Tag: Messi

Lionel Messi scored within minutes of making his return from an injury scare as Argentina beat Iceland 3-0 in their final FIFA World Cup 2026 warm-up in Auburn, Alabama, on Tuesday.

Messi started on the bench as the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner is eased back to fitness after exiting Inter Miami’s 6-4 win over Philadelphia with muscle fatigue on May 24.

He was joined on the sidelines at the start by Julian Alvarez, Enzo Fernandez and Alexis Mac Allister as Lionel Scaloni named an experimental line-up in front of an 88,000 capacity crowd.

Messi is set to feature in his sixth World Cup and allayed fears he may not be ready for the start of the tournament in a supreme 20-minute cameo.

Argentina begin their defence of the World Cup against Algeria on June 16 before also facing Austria and Jordan in Group J.

Iceland should have taken the lead inside the first few minutes when Mikael Egill Ellertsson blasted over with the goal gaping.

Instead, the three-time world champions took an early lead. Iceland could only partially clear a goalmouth scramble inside their box, and the ball broke to Strasbourg defender Valentin Barco to fire into the bottom corner.

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Nico Paz failed to make the most of his chance to shine in Messi’s absence and wasted a big chance to make it 2-0 before half-time when his powerful hit was repelled by the face of Iceland goalkeeper Elias Olafsson.

Fernandez and Mac Allister were introduced among five Argentine changes at the break.

Lautaro Martinez was another to make his entrance at half-time and twice hit the post when he should have doubled Argentina’s advantage.

The expectant crowd had to wait until the final quarter for Messi to make his appearance.

With his first involvement, Messi’s brilliant pass played in Martinez, who was wiped out by Olafsson as he chipped the ball wide.

Messi made no mistake by slotting in his 117th international goal on his 199th cap.

He was involved again for Argentina’s third goal as Messi’s pass fed Rodrigo De Paul, who squared for Thiago Almada to tap in.

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Lionel Messi will captain Argentina at the FIFA World Cup 2026, national coach Lionel Scaloni announced Thursday as he unveiled his 26-man squad.

Messi, 38, had not previously confirmed he would play in what will be a record-breaking sixth tournament for the Argentine superstar.

But it had been widely assumed the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner would again lead Argentina, four years after lifting the trophy in Qatar.

As well as confirming Messi’s presence, Thursday’s announcement notably excluded Real Madrid’s Franco Mastantuono from the Argentina squad.

Eighteen-year-old Mastantuono is considered one of the brightest prospects in Argentine football.

The largest ever World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, kicks off June 11. Argentina’s first match will be five days later against Algeria in Kansas City.

Messi has been at the heart of an injury scare in recent days, with his club side Inter Miami this week saying medical tests diagnosed him with muscle fatigue in his left hamstring.

The Major League Soccer club had provided no clear timetable for Messi’s return after his abrupt exit from Miami’s 6-4 victory over Philadelphia in the 73rd minute on Sunday.

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But Scaloni had played down the seriousness of the injury this week.

Centre-back Cristian Romero, who suffered a knee injury last month and has not played since, was also named in the squad.

The Tottenham Hotspur captain was ruled out for the remainder of the Premier League season after he was shoved into his own goalkeeper by Sunderland striker Brian Brobbey.

Argentina’s roster retains 17 of the 26 players who won the title in Qatar.

Young players who received call-ups include 21-year-olds Nicolas Paz and Valentin Barco. Palmeiras forward Jose Manuel Lopez, who only made his international debut last year, also features.

Other notable absentees include Emiliano Buendia, currently in excellent form at Aston Villa, and Roma star Paulo Dybala.

The South American giants will journey to the United States for pre-World Cup friendlies against Honduras on June 6 and Iceland on June 9.

Argentina’s World Cup group also contains Austria and Jordan.

Along with Messi, Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo and Mexican goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa are also expected to appear in their sixth World Cups this summer.

