according to the team. Both players were listed among the unavailable players by the league on Monday.
Messi, an eight-time Ballon d'Or winner from Argentina, has missed Miami's recent wins over Toronto FC and the Chicago Fire. The team stated that both players' status for Saturday's Leagues Cup opening match at home against Mexican club Puebla will be assessed based on their daily recovery process.
The MLS All-Star Game pits top players from league clubs against players from Mexico's Liga MX. Despite Messi and Suárez's absences, Miami teammates Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba will participate on Wednesday night.
Additionally, Real Salt Lake forward Cristian Arango will miss the All-Star Game while serving a four-game suspension from Major League Soccer for violating the league's anti-harassment policy. Arango leads MLS with 17 goals and 11 assists.