Tag: Lionel Messi

The MLS Cup title dreams of Lionel Messi came to an abrupt end on Saturday with his Inter Miami suffering a shock first-round elimination from the playoffs after a 3-2 home defeat to Atlanta United.

Miami had won the regular season campaign with a record points total but after losing twice in the best-of-three series, the MLS Cup favourites and their eight-times Ballon d’Or winner are out.

All the accolades Miami received for their regular season ‘Supporters’ Shield’ triumph count for little after an Atlanta team which finished ninth in the Eastern Conference pulled off a stunning upset.

Inter took the lead in the 17th minute when Messi was denied by a diving save from Atlanta keeper Brad Guzan but Matias Rojas followed in to slot home the loose ball.

Just two minutes later though the visitors, who only secured a wildcard spot on the final day of the season, levelled when a deflected pass from Dax McCarty fell to Jamal Thiare who confidently fired home with a sweet strike.

Miami were stunned when moments later Thiare struck again — the 37-year-old McCarty lifted the ball forward to Russian Aleksei Miranchuk who slipped the ball inside to the Senegalese striker who blasted home to make it 2-1.

Diego Gomez thought he had brought Miami level in the 23rd minute but his effort was ruled out for offside and Miami continued to look vulnerable against Atlanta’s swift breaks.

After the break, the 40-year-old former USA and Aston Villa keeper Guzan was in inspired form as he frustrated Miami’s search for an equalizer.

Inter Miami, with the injured Spanish midfielder Sergio Busquets on the bench, lacked fluency in midfield and neither Messi nor his former Barcelona strike partners Luis Suarez were at their best as they struggled to conjure up opportunities from limited service.

But it was Lionel Messi who finally broke through in the 65th minute, meeting a Marcelo Weigandt cross from the right with a thundering header.

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Miami pushed forward in search of the winner but instead, they were caught out once again with Pedro Amador’s cross from the left headed home at the back post by Polish midfielder Bartosz Slisz.

Inter Miami players were furious that the referee had allowed play to continue while their defender Tomas Aviles lay injured on the floor but their frustration was in vain.

The final whistle brought a deflated silence over Chase Stadium as Miami’s season, which so many had expected would end with their first MLS Cup title, concluded with the sight of Guzan and his Atlanta team-mates celebrating.

For Miami head coach Gerardo Martino, who won MLS Cup with Atlanta in 2018, an inquest is sure to follow but he tried to put a brave face on the loss.

“This season has had good and bad things. If you think about where we were in November last year, there has obviously been progress in terms of the club, not just the team. If you think about the expectations we had for this playoffs, obviously we came up a little short,” said the Argentine.

Martino said there was a despondent mood in the dressing room.

“The players are sad, as they should be when there are so many expectations and the team can’t fulfil them. In this final part of the year we got used to achieving the objectives but we couldn’t achieve the most important one,” he said.

Former Spain full-back Jordi Alba questioned whether the playoff format was the right approach for MLS.

“I think this format is a bit unfair. It’s been done for many years but I think it should be the champion of one conference against the champion of the other, to make it as fair as possible,” said the former Barcelona wing-back.

Atlanta will now face Orlando in the Eastern Conference semi-finals with New York Red Bulls and New York City clashing in the other conference semi.

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Lionel Messi and Inter Miami will feature in next year’s expanded FIFA Club World Cup, FIFA president Gianni Infantino announced on Saturday.

Messi and his team-mates will kick off the tournament in the opening game at Hard Rock Stadium, home of the NFL’s Miami Dolphins, on Sunday, June 15, Infantino added.

The FIFA president was speaking on the field at Inter’s Chase Stadium moments after Messi scored a hat-trick as the team broke the MLS regular season points record with a 6-2 win over the New England Revolution.

Miami, who this month won Major League Soccer’s Supporters’ Shield for the best regular season record, will take the qualification slot designated for the host nation.

“Inter Miami qualifies as the host country representative team on the basis of the club’s outstanding and consistent 34-match campaign that saw them secure the shield with two MLS matches to play,” FIFA said in a statement.

The official champions of MLS are determined by the MLS Cup playoffs which begin next week and conclude with the final on December 7.

Inter Miami are the favourites to win the playoffs but the FIFA decision to select the regular season winners ensures the involvement of the Argentine superstar.

The participation of the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi is a much-needed boost to the profile of the new-look tournament, which FIFA hope will capture the imagination of the global television audience as well as fans in the United States ahead of the World Cup in 2026.