Argentina squad for FIFA World Cup 2026

Goalkeepers: Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa), Geronimo Rulli (Marseille), Juan Musso (Atletico Madrid)

Defenders: Gonzalo Montiel (River Plate), Nahuel Molina (Atletico Madrid), Lisandro Martinez (Manchester United), Nicolas Otamendi (Benfica), Leonardo Balerdi (Olympique Marseille), Cristian Romero (Tottenham Hotspur), Facundo Medina (Marseille), Nicolas Tagliafico (Lyon).

Midfielders: Leandro Paredes (Boca Juniors), Rodrigo de Paul (Inter Miami), Exequiel Palacios (Bayer Leverkusen), Enzo Fernandez (Chelsea), Alexis MacAllister (Liverpool), Giovani Lo Celso (Real Betis), Valentin Barco (Strasbourg)

Forwards: Lionel Messi (Inter Miami), Nicolas Paz (Como), Thiago Almada (Atletico Madrid), Nicolas Gonzalez (Atletico Madrid), Julian Alvarez (Atletico Madrid), Giuliano Simeone (Atletico Madrid), Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan,), Jose Manuel Lopez (Palmeiras)

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Lionel Messi scored twice and had a hand in two others as Inter Miami fought back to beat FC Cincinnati 5-3 away in the Major League Soccer (MLS) on Wednesday.

With the FIFA World Cup 2026 in North America less than a month away, Argentina captain Messi is in excellent form.

He has 11 goals in 12 MLS matches this season, Miami’s latest victory boosting them into second place in the Eastern Conference with 25 points.

Messi opened the scoring in the 24th minute with a fortuitous rebound off a poor clearance by Matt Miazga.

It was 1-1 at half-time after Kevin Denkey’s 41st-minute penalty, then Pavel Bucha scored from close range to put the hosts 2-1 up soon after the break.

Messi struck again in the 55th minute, finishing off a flowing Miami attack with a left-footed shot from a cross by Rodrigo De Paul.

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Cincinnati’s Brazilian playmaker Evander put the hosts back in front again with a blast from outside the box in the 64th minute, his seventh goal in six matches.

But Messi set up a goal for young fellow Argentine Mateo Silvetti in the 79th minute, with Mexico international German Berterame scoring again for 4-3.

Messi scored the final goal in the 89th minute. The 38-year-old launched himself at a cross from Silvetti and struck it with his right foot, the ball crashing off the post and deflecting in off goalkeeper Roman Celentano for an own goal.

Inter Miami coach Guillermo Hoyos was full of praise for his side.

“What they did today was brilliant, against a tough team and on a difficult pitch,” he said. “It’s very hard to play here. They’re not here to stroll around MLS.”

“They’re here to play, to give everything, and to show the world that football is played here too.”

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FC Barcelona legend Lionel Messi congratulated his former club on social media after the Catalans defeated arch-rivals Real Madrid 2-0 in El Clasico to secure the La Liga title at a packed Camp Nou.

Goals from Marcus Rashford and Ferran Torres in the first half guided Hansi Flick’s side to their 29th league crown and a second consecutive La Liga triumph.

The victory moved Barcelona 14 points clear of second-placed Real Madrid with only three matches remaining, confirming the title and condemning Los Blancos to a trophyless campaign.

Shortly after the final whistle, Messi shared his reaction on Instagram, posting a story with the words “Champion” and “Visca Barca,” meaning “Long live Barcelona.”

The Argentine icon spent 18 remarkable years at Barcelona and remains the club’s all-time leading scorer with 672 goals in 778 appearances.

Messi won every major trophy during his legendary spell at Camp Nou before leaving the club in 2021 in emotional circumstances to join Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). He later moved to Inter Miami, where he guided the MLS side to the 2025 MLS Cup title.

Barcelona entered the Clasico needing only to avoid defeat to secure the title, but the Catalans showed attacking intent from the start in front of a jubilant 62,000-strong crowd at Camp Nou.

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It marked the first Clasico at the stadium since its reopening, and the hosts responded with a dominant first-half display.

Rashford opened the scoring with a stunning free-kick from around 20 yards out, curling the ball into the top-left corner to spark wild celebrations.

