Lionel Messi and Rodrigo De Paul will take some time before rejoining Inter Miami CF for the remainder of the MLS season following their participation in the FIFA World Cup with Argentina, sources told ESPN.
Messi and De Paul both played in the 1-0 World Cup final loss to Spain, with the Argentina captain featuring for the entire 120 minutes of action. Messi started all eight of Argentina’s games at the World Cup.
FIFPRO, the global representative organization for professional footballers, has called for a 21-day rest period at the end of each season for health reasons.
FIFA reviewed the demands when meeting with FIFPRO in 2025, and reached a consensus on the initiative.
Read more:2026 MLS Schedule – ESPN
“FIFA and the player unions reviewed upcoming joint projects involving the world’s football governing body and players’ representative organisations, with a specific focus on player rest and recovery, as well as competitions within the context of the International Match Calendar (IMC),” FIFA said in a statement. “There is a consensus that there must be at least 72 hours of rest between matches, and that players should have a rest period/holiday of at least 21 days at the end of each season.
“This period should be managed individually by each club and the respective players also depending on their match calendars and taking into account applicable collective agreements.”
It remains unclear whether the two players will be unavailable for the entirety of the recommended 21 days. Messi and De Paul will plan their respective time off in conjunction with Inter Miami, but sources said both will definitely be out for the matches against Chicago Fire FC on July 22, and CF Montreal on July 25.
Read more:World Cup integrity questioned, FIFA urged to improve for 2030 by human rights organisation
Sources added that Miami has told MLS that Messi and De Paul will be unavailable to feature in the MLS All Star game on July 29, as it falls within the 21-day window. Messi and De Paul were both selected to the team to face the Liga MX All Stars.
Messi ended the World Cup with eight goals and four assists to finish second in the Golden Boot race just behind Kylian Mbappé, who had 10 goals at the tournament. He led Argentina to their second consecutive World Cup final appearance, after winning the trophy in 2022.
“The pain is immense and it will take time for this wound to heal,” Messi wrote in Spanish on social media Monday. “But I also cherish all the good. The matches we turned around, giving our all, which will forever remain in our memories, the support of an entire country that, together with the hard work and effort of this group, led us to be, once again, among the best in the world.
Read more:Lionel Messi thanks Argentina, says pain from loss ‘immense’
“Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart for every greeting and every message. Once again, we managed to unite as a country and be together, sharing the immense pride of being Argentine.
“I also want to congratulate Spain on the championship.”
In addition to taking his tally of career international goals to 125 this summer, Messi became the first player to start three World Cup finals after also being named in the XI in the 2014 final against Germany and 2022 against France.
