Messi headlines MLS All-Star roster

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Reigning league MVP Lionel Messi has been named in the squad for the MLS All-Star game next month.

Messi was selected for last year’s match as well, but had to pull out of it due to an ankle injury, and is the headline name in the MLS squad for their meeting with a Liga MX equivalent on July 23.

His Inter Miami team-mate Jordi Alba is also included for the second year running, but Luis Suarez and Sergio Busquets, who both made the 2024 squad, are not selected this time around.

Messi has 15 goal involvements in MLS this year (10 goals, five assists), with only Anders Dreyer (19) and Sam Surridge (17) having more. The former is also in the squad.

The Argentinian also scored Miami’s winner against Porto in their second group game at the Club World Cup.

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Austin FC head coach, Nico Estevez, is in charge of the one-off match at Q2 Stadium, with the 26-player squad made up of 14 MLS teams in total.

Vancouver Whitecaps, who have impressed so far in 2025, have four players involved, more than any other team, while expansion team San Diego FC are the only other team to have more than two representatives.

Liga MX won the last iteration of the All-Star match, triumphing 4-1 in Columbus last year.