Messi leads MLS All-Stars against LIGA MX in Columbus

Lionel Messi, the maestro himself, has yet another accolade to add to his bulging trophy cabinet. The Miami magic man headlines the list of 30 players named for this month's MLS All-Star Game in Columbus, Ohio, squaring off against the crème de la crème from Mexico's LIGA MX. Not too shabby for a guy who's just getting his cleats dirty in Major League Soccer.

Messi in his first full season with Inter Miami after parachuting in July 2023, now finds himself on the MLS All-Star roster. At 37, and currently juggling duties with Argentina at the Copa America, it's fair to say the man's schedule is tighter than a drum.

But Messi isn't walking this star-studded path alone. He's got his Miami crew-Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets, and Jordi Alba-alongside him. It's like Barcelona's Greatest Hits Tour, but with a Miami twist.

Messi and Miami dominate All-Star selection

Now, let's talk numbers. Eighteen MLS clubs are sending their best, with Columbus Crew and Inter Miami leading the charge-five and four players each, respectively. This roster? A delicious blend of 12 fan, player, and media votes, 16 selections by MLS All-Star head coach Wilfried Nancy of the host team Columbus, and a couple of cherry-picked stars by MLS Commissioner Don Garber.

Messi's stats this season are the stuff of legend: 12 goals and 13 assists in just 12 games. That's right, the man's racking up goal contributions like they're going out of style-25 to be exact. Quickest to do so in a season. Ever.

The cherry on top? Messi, Suarez, Busquets, and Alba were all fan-voted into the squad. And Garber? He used his golden picks on Hector Herrera from Houston Dynamo and Darlington Nagbe from Columbus. Because, why not sprinkle a little more stardust?

Circle the date, folks. July 24, 8 p.m. ET. The stage is set for the MLS All-Star Game, and if history is any guide, Messi will be the ringmaster of this soccer circus.