MLS Commissioner Don Garber admitted the league mishandled the All-Star absence of Lionel Messi and Jordi Alba, citing Inter Miami’s intense match schedule but stopping short of confirming any disciplinary action.
Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber has conceded that the league fell short in its handling of Lionel Messi and Jordi Alba’s absence from the MLS All-Star Game, admitting it should have acted sooner in clarifying the situation.
Speaking during his midseason address in Austin, Texas, Garber refrained from confirming whether disciplinary action would be taken against the Inter Miami duo, who were absent from both the All-Star squad announcement and key training sessions in Washington, D.C. He did, however, acknowledge that MLS dropped the ball in managing communications around the status of its two highest-profile players.
Missed Opportunity, Poor Timing
“We should have known earlier. We should have addressed it earlier. No doubt about that,” Garber said. The absence of clarity led to confusion among fans and fellow All-Stars alike, many of whom had expressed excitement at the prospect of sharing the pitch with Messi.
The announcement of Messi and Alba’s withdrawal came just hours before the final All-Star roster was confirmed. No specific reasons were initially offered, fueling speculation. Players were caught off guard when the pair skipped a second straight training session, further amplifying the sense of disorganization.
Miami’s Grueling Schedule in Focus
While the league may have mishandled communication, Garber also pointed to context—namely, Inter Miami’s unrelenting schedule. The Herons have played nine matches in a little over a month, including appearances in the FIFA Club World Cup. According to Garber, that intensity has left little room for rest.
“Miami has had a schedule that is unlike any other team,” he explained. “Most teams had a 10-day break. Miami hasn’t. We had Leo playing 90 minutes in almost all the games that he’s played.”
Although Inter Miami had a 14-day gap between their last MLS game and their Club World Cup opener, that respite appears to have offered little long-term relief. Garber added that neither Messi nor Alba trained on the day of the All-Star Game and confirmed that Alba had picked up an injury in Miami’s most recent outing.
Bigger Than the Game
Garber stopped short of saying whether the duo would be sanctioned ahead of this weekend’s league fixture against FC Cincinnati. However, he stressed the balance between league rules and player welfare—a line MLS must walk carefully given Messi’s status as the face of its global rebrand.
“We would have loved to have Leo here,” Garber admitted. “We love to have every player that was selected for the All-Star team here.”
Yet despite the criticism, Garber was clear on one thing: Messi’s presence in MLS has been transformational. Drawing comparisons with David Beckham’s impact nearly two decades ago, he emphasized how Messi has elevated the league’s stature both on and off the pitch.
“MLS wouldn’t be what it is today without David Beckham, but it also wouldn’t be what it is today without Leo Messi,” Garber said. “He’s an incredible competitor… and we are perceived very differently globally because Leo Messi is in our league.”
Messi’s 18 goals and nine assists in 18 MLS appearances underline his enduring quality. But with mounting fixtures, injury concerns, and unclear league protocols, questions remain not just about his availability, but about how MLS plans to manage its biggest star through a packed calendar without risking burnout or backlash.
Whether Messi and Alba return against Cincinnati remains up in the air. But for MLS, the lesson is clear: communication and clarity around its marquee names must be as elite as the players themselves.
