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Just days after falling to Spain in the 2026 World Cup final, Argentine soccer icons and club partners Lionel Messi and Rodrigo De Paul will sit out their second consecutive Inter Miami match, unavailable for Saturday's road game against CF Montréal.
The World Cup runners-up skipped the club's first fixture following the international break, a meeting with the Chicago Fire, which saw a dramatic own-goal open the scoring against Robert Lewandowski's squad, before Luis Suárez delivered a brace to help secure a 3–2 win.
Earlier Saturday, both Messi and De Paul also formally withdrew from the 2026 MLS All-Star game and its associated events, set for this week in Charlotte, with the festivities wrapping up in a midweek clash against the Liga MX All-Stars on Wednesday evening.
Messi and De Paul are utilizing the 21-day recovery window negotiated by FIFAPro, the global players' union. Meanwhile, their withdrawal from the All-Star game is covered under an agreement between MLS and the MLS Players' Association, which shields them from potential suspension for their non-appearances.
While the duo have taken a full week away and are expected to remain absent from Inter Miami until sometime in August, the majority of other MLS players who appeared at the World Cup have rejoined their clubs, including nine who appear in the revised All-Star roster.
Beyond the absences of Messi and De Paul, Miami will also be missing injured players Tadeo Allende, David Ayala, Maxi Falcón, and Gonzalo Luján. Young talents Santiago Morales and Alexander Shaw are away on international duty with the U-20 U.S. men's national team at the Concacaf Championship, which doubles as qualification for both the U-20 World Cup and the LA 2028 Olympics.
Luis Suárez Turns Back the Clock
With Messi and De Paul absent from the Herons' lineup, 39-year-old Luis Suárez has proven he still has plenty left in the tank. Following his brace against Chicago, the former Uruguay striker now has eight goals and five assists across 703 minutes this season, reaching the milestone of 50 goals in 100 appearances for Inter Miami.
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He is expected to lead the attack alongside Germán Berterame, the high-profile offseason acquisition who has been inconsistent in both form and output. Supporting them, dependable midfielder Yannick Bright is set to start before departing for Charlotte as an MLS All-Star substitute.
Miami sit firmly in second place in the Eastern Conference heading into this matchup, accumulating 34 points from 16 games, behind Supporters' Shield leaders Nashville SC, who hold 39 points going into Matchday 18. Montréal, meanwhile, find themselves near the bottom of the table with 15 points, sitting 13th in the Eastern Conference.