Torres then doubled Barcelona’s advantage before halftime to put the champions firmly in control.

The match also carried historical significance as it was only the second time a La Liga title had been decided directly through the result of an El Clasico.

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Guillermo Hoyos said his long friendship with Lionel Messi will not stop him from working the Argentine superstar hard in training, as he was unveiled as the new coach of MLS side Inter Miami on Wednesday.

Hoyos, previously Miami’s sporting director, replaces Javier Mascherano, who departed the club for “personal reasons” on Tuesday, just four months after guiding the club to its first MLS Cup title.

The 62-year-old Hoyos was a key mentor of Messi’s in Barcelona’s youth team more than two decades ago, and the Argentine pair have remained close ever since.

“Friendship is non-negotiable. We share a friendship that spans many years,” said Hoyos, speaking in Spanish, at his first press conference.

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“However, that friendship does not mean that we will be constantly hovering over him or in his face every single day.”

A club statement initially said Hoyos will take charge of the team for the “upcoming matches,” but the team has since referred to him as head coach in social media posts.

Club sources told AFP that Hoyos is expected to remain at the helm only until the middle of the year, with a new coaching setup in place by the start of the Leagues Cup in August.

After seven rounds this season, Inter Miami sit third in the MLS Eastern Conference.

Messi, a 2022 World Cup winner and eight-time Ballon d’Or laureate, is the jewel in the crown of Miami’s squad.

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Lionel Messi scored one goal and set up another as Argentina thrashed Zambia 5-0 on Tuesday in the South Americans’ final game on home soil before launching the defence of their World Cup crown.

Messi, restored to the starting line-up by coach Lionel Scaloni after Argentina’s lacklustre win over Mauritania last Friday, made an immediate impact in Tuesday’s friendly at La Bombonera in Buenos Aires.

The 38-year-old superstar set up the opening goal for Julian Alvarez before bagging his 116th goal for Argentina with an individual strike just before half-time.

Tuesday’s game marked a World Cup send-off for the reigning world champions, who will face Algeria, Austria and Jordan in Group J of the finals in June.

Argentina will also play a friendly against Serbia in June, and are seeking to arrange another warm-up fixture before the tournament.

Messi is firmly expected to captain Argentina into what will be a record sixth World Cup finals as the South American giants target back-to-back titles.

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The Inter Miami playmaker once again demonstrated his enduring influence on the Albiceleste with a typically decisive contribution in a comfortable win.

Alvarez fired Argentina into the lead after just four minutes when Messi effortlessly controlled a lofted pass on the edge of the area and then threaded a pass into the feet of the Atletico Madrid striker to score.

Messi doubled Argentina’s lead with the 902nd goal of his career two minutes before half-time, working a clever one-two with Liverpool midfielder Alexis Mac Allister before tucking a low finish past Zambia goalkeeper Willard Mwanza.

Messi could have added to his goals tally just after half-time when Argentina were awarded a penalty following Albert Kangwanda’s foul on Thiago Almada.

But rather than take the spot kick himself, Messi handed the ball to veteran defender Nicolas Otamendi, and the 38-year-old made no mistake from the spot for a 3-0 lead.

An own goal from Dominic Chanda in the 68th minute put Argentina 4-0 up, before rising star Valentin Barco completed the scoring in stoppage time to make it 5-0.

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Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni has confirmed that captain Lionel Messi is yet to make a final call on his participation in the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026, with just over 80 days remaining before the defending champions begin their title defence.

Speaking to reporters on Friday, Scaloni made it clear that while he is keen to have Messi lead the side once again, the ultimate decision rests solely with the player.

“As far as I’m concerned, you already know where I stand,” Scaloni said.

“I’ll do everything I can to make sure he’s there. I believe that, for the sake of football, he has to be there. It’s not me who decides. It’s up to him, his state of mind, his physical condition.”

The Argentina boss stressed that Messi has earned the right to take his time and decide his international future without external pressure, adding that the team will respect whatever choice he makes.

