Also known as: the genius No10 · Lionel Andres Messi
Lionel Messi — Argentine footballer who retired from international play after 207 appearances and 125 goals, now plays for Inter Miami and invests in Spanish football clubs.
Verbatim sentences from the source article.
The Chronicle
… Lionel Messi If the teams are still tied, the criteria below applies: Step two Superior goal difference across all group matches. …
Which teams have qualified for the World Cup 2026 knockouts, round of 32?Joy Online
… Wayne Rooney was highly complimentary of the teenager – the comparisons to Lionel Messi were inevitable. …
Lamine Yamal shows why this could be his World CupThe Chronicle
… He did not impress at the Cup of Nations, and he certainly looked out of his depth in the 3-0 pasting from Lionel Messi and Argentina in Kansas City on Tuesday. …
Heroics and heartbreak: Africa’s first week at the World CupJoy Online
… g a powerful header to restore his side’s lead three minutes before the break. “I’m absolutely delighted that Kane equalled my record,” Lineker continued. “His all-round game is, for me, what separates him from all the others.” Kane’s standout performance comes after Lionel Messi …
Kane is England’s greatest striker, says LinekerJoy Online
Lionel Messi’s father is currently dealing with a “health-related situation”, the family said in a statement on Thursday. …
Messi’s father dealing with ‘health-related situation’Daily Guide
Lionel Messi Lionel Messi revealed he was overcome with emotion during Argentina’s 3-0 victory over Algeria at the 2026 FIFA World Cup because of personal challenges unrelated to football. …
Emotional Messi Inspires Argentina To VictoryDaily Guide
… Mbappe moves to 14 goals at World Cups, putting him only two behind Miroslav Klose and joint-record holder Lionel Messi, who scored a hat-trick in Argentina’s win over Algeria. …
Kylian Mbappe Becomes France Leading ScorerThe Ghanaian Times
Lionel Messi registered his first World Cup hat trick while moving into a tie for first on the tournament’s career scoring list Tuesday night, sending defending champion Argentina to a dominant 3-0 victory over Algeria in its group-stage opener. …
Messi equals World Cup scoring record with hat-trickJoy Online
… Kane joined Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland in making an early pitch for the Golden Boot, while Bellingham gave a powerhouse display he embellished with a fine goal. …
Kane and Bellingham shine as England outshine Croatia in thrillerJoy Online
… Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo matched Argentina’s Lionel Messi by playing in a sixth finals, but the 41-year-old was made to wait as he bids to become the first player to score in six different World Cups. …
2026 World Cup: DR Congo stun Portugal to claim point in opening gameLionel Messi scored his 100th goal for Inter Miami in a 2-0 Campeones Cup victory, prompting co-owner David Beckham to say the 39-year-old Argentine deserves to win the 2026 Ballon d'Or. Messi, who has been nominated for the award, scored eight goals and registered four assists as Argentina reached the World Cup final.
1 hour ago · Joy Online →
Lionel Messi scored his 100th goal for Inter Miami in a 2-0 Campeones Cup victory, prompting co-owner David Beckham to say the 39-year-old Argentine deserves to win the 2026 Ballon d'Or. Messi, who has been nominated for the award, scored eight goals and registered four assists as Argentina reached the World Cup final.
1 hour ago · Joy Online →
Argentina have named Lionel Messi in their squad for a friendly against Benin in October as the forward's farewell to international football. The 39-year-old announced his retirement from Argentina duty in August following his country's defeat to Spain in the 2026 World Cup final.
15 hours ago · The Ghanaian Times →
Argentina have selected Lionel Messi for a friendly against Benin in October, which will be his farewell to international football after he announced his retirement from Argentina duty in August. The match will be held at River Plate's Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires on 6 October.
16 September 2026 · Joy Online →
Thierry Henry has backed Kylian Mbappé to win the Ballon d'Or over Harry Kane, citing Mbappé's 25 goals in LaLiga and 15 in the Champions League last season. He also named Bayern Munich's Michael Olise as a strong candidate, ahead of Kane despite Kane's 36 Bundesliga goals.
10 September 2026 · The Ghanaian Times →
Lionel Messi has reached a preliminary agreement to become the majority shareholder of Spanish second-division club Eldense, pending legal procedures and approval from Spain's National Sports Council. This would be his second Spanish club investment after buying Catalan side Cornella in April.
10 September 2026 · Joy Online →
Kylian Mbappe opened the scoring in Real Madrid's victory over Inter Milan, moving joint-fifth on the all-time Champions League and European Cup goalscorers list with 71 goals in 99 appearances.
8 September 2026 · Joy Online →
Senegal forward Sadio Mane and Morocco defender Achraf Hakimi are among 30 nominees for the 2026 men's Ballon d'Or. Mane was named Player of the Tournament at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations and helped Al Nassr win the league title, while Hakimi has impressed at Paris Saint-Germain and could become the first Moroccan to win the award.
8 September 2026 · Joy Online →
The Argentine football league will pause all matches in the 10th minute this weekend for a minute of applause to honor Lionel Messi, who announced his retirement from international football on Monday after 207 appearances for Argentina.
4 September 2026 · Daily Guide →
Argentina captain Lionel Messi announced his retirement from international football, saying he has given everything to the national side and has "nothing left to give." Messi, who led Argentina to World Cup victory in 2022 and is the country's all-time leading scorer with 125 goals in 207 appearances, said the decision came after his father's death and reflects his belief that younger players deserve their opportunity.
1 September 2026 · Daily Guide →
Raphinha and Lamine Yamal both scored twice as Barcelona defeated Rayo Vallecano 5-2 to extend their winning streak to three La Liga games. Raphinha became the first player to score five goals in the opening three La Liga matches of a season since Lionel Messi in 2017, while 19-year-old Yamal surpassed 50 goals for the club.
1 September 2026 · Joy Online →
Lionel Messi has announced his retirement from international football after 207 appearances and 125 goals for Argentina, saying the decision "hurt" but that he has "nothing left to give" and young players deserve their chance. The 39-year-old, who captained Argentina to World Cup victory in Qatar in 2022, wrote the retirement message on 21 July, two days after Argentina lost to Spain in the summer's World Cup final.
31 August 2026 · Joy Online →
Lionel Messi scored four goals to lead Inter Miami to a club-record 7-1 victory over CF Montréal, snapping the team's five-game winless run. The win was Miami's first in MLS play since July 25, with the team led by assistant coach Rafael Pérez after the interim head coach was suspended.
30 August 2026 · Joy Online →
Cristiano Ronaldo told Vogue that this season is probably his last as a footballer after a 25