By Adegboyega Adeleye
Lionel Messi will headline the 2026 Major League Soccer (MLS) All-Star Game after being named among 13 FIFA World Cup players selected for the showcase event.
According to Reuters, MLS announced on Wednesday that players from eight countries who featured at the 2026 FIFA World Cup made the All-Star roster, with Matt Freese and Petar Musa joining Argentina captain Messi in the squad.
The United States has the highest representation with four World Cup players, followed by Argentina and Canada with two each. The remaining selections come from South Africa, Australia, South Korea, Croatia and World Cup debutants Cape Verde.
New York City FC goalkeeper Freese and Columbus Crew defender Max Arfsten were among the latest additions. They join fellow United States internationals Tim Ream of Charlotte FC and Sebastian Berhalter of Vancouver Whitecaps, who were announced in the initial squad.
Canada internationals Richie Laryea and Maxime Crépeau also earned places after helping their country to a historic World Cup campaign.
Also selected were Steven Moreira, who starred for Cape Verde during the tournament, Australia defender Lucas Herrington, Rodrigo De Paul of Inter Miami and FC Dallas striker Musa, who has scored 12 goals in 13 MLS regular-season matches this season.
Messi was included in the first wave of selections alongside Son Heung-min, Mbekezeli Mbokazi, Thomas Müller, Evander and Sam Surridge.
The MLS All-Stars will face the best players from Mexico’s Liga MX on July 29 in Charlotte, with this year’s squad reflecting the growing influence of MLS on the international stage.
A record 45 MLS players represented 22 clubs and 17 countries at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, underlining the league’s expanding global footprint.