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Messi, who captained Argentina to World Cup glory in 2022 and won the Golden Ball, remains the country’s all-time leading scorer with 115 international goals. His potential participation in the 2026 edition, set to be hosted across the United States, Canada and Mexico, continues to be a major talking point in world football.

Scaloni also highlighted the global anticipation surrounding Messi’s decision, noting that fans across the world, not just in Argentina, are eager to see the iconic forward grace the tournament once again.

Despite the uncertainty over the World Cup, Messi is expected to feature in Argentina’s upcoming international friendlies against Mauritania and Zambia at the iconic La Bombonera, although it remains unclear whether he will start.

Meanwhile, a proposed Finalissima clash between Argentina and Spain in Qatar has been shelved due to the ongoing geopolitical situation in the Middle East.

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Argentine superstar Lionel Messi bagged the 900th goal of his glittering career on Wednesday, but could not prevent Inter Miami from crashing out of the CONCACAF Champions Cup on away goals after a 1-1 draw with Nashville.

Messi, 38, scored his milestone goal after just seven minutes to put Miami 1-0 up in the second leg of their last-16 clash in the regional club competition.

But Nashville’s Cristian Espinoza lashed in a 74th-minute equaliser to make it 1-1 on aggregate, and after holding Miami at bay for the remainder of the game, the visitors from Tennessee advanced to the quarter-finals on the away goals rule.

Miami’s exit was a bittersweet ending to what had promised to be a night of celebration after Messi’s early opener in what was the club’s final game at their Chase Stadium home in Fort Lauderdale.

Messi’s strike took the Argentine’s tally to 81 goals for the MLS champions following his move to Florida in 2023.

The eight-time Ballon D’Or winner previously scored 672 goals for Spanish giants Barcelona, 32 for France’s Paris Saint-Germain, and a further 115 international goals for Argentina.

Goal number 900 came some 21 years after Messi’s first goal in senior football, when he scored for Barcelona in a 2-0 win over Albacete in 2005 as a fresh-faced 17-year-old.

Messi, widely regarded as the greatest player in football history, still has some way to go before he catches his great rival Cristiano Ronaldo, the 41-year-old Portuguese superstar who is on 965 career goals.

Speaking ahead of Messi’s 900th goal, Miami manager and former Argentina and Barcelona team-mate Javier Mascherano described the star’s goals total as “insane.”

“I’ve been lucky enough to see most, or many, of the goals he’s scored, much closer than you all, and that’s a privilege,” Mascherano said.

“The number we’re talking about (900) is insane, and that’s why Leo is a one of a kind.”

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Wednesday’s match carried added significance for Inter Miami, marking a farewell to the team’s Chase Stadium.

The venue has served as Inter Miami’s home since the club entered Major League Soccer in 2020. The team will move into a new purpose-built 26,700-seat facility next month.

Messi is strongly expected to play in his sixth World Cup later this year, when Argentina defend their title in the 48-team tournament being staged in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

The Argentine star has already extended his Inter Miami contract through to the end of the 2028 season.

Messi’s prolific goal-scoring has been a hallmark of his career. His 672 goals for Barcelona came in just 778 games — an average of 0.86 per game — helping the Catalan club win 35 trophies before departure to Paris Saint-Germain in 2021.

In France, he scored 32 goals in 75 matches, winning three trophies, including two league titles.

In Miami, his 81 goals have come in just 96 appearances, helping the team win the 2023 Leagues Cup and the 2025 MLS Cup.

His 115 international goals have come in 196 matches, including two in the 2022 World Cup final victory over France.

Messi’s goals tally leaves him second only to Ronaldo, according to most recognised statistical records.

Brazilian legend Pele is often said to have scored more than 1,000 goals, but those numbers have been the subject of debate. Most statisticians put Pele’s total for Brazil, Santos and New York Cosmos at 762.

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KOLKATA: Angry spectators broke down barricades and stormed the pitch at a stadium here after football star Lionel Messi, who is on a three-day tour of India, abruptly left the arena.

