MLS All Star Game 2025 roster: Lionel Messi ‘will play’ until ‘tired’ vs Liga MX team, coach says as squad is revealed

MLS All-Star coach Nico Estevez has revealed his squad for the 2025 game against a Liga MX side and dismissed a suggestion that Lionel Messi will not start.

Inter Miami captain Messi is one of nine forwards named on the MLS roster for the match in North Austin on July 23, adding to a potentially packed schedule for the 38-year-old, who is currently at the 2025 Fifa Club World Cup with the Herons.

“I don’t think there’s any coach in the world who would put Messi on the bench,” Estevez told Apple TV. “He will play and, when he’s tired, he will get out.”

More: Lionel Messi shirt is biggest-selling jersey in MLS

Lionel Messi injuries: All Star Game adds to schedule

Messi was elected as an All-Star in 2024 but did not make his debut in the showpiece after sustaining an ankle injury with Argentina at the Copa America.

The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner missed 20 games for club and country last season and has been rested for three by Miami in 2025.

He has been ever-present in Miami’s unbeaten run to the last 16 at the lucrative Club World Cup, scoring in a 2-1 win over Porto.

Miami face reigning European champions Paris Saint-Germain, with whom Messi had two mixed seasons before joining the MLS team in July 2023, in the knockout stage in Atlanta on Sunday (17:00 BST).

MLS All Star Game 2025: MLS vs Liga MX

Former Valencia coach Estevez picked two players from the team he currently manages, Austin, among his 12 selections for the squad, choosing goalkeeper Brad Stuver and forward Brandon Vazquez.

“I’m going to take my guys because I know them and how hard I work,” he explained. “I’m going to be the bad guy because there are a lot of players who haven’t been selected who should be here.

“Sorry about that – that’s being a coach. A lot of players deserve [it] but we are glad with the roster we have. Everyone deserves to be in the starting XI but we want to be a team.

“It will be a tough [selection] and I don’t want to think about it yet. There are a lot of good attackers who can make the fans enjoy it.”

Liga MX won the game 4-1 in Columbus last year. “We have to get back to winning and win on American soil,” said Estevez.

MLS All Star roster: Full MLS team with Messi voted in

Twelve players were voted in by players, fans and media who were given the chance to pick 11 players in a 4-1-2-3 formation: one goalkeeper, one right-back, two center-backs, one left-back, one defensive midfielder, two attacking midfielders and three forwards or wingers.

The top players from each position from the combined vote made their way in, including Barcelona legend Jordi Alba – Messi’s only team-mate named.

MLS Commissioner Don Garber chose two players, opting for Charlotte and the USMNT’s Patrick Agyemang and fellow forward Hirving Lozano, of San Diego and Mexico.

Miami forward and Uruguay record scorer Luis Suarez made the cut last year but pulled out through injury.

Here’s the full list, with C denoting players picked by Estevez, V showing those voted in and CP representing Garber’s selections.

Goalkeepers

Dayne St. Clair – Minnesota United FC (V)
Brad Stuver – Austin (C)
Yohei Takaoka – Vancouver Whitecaps (C)

Defenders

Jordi Alba – Inter Miami (V)
Max Arfsten – Columbus Crew (C)
Tristan Blackmon –  Vancouver (V)
Michael Boxall – Minnesota (V)
Alex Freeman – Orlando City (V)
Jakob Glesnes – Philadelphia Union (C)
Andy Najar – Nashville (C)
Miles Robinson – Cincinnati (C)

Midfielders

Sebastian Berhalter – Vancouver (V)
David Da Costa – Portland Timbers (C)
Evander – Cincinnati (V)
Diego Luna – Real Salt Lake (V)
Jeppe Tverskov – San Diego (C)
Philip Zinckernagel – Chicago Fire (C)

Forwards

Patrick Agyemang – Charlotte (CP)
Tai Baribo – Philadelphia (V)
Denis Bouanga –  LAFC (V)
Anders Dreyer – San Diego (C)
Chucky Lozano – San Diego (CP)
Lionel Messi – Miami (V)
Diego Rossi – Columbus (C)
Brandon Vazquez – Austin (C)
Brian White – Vancouver (V)

.@AustinFC and #MLSAllStar head coach Nico Estévez talks about his excitement for an amazing weekend down south in Texas! pic.twitter.com/HeTYd7tYjl

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) June 25, 2025

MLS All Star Game: LIGA MX team 2025

Liga MX announced the first 14 players to join its squad on June 16, created through automatic selection from the nominees for the Balon de Oro awards honoring the league’s best players during the 2024/25 Apertura and Clausura seasons. Here’s the list.

Goalkeepers

Luis Malagon – Club America
Kevin Mier – Cruz Azul

Defenders

Willer Ditta –  Cruz Azul
Jesus Gallardo – Toluca
Joaquim Pereira – Tigres UANL
Carlos Rotondi – Cruz Azul

Midfielders

Hugo Camberos – Chivas Guadalajara
Sergio Canales – Monterrey
Erik Lira – Cruz Azul
Gilberto Mora – Tijuana
Agustin Palavecino – Necaxa
Alexis Vega – Toluca

Forwards

Henry Martin – Club America
Paulinho – Toluca

Lionel Messi contract, salary

Messi remains the most high-profile player in the world alongside Cristiano Ronaldo and has an optional extra year in his Miami contract.

Speaking to Marca after Messi’s arrival was first announced, Miami managing owner Jorge Mas said the four-time Champions League winner would earn up to $60 million a year.

Messi’s purported playing salary of up to $20.4m is considerably more than any other player in the US and is heftily increased by holding equity in the club and payments from league broadcasters Apple.

Lionel Andres Messi ✨ pic.twitter.com/WqYoIZNPEv

— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) March 16, 2025

Lionel Messi stats

The club was formed by a group including former England captain David Beckham in 2018 and made Messi one of the most prestigious MLS signings of all time five years later, winning their first trophy with the help of the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner and Suarez when they triumphed in the 2023 Leagues Cup.

In his first full campaign with the club, Messi averaged an MLS-record 2.18 goal contributions per 90 minutes in 2024 to help Miami win their first Supporters’ Shield.

The 37-year-old has 15 goals and six assists in 21 appearances in all competitions in 2025, with former Argentina midfielder Javier Mascherano taking over as boss before the start of the season.