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2 clusters · 2 sources · 14 days · First seen 23 days ago · Last updated 10 days ago

MLS influx of European stars 2026

Overview

In late July 2026, Major League Soccer announced that Lionel Messi and Inter Miami midfielder Rodrigo De Paul would be exempted from the league’s All‑Star Game after playing for Argentina in the World Cup final. The exemption, part of a pre‑season agreement with the MLS Players Association, allowed the stars to rest and avoid suspension. Messi’s first public appearance after the tournament was at a lower‑division match in Rosario, where he watched his family‑run club Leones FC play.

A week later, MLS highlighted the broader impact of the 2026 World Cup on the league’s talent pool. Messi remained with Inter Miami alongside Luis Suárez, De Paul and new signing Casemiro, while other European stars such as Robert Lewandowski (Chicago Fire) and Antoine Griezmann (Orlando City) joined the league. The arrivals were framed as a post‑World Cup surge of high‑profile players reshaping MLS’s competitive landscape and expanding its global audience.

Entities

Lionel Messi · Inter Miami · Robert Lewandowski · Casemiro · Rodrigo De Paul

Timeline

10 days ago

[SPORTS] 2 sources
MLS 2026 Draws Messi, Lewandowski, Griezmann and Other European Stars
MLS’s 2026 season sees Messi, Lewandowski, Griezmann and other European stars join US clubs, boosting the league’s profile after the 2026 World Cup.
23 days ago

[SPORTS] 108 sources
Lionel Messi exempted from 2026 MLS All‑Star Game and spotted at Rosario lower‑division match
Messi and De Paul are excused from the 2026 MLS All‑Star Game after the World Cup, and Messi was later seen watching a lower‑division match in Rosario.

Sources

cabletv.com · mlsmagazineitalia.it