Erik Lira, Rodolfo Rotondi and Henry Martín among several Cruz Azul and Club América players to withdraw from 2025 MLS All-Star Game

This Wednesday, the MLS vs Liga MX All-Star Game will take place at Q2 Stadium in Austin, with uncertainty still surrounding Lionel Messi’s participation. With just a day to go before the annual clash between the two leagues, five players - three from Cruz Azul and two from Club América - have been ruled out of the match.

Five Cruz Azul players were originally named to the Liga MX All-Star roster: Kevin Mier, Willer Ditta, Erik Lira, Nacho Rivero, and Rodolfo Rotondi. However, the latter three will not travel to Texas for the event.

According to ESPN, Rivero remained in Mexico City to continue recovering from a rib injury and is even questionable for the weekend fixture against León. Meanwhile, both Lira and Rotondi were held back at the request of head coach Nicolás Larcamón, who preferred to keep working with them at the club’s training center, La Noria.

In their absence, Cruz Azul striker Ángel Sepúlveda has been called up as a replacement and will travel to the U.S. to join the squad.

As for Club América, manager André Jardine, who is also set to coach the Liga MX All-Stars, decided to leave out Henry Martín and Sebastián Cáceres, both of whom are currently recovering from injuries. However, four other América players - Luis Ángel Malagón, Alejandro Zendejas, Brian Rodríguez, and Israel Reyes - will be part of the squad and are expected to feature in the match.

The first absences have been confirmed ahead of the highly anticipated MLS vs Liga MX All-Star Game, with five standout Liga MX players from the past year ruled out of the match.

Despite the withdrawals, all eyes remain on Lionel Messi, who missed Tuesday’s training session. His potential absence from Wednesday's match continues to be a major talking point.

Ditta is one of the Cruz Azul players who will take part in the match. During a press conference, he shared his thoughts ahead of the All-Star Game:

"We were selected as the best in the league because of our sacrifice and what we’ve done for our clubs. Today, we’re all here - the best from each team - and our job is to give our best and work together as Liga MX to come away with the win," Ditta said.

Before Wednesday's MLS vs. Liga MX All-Star Game, the two sides will square off in the annual Skills Challenge, with stars like Jordi Alba, Denis Bouanga, and Diego Luna representing MLS and James Rodríguez, Sergio Canales, and Alejandro Zendejas headlining the Liga MX squad. Special guests Clint Dempsey, Lindsey Heaps, and Oribe Peralta will also take part in the fan-favorite event.