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The competition could pit Messi against top European club opposition for the first time since he left Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) last year to move to Miami.

The 32-team tournament will feature title-winning teams from each of FIFA’s continental confederations.

Real Madrid, Manchester City and Bayern Munich are among the 12 European teams who have qualified for the tournament while Argentina’s River Plate and Boca Juniors and Brazil’s Flamengo are among six South American teams.

FIFA has yet to announce any broadcast deals or sponsorship contracts for the tournament and the competition has faced some opposition within the game.

Players union FIFpro and the European Leagues body filed a joint complaint to the European Commission against FIFA over the introduction of the tournament into the international match calendar.

Opponents of the new tournament have said it adds further congestion to an already crowded schedule and increases the workload of players.

The last version of the Club World Cup featured seven teams in a knockout format and was won by Manchester City who beat Brazil’s Fluminense in the final in Saudi Arabia.

FIFA plan to hold the expanded tournament every four years although no host as yet to be chosen for the 2029 edition.

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Lionel Messi dazzled in his return from injury Saturday, scoring two goals in the space of four minutes and adding an assist in Inter Miami’s 3-1 Major League Soccer victory over the Philadelphia Union.

The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner hadn’t played since injuring his right ankle during the Copa America final on July 14, when he helped Argentina to victory over Colombia.

Since then he had missed eight MLS games for his club and this month’s World Cup qualifiers for his country.

Messi hadn’t played for Inter since June 1, but he didn’t miss a beat as he was inserted into the starting lineup.

“The truth is that I’m a little tired,” he said after the match. “The heat and humidity in Miami don’t help much either, but I really wanted to come back, I had been off of the field for a long time.

“Little by little I was training with the group, feeling good and that’s why we decided that I would start, and I’m very happy — very happy.”

Miami coach Gerardo Martino was delighted to see his star come out “feeling good” after 90 minutes.

Philadelphia seized the advantage in the second minute on Mikael Uhre’s left-footed shot from outside the area.

Messi grabbed the equalizer in the 26th minute, collecting a pass from Luis Suarez and beating defender Kai Wagner before unleashing a right-footed shot to cap a sequence launched by Jordi Alba on the left.

Ecstatic fans were still celebrating when he fired Inter ahead in the 30th, connecting again with Alba and firing a left-footed shot from the centre of the area into the bottom right corner.

Inter thought Suarez had made it 3-1 before halftime, but his goal was overturned on a VAR review.

But Suarez added a goal deep in second-half injury time with Messi —  who also picked up his first yellow card in MLS for lingering on a corner kick — providing the assist.

Martino said the late goal vindicated his decision to leave both players in the game until the end, saying “both played the whole game because they were fine to finish the game”.

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The victory extended Inter Miami’s lead at the top of the MLS standings to 62 points, 10 points clear of their closest Eastern Conference challengers FC Cincinnati with six games remaining in the regular season.

Messi is also pleased that despite his lengthy absence they lead the race for the Supporters’ Shield awarded to the team that tops the overall standings.

“During the year we were very unlucky with injuries, we were never at full strength,” he said. “For one reason or another we were always missing players and the group always came through.

“Today we are in first place with a big difference and deservedly so, and hopefully we can finish on top for what it means and what comes after that.”

Messi’s two goals, taking him to 14 in just 13 games, put him back in contention for the title of top scorer.

Suarez, meanwhile, has 17 goals and is two behind the current MLS scoring leader, DC United’s Christian Benteke.

After 19,000 fans at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale gave Messi a warm welcome the hosts got a quick scare when Uhre scored with just 58 seconds on the clock.

The Danish attacker controlled a headed clearance from Argentine defender Tomas Aviles and surprised goalkeeper Drake Callender with a blast against the post.

Minutes later, Martino got another shock when Paraguayan center-back David Martinez was injured when he intercepted a Philadelphia pass.

The Union continued to put Callender under pressure, but on the other end Messi was starting to take advantage of the spaces to team up with Alba and Suarez.

In the 26th minute, Alba ran the length of the pitch and delivered the ball to Suarez, who set up Messi to cut inside Wagner and score.

Four minutes later, Alba sent a cross from the left into the heart of the box that Suarez let through and Messi converted to make it 2-1.

Messi, 37 and in his second season in the United States, is the fastest player to notch his first 15 goals and 15 assists in MLS, in just 19 games.

