In the beginning of what is intended to be a healthy competitive tradition and a true spectacle for fans, the All-Star Game between MLS and Liga MX will celebrate its second edition. However, the game will have to deal with a significant loss: that of Club Tigres striker and star, André-Pierre Gignac.
To speak of Gignac is to speak of the most decisive player in Liga MX in the last decade. After arriving directly from Olympique Marseille in July 2015, the Frenchman has become the top scorer in the history of Tigres with more than 150 goals scored, in addition to winning 4 leagues and oneConcacaf Champions League.
However, if there is one match that the former France national team player has not been able to play yet, it is the All-Star Game between Liga MX and MLS. In the first edition, held in 2021, André Pierre Gignac could not be present due to an injury, and for the 2022 edition the result is the same but the reason is totally different.
The reason that will prevent Andre Pierre Gignac from playing the MLS-Liga MX All-Star Game
On August 10, 2022, fans at Allianz Field in Minnesota and the millions who tune in to the MLS All-Star Game on television or streaming will not be able to enjoy the talent of Tigres and Liga MX star striker André Pierre Gignac for a reason completely unrelated to soccer.
Gignac cannot enter the United States because he chose not to be vaccinated against Covid-19. The authorities are requesting a certification of inoculation against this virus in order to enter U.S. territory. The Frenchman claims a personal reason for not taking the vaccine.
“I want to clarify that I spoke with the board and asked them to respect this issue that for me is a point of belief, training and something that comes from my childhood and my origin. I appreciate the support and respect for my decision in this matter, which is one hundred percent personal,” posted Gignac on his Instagram account.
André Pierre Gignac’s absence joins other stars who will not be present at the All-Star Game, such as his teammate and compatriot Florian Thauvin, and international stars like Gareth Bale, Giorgio Chiellini, Lorenzo Insigne and Xherdan Shaqiri, who were not included in the MLS team.