Bafana Bafana Star Mbekezeli Mbokazi, Lionel Messi Suffer Huge Blow Ahead of 2026 MLS All-Star Game

• Bafana Bafana defender Mbekezeli Mbokazi suffered a lower-back injury that ruled him out of the 2026 MLS All-Star Game in Charlotte
• The 20-year-old had beaten Lionel Messi in the fan vote to earn his place in the All-Star squad for Wednesday's clash against Liga MX
• Messi and Argentina teammate Rodrigo De Paul were also withdrawn from the roster following their World Cup participation

South African football fans have been dealt a double blow ahead of the 2026 MLS All-Star Game, with Bafana Bafana defender Mbekezeli Mbokazi ruled out through injury alongside global superstar Lionel Messi.

Chicago Fire FC and Major League Soccer confirmed on 25 July 2026 that the 20-year-old Mbokazi sustained a lower-back injury, ending any prospect of the young South African featuring in the showcase event at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Wednesday, 29 July.

**Mbokazi Outpolled Messi in Fan Vote**

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Mbokazi's absence is particularly painful for South African supporters given the remarkable circumstances that earned him his place in the squad. The defender outpolled Messi in the public vote, securing his spot in what would have been a memorable occasion against Liga MX's finest.

His exclusion, alongside that of Messi and Inter Miami CF's Rodrigo De Paul, prompted MLS to name four replacement players. Inter Miami midfielder Yannick Bright, Vancouver Whitecaps FC midfielder Andrés Cubas, Houston Dynamo FC forward Guilherme, and Chicago Fire FC's Philip Zinckernagel were all added to the roster in their place.

MLS explained that Messi and De Paul were excused following a pre-season agreement between the league and the MLS Players Association. Under that arrangement, clubs were required to hold individual discussions with World Cup participants to determine suitable rest and return-to-training timelines after their involvement in the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the Americas.

**Zinckernagel Steps Up for Chicago**

Zinckernagel, who will now carry the flag for Chicago Fire FC at the All-Star Game, makes his second consecutive appearance in the fixture after registering an assist in the 2025 edition. The Danish forward has been in strong form in 2026, contributing five goals and seven assists in 15 starts. He joins the All-Star squad having accumulated 30 goal contributions across the 2025 season.

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The MLS All-Stars will face a Liga MX All-Star selection at Charlotte FC's Bank of America Stadium at 8 p.m. ET on 29 July. The match will be broadcast in more than 100 countries and regions via Apple TV.

Source: Briefly News