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Lionel Messi will not win another Ballon d’Or this year after being left out of the nominees revealed by organisers on Wednesday, as stars of Spain’s Euro 2024-winning team and Real Madrid’s Champions League victors feature heavily.

Messi claimed the eighth Ballon d’Or of his glittering career last year. Now aged 37, he is not among the 30 contenders this time despite winning another title with Argentina at the Copa America in July.

The former Barcelona superstar, now playing club football in MLS for Inter Miami, was also missing from the nominees in 2022 when Karim Benzema took the honours.

However, he returned to win last year after leading Argentina to glory at the World Cup in Qatar.

The most prestigious individual award in football is voted for by a jury of journalists from each of the top 100 countries in FIFA’s world ranking.

Brazil forward Vinicius Junior is among the favourites and is one of six members of the Madrid team that won La Liga and the Champions League last season to be nominated.

Jude Bellingham, Dani Carvajal, Toni Kroos, Antonio Ruediger and Fede Valverde are the others, while Kylian Mbappe — who left Paris Saint-Germain for Real over the close season — features too.

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Carvajal is among the contenders from the victorious Spain team alongside Alejandro Grimaldo, Dani Olmo, Rodri, Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal.

Manchester City’s Norwegian star Erling Haaland and England and Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane are on the list as well, but there is no place for five-time winner Cristiano Ronaldo, now 39.

Xabi Alonso, who won the Bundesliga in an unbeaten season with Bayer Leverkusen, is among the favourites for best coach.

His rivals include Real Madrid’s Carlo Ancelotti and Spain’s Luis de la Fuente.

Meanwhile, Aitana Bonmati of Barcelona and Spain will hope to retain the women’s Ballon d’Or.

Former winners Ada Hegerberg and Alexia Putellas are also nominated, along with five members of the United States’ Olympic gold medal-winning team in Sophia Smith, Mallory Swanson, Trinity Rodman, Lindsey Horan and goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher.

The Ballon d’Or ceremony is due to take place in Paris on October 28.

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Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto imitated Argentinan football star Lionel Messi in a heartfelt social media post after the historic Test series victory against Pakistan.

Bangladesh outclassed Pakistan by six wickets in the second Test match to complete the clean sweep and win their first-ever series against the Green Shirts. The touring side had won the first Test thumpingly by 10 wickets.

Shanto, who made history as the first Bangladeshi cricketer to defeat Pakistan in Test cricket, shared a photo on his official Facebook account today.

In the picture, he can be seen peacefully sleeping alongside the hard-earned trophy, with a caption — “Good morning.”

The Bangladesh captain’s photo imitated the iconic picture of Lionel Messi, where he was seen sleeping alongside the coveted FIFA World Cup trophy in 2022.

Najmul Hossain Shanto was visibly speechless following the team’s momentous victory yesterday. “We can’t express feelings with words, we are really happy,” he said.

“I think before we came here we were looking to win, and the way everyone did their job made me really happy.”

Set to chase a modest 185, Bangladesh knocked the winning runs in the second session of the final day, just 25 minutes before the Tea Break.

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Opening batter Zakir Hasan provided Bangladesh with a solid platform with a brisk 40-run knock from just 39 balls.

Following his departure, skipper Najmul Hasan Shanto anchored the run-chase with a sensible 38-run knock.

Later, an unbeaten 32-run partnership for the fifth wicket between veterans Shakib Al Hasan (22*) and Mushfiqur Rahim (21*) steered Bangladesh to a historic victory.

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Lionel Messi was absent Argentina’s squad for the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers against Chile and Colombia through injury, with Paulo Dybala recalled to coach Lionel Scaloni’s squad on Monday.

Messi has not played for club side Inter Miami since suffering an ankle injury in Argentina’s 1-0 victory over Colombia in the Copa America final.

Roma forward Dybala has not made an international appearance since March 2023 but could get an opportunity to add to his 38 caps in Lionel Messi’s absence.

The reigning world champions will also be without Angel Di Maria after the veteran winger’s international retirement.

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Argentina are currently top of South America qualifying for the FIFA World Cup 2026 in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

The top six teams in the 10-nation table will qualify automatically for the finals.

Scaloni’s men will host Chile on September 6, before facing Colombia in Barranquilla four days later.

Argentina Squad for FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifiers

Goalkeepers: Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa/ENG), Juan Musso (Atalanta/ITA), Geronimo Rulli (Marseille/FRA), Walter Benitez (PSV Eindhoven/NED)

Defenders: Gonzalo Montiel (Sevilla/ESP), Nahuel Molina (Atletico Madrid/ESP), Leonardo Balerdi (Marseille/FRA), Cristian Romero (Tottenham/ENG), German Pezzella (River Plate), Nicolas Otamendi (Benfica/POR), Lisandro Martinez (Manchester United/ENG), Nicolas Tagliafico (Lyon/FRA), Valentin Barco (Sevilla/ESP).

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Argentine star Lionel Messi was ruled out on Monday by Inter Miami coach Gerardo Martino for the defending champions’ Leagues Cup knockout match on Tuesday at reigning MLS champion Columbus.

Messi remains sidelined after suffering a right ankle injury a month ago in Argentina’s 1-0 victory over Colombia in the Copa America final.

Lionel Messi has not yet trained with his Inter Miami teammates since escaping a walking boot.

The Leagues Cup is a tournament with MLS and Liga MX Mexican clubs, with Messi helping lift Miami to last year’s inaugural title.

The showdown match between the Columbus Crew, last year’s MLS kings, and Miami, this year’s top overall team in the league table, is among eight matches that will decide quarter-final pairings on Friday and Saturday.

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In Monday’s round-of-16 opener, the host Seattle Sounders blanked Mexican side Pumas 4-0.

Paul Rothrock’s header off a centring pass from Albert Rusnak in the 32nd minute gave Seattle a 1-0 lead and Jordan Morris doubled the Sounders’ edge in the 58th with Rusnak again on the assist.

Slovakian Rusnak scored on a penalty shot in the 71st minute and Morris added a final goal from the spot in the fifth minute of stoppage time.

Seattle, which also defeated Pumas in the 2022 CONCACAF Champions League final, will next host the winner of a Tuesday match between San Jose and Los Angeles FC.

Other knockout matches on Tuesday include Philadelphia at Cincinnati, Cruz Azul against Mazatlan, Tigres against New York City, Toluca at Colorado and Club America at St. Louis.

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Lionel Messi was on target as world champions Argentina turned on the style to beat Canada 2-0 on Tuesday and reach the Copa America final where they will look for a third straight major title.

The defending Copa champions will face the winners of Wednesday’s semi-final between Uruguay and Colombia in what will be a highly anticipated final in Miami on Sunday.

The 15-times Copa champions produced their best display of the tournament in front of a capacity crowd at the 82,500 MetLife Stadium and as in their 2022 World Cup triumph they look to be peaking at the perfect moment.

“The truth is that it’s crazy what this group has done, what the Argentina national team has been doing,” Messi told TyC Sports after his first goal of the tournament.

“It’s not easy for us to be in a final again, for us to compete again to be champions. I’m living it like I lived it in the last Copa America, in the last World Cup…These are the last battles and I’m enjoying them to the maximum,” said the 37-year-old.

Canada, who surprised many by reaching the last four in their first Copa America appearance, can take great credit for their run in the tournament but Messi and company were simply a step too far.

“I think the tournament caught up with us a little bit,” said Canada’s American coach Marsch, who said he noticed that his players looked tired midway through the first half.

“Eventually the physicality and fatigue can catch up with you and that was a big part of what happened with us tonight,” he added.

Marsch’s side had progressed by hitting teams with high-energy football straight out of the gate but after an early opening for left-winger Jacob Shaffelburg, who fired wide after cutting in from the flank, the South Americans took control and never gave it up.

Angel Di Maria, the veteran wide-man playing in his final tournament for his country, was seeing plenty of the ball down the right and he offered an early warning of his threat when he picked out Messi with a ball inside which the forward flashed just wide of the post.

But it was Rodrigo De Paul who was to create the breakthrough in the 22nd minute, picking the ball up on the halfway line, taking a quick glance up and then lofting the ball over the top to Julian Alvarez.

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The Manchester City forward recalled to the starting line-up ahead of Lautaro Martinez, delivered a deft first touch that took him away from Moises Bombito and gave him just enough room to drive the ball home.

The classy triangle of Di Maria, Messi and De Paul, was a constant source of danger for Canada’s back line and the former threatened a second with a chip from the right which floated over the bar.

The assuredness of Argentina’s build-up play reflects the confidence of coach Lionel Scaloni’s team, a well-drilled unit but one that never allows their organisational solidity to dominate over their creativity.

Two minutes before the break, former Real Madrid winger Di Maria provided a slide-rule pass to Messi, who worked himself space for a shot on his right foot, but he was narrowly wide of Max Crepeau’s right-hand post.

Canada’s American coach Marsch had plenty of work to do at the interval if he was to find a way of getting his team back on level terms and any strategy went out of the window when the world champions doubled their lead, just six minutes after the restart.

The excellent De Paul pulled the ball back from the byline to Enzo Fernandez and his side-foot shot was directed home by Messi in front of goal.

For a moment Canada had hope that Messi may have been offside but the VAR review showed that defender Derek Cornelius had played him onside.

With the two-goal cushion established, Argentina were content to sit back and preserve their energy and invite the Canadians to take them on.

It was not until the final minutes though that Canada were able to trouble Emiliano Martinez with substitute Tani Oluwaseyi forcing the keeper into action after some sloppy defending.

But it was a comfortable victory for Scaloni’s men and one which leaves them one win away from a record 16th Copa America triumph.

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Argentina captain Lionel Messi is doubtful for the upcoming Copa America quarter-final clash against Ecuador with coach Lionel Scaloni saying he will wait before deciding on his team.

Messi missed Argentina’s final group stage match on Saturday, a 2-0 win over Peru, after complaining of a sore right hamstring.

Argentina will hold a training session later on Wednesday and Scaloni said he would make any decision afterwards.

“We’ll wait a couple of hours and make the decision. It is always better to have one more day,” he told a press conference.

“Yesterday we had good feelings and we’ll take this day to define the team based on the response we get today,” he added.

Scaloni said he would consult with the 37-year-old Messi about his readiness for the game.

“We’ll try to get him in and then, if he’s not (ready), we’ll look for the best solution for the team. I’ll talk to him today. I think it’s fair that he takes his time and trains as much as possible,” he said.

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Scaloni made nine changes against Peru as he took the chance to rotate his squad with qualification to the knockout stage already secured.

Should Lionel Messi not be ready to start against Ecuador, Scaloni could start with both Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez as twin strikers in attack.

Lautaro is the top scorer in the Copa America so far with four goals from three games, including a double against Peru while Alvarez found the target in the opening game against Canada.

“They have already played together against this rival. We will make the decision after today’s training session. We are not ruling anything out because they have worked well and it is an option, it could be,” said Scaloni.

“Lautaro is doing very well, in a good moment, the same as Julian. Lautaro has not only done well, but he has waited for his chance and that makes me very happy. They both scored goals, let’s hope that streak continues tomorrow. We are satisfied with their contributions,” he said.

Ecuador coach Felix Sanchez said he doesn’t expect a radical change of approach from Argentina — with or without Messi.

“We know we are playing a high level team, Lionel Messi is the player that makes the difference and we have played against them with him and without him on the field,” he said.

“Their gameplan doesn’t change much – they are a group who have been with their head coach for a long time, they know their gameplan and we have had to be ready either way,” added the Spaniard.

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Lionel Messi will miss Argentina’s final Copa America group game against Peru after complaining of muscle tightness, team officials said on Friday.

Assistant coach Walter Samuel told a press conference that the Inter Miami superstar was “day-by-day” following an injury to his right adductor muscle.

“Leo had a problem in the last game, he won’t be there for this game,” Samuel said. “We are going to go day-by-day waiting for its evolution.”

Samuel, meanwhile, played down the impact of Lionel Messi’s absence on the rest of the team.

“The team has always proven to be up to the task before when he wasn’t there,” said Samuel, hinting that veteran Angel Di Maria may start in place of Messi.

Argentina have already booked their place in the quarter-finals after wins against Canada and Chile in their opening two matches.

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A draw in Saturday’s game against Peru at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami will guarantee Argentina qualify for the last eight as group winners.

Argentina is expected to rest several first-choice players against Peru, although Samuel insisted on Friday the world champions would seek a win.

“Peru has top players; we are taking this game with the utmost seriousness,” said Samuel, who will be in charge on the bench with coach Lionel Scaloni serving a one-game suspension.

Scaloni and Argentina were sanctioned after the team were late to emerge for the second half in their games against Chile and Canada.

Samuel said Scaloni was “a little bitter” about the suspension.

“We consider ourselves a correct coaching staff and in all these years we’ve never had these kind of sanctions,” Samuel said.

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