Lionel Messi and Jordi Alba are at the center of MLS drama after skipping the MLS All-Star Game and earning a match suspension. It’s only fair that both players were penalized for missing the match, but the issue also highlights a problem that MLS should have already addressed. The fact that an exhibition match is played in the middle of the regular season, after the FIFA Club World Cup and directly before the Leagues Cup, is a little much by any player’s standards. While it’s only right that Messi and Alba are treated like everyone else, maybe players should have the right to opt out under certain conditions.
Players who snubbed their All-Star Match appearances started getting suspended in 2015. That’s because players were reportedly using “phantom injuries” to avoid exhibitions. Messi and Alba aren’t the first players to have been impacted by this rule. Zlatan Ibrahimović, who played for LA Galaxy at the time, was suspended in 2018 for missing the match. While the league is doing the right thing by trying to treat every player the same, these suspensions aren’t completely equal.
Inter Miami team management reportedly pushed for Messi and Alba to miss the exhibition because of their schedule ahead of the weekend. In the regular season, Messi has played every minute in 22 of 23 matches the team has had since April 2, and his last game off was April 27. On top of that, Messi was also expected to take part in the Club World Cup matches Miami was part of, and is also getting ready for Leagues Cup play starting this week.
On top of the busy schedule going into the All-Star Match, Messi and Alba will now be expected to travel and play in a stretch of 10 games in 34 days. Messi, in particular, is in the running for the most-used player this year.
Despite having what could be considered one of the best squads in MLS, Miami hasn’t had the best year. They’re currently sitting fifth in the Eastern Conference. They played FC Cincinnati over the weekend and were hoping to use both Messi and Alba as a means of getting ahead of one of the Conference favorites. That suspension is now being blamed for the nil-to-nil tie between the teams.
The suspension, understandably, caused a massive fight between Miami fans and MLS, especially among fans who follow the club specifically because of Messi. Most of that discontent is reflected in the financial losses the league incurred. Fewer people turned out to watch the All-Star Match due to the absence of Messi and Alba, but even more were deterred by the fact that Miami was facing Cincinnati while the pair were also suspended.
It’s easy to see that Messi has become the MLS golden ticket since he joined the league. His contract came with millions of fans and a deal with Apple TV, bringing millions of dollars into a league that many countries view as second-rate. Now, the biggest concern that MLS is likely facing is a possible end to Messi’s league involvement in general. The number 10’s contract is set to expire at the end of the season, which gives him a chance to pursue another league before the FIFA World Cup in 2026.
Messi has reportedly been fuming about his suspension, and it’s unclear how or if this will impact contract negotiations. The league seems to be doing everything in its power to keep him happy, including bringing in long-time teammate Rodrigo De Paul. It’s unclear if this will be a deciding factor in Messi’s continuation in the league.
MLS proves time and time again that they can shoot themselves in the foot while also making the right decision. Messi and Alba don’t deserve special consideration when it comes to playing across the league. Fans would never expect other senior, all-star players like Vancouver’s Brian White or Columbus Crew’s Diego Rossi to miss out on the exhibition match just because of heavy play schedules. The only difference is the sheer amount of play Miami saw leading up to the All-Star Match.
MLS wants to get its money’s worth by showing off Messi and Alba, but it’s also important to remember that both men are human and senior players at that. They have played more than their would-be teammates because of the Club World Cup, and they’ll likely play even more because of the upcoming Leagues Cup. MLS needs to rethink how players are assigned to the exhibition and whether special consideration should be taken in situations like this one.
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