Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Is Lionel Messi Participating In the 2025 MLS All-Star Skills Challenge?

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Emmanuel Mendez | Last updated Jul 22, 2025 5:34 PM ET

Lionel Messi is expected to be part of the 2025 MLS All-Star Game this Wednesday. In late June, Messi was named as part of the MLS All-Star roster that will take on the Liga MX All-Star team.

The MLS All-Star Game has a special event a day before the match, the MLS Skills Challenge. Not all players in the MLS All-Star roster will be competing in the skills challenge.

Both Team MLS and Team Liga MX will have ten players competing in the skills challenge, with special guests also in attendance. Messi has never participated in the Skills Challenge or the MLS All-Star Game since he arrived at Inter Miami in 2023.

Will Messi Compete in the 2025 MLS Skills Challenge?

Messi was not named as part of the 10-man roster for Team MLS in the Skills Challenge this year. Although Messi is part of the roster for the MLS All-Star Game, he will miss the Skills Challenge and Media Day.

Messi has not trained with the MLS All-Stars as he missed the first training session on Monday. The player was reportedly planned to miss the Skills Challenge and Media Day since he was announced a part of the 2025 MLS All-Star roster.

MLS All-Star 2025 pic.twitter.com/Ox0DLZRcU5
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) July 21, 2025

His absence from the training session grows concerns among MLS fans who are hopeful to see Messi team up with some of the biggest stars from the league. If Messi isn't injured and refuses to play, the Argentine star is set to face a one-game suspension in the MLS with Inter Miami.

The head coach for the 2025 MLS All-Stars, Nico Estévez, hopes to see Messi soon as he wishes to coach the player for one game. Estévez also mentions being unsure if Messi would play in the MLS All-Star game this Wednesday.

Nico Estévez: "I don’t know. That question should be asked to the MLS officials. I just coach the players they give me. Of course, I’d love for him to play. It would be a pleasure to work, even if just for a short time, with the greatest of all time."