As a part of a so-called GOAT Tour, the 38-year-old Argentina and Inter Miami superstar touched down in the eastern state of West Bengal early Saturday, greeted by a chorus of exuberant fans chanting his name.

Hours later, thousands of fans wearing Messi jerseys and waving the Argentine flag packed into Salt Lake stadium in the state capital Kolkata, but heavy security around the footballer left fans struggling to catch a glimpse of him.

Lionel Messi walked around the pitch waving to fans and left the stadium earlier than expected.

Frustrated fans, many having paid more than $100 for tickets, ripped out stadium seats and hurled water bottles onto the track.

Many others stormed the pitch and vandalised banners and tents.

“For me, to watch Messi is a pleasure, a dream. But I have missed the chance to have a glimpse because of the mismanagement in the stadium,” businessman Nabin Chatterjee, 37, told AFP.

Before the chaos erupted, Messi unveiled a 21-metre (70-foot) statue which shows him holding the World Cup. He was also expected to play a short exhibition game at the stadium.

Another angry fan told the Press Trust of India (PTI) that people had spent “a month’s salary” to see Messi.

“I paid Rs 5,000 ($55) for the ticket and came with my son to watch Messi, not politicians. The police and military personnel were taking selfies, and the management is to blame,” Ajay Shah told PTI.

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State chief minister Mamata Banerjee said she was “disturbed” and “shocked” at the mismanagement.

“I sincerely apologise to Lionel Messi, as well as to all sports lovers and his fans, for the unfortunate incident,” she said in a post on X, adding that she had ordered a probe into the incident.

Lionel Messi will now head to Hyderabad, Mumbai and New Delhi as part of the four-city tour. His time in India also includes a possible meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Messi won his second consecutive Major League Soccer (MLS) Most Valuable Player award this week after propelling Inter Miami to the MLS title and leading the league in goals.

The former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) attacker will spearhead Argentina’s defence of the World Cup in June-July in North America.

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Lionel Messi scored two goals and assisted on another as Inter Miami thumped New York City FC 4-0 on Wednesday to clinch an MLS Cup playoff berth.

Another classic performance from Messi propelled the Argentine superstar to the solo lead on Major League Soccer’s scoring list, taking him to 24 goals in 23 matches played, two more than LAFC’s Denis Bouanga.

Luis Suarez converted a penalty for Inter as he returned from a three-game ban for spitting on a Seattle staff member after Inter’s loss to the Sounders in the Leagues Cup final.

Baltazar Rodriguez also scored for Miami as they secured a playoff spot in convincing style.

Inter were clinging to a 1-0 lead at rainy City Field, home of Major League Baseball’s New York Mets, when Messi delivered a vintage goal in the 74th minute.

Put through by Sergio Busquets, Messi powered into the box, eluding one defender and neatly chipping a shot over Matt Freese as the New York goalkeeper dived at his feet.

After Suarez made it 3-0 from the spot, Messi struck again in the 86th with a precise, angled shot from the right side of the box to the bottom left corner.

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Inter were being outplayed early on in the awkward confines of the converted baseball field, but they seized the lead in the 43rd minute through Rodriguez.

Bousqets fed Messi, whose crisp through ball found the charging Rodriguez. The 22-year-old Argentine raced into the box and confidently slotted a low ball past Freese.

Until then, the best chances belonged to New York. Thiago Martins forced a save from Oscar Ustari with a header in the 21st minute.

One minute later, NYCFC were denied again when Aiden O’Neill’s long-range shot was blocked, and in the 29th minute, Nicolas Fernandez hit the right post.

Ten minutes into the game, Freese denied Messi, but eventually, Miami made New York pay for their inability to finish.

Inter Miami are in third place in the Eastern Conference, five points behind East leaders Philadelphia with two games in hand and still in with a chance to claim the Supporters’ Shield awarded to the team with the best overall regular-season record.

Messi, who will play the MLS Cup Playoffs for the second time, has three consecutive matches with at least one goal and one assist and has stamped himself a candidate for the 2025 Most Valuable Player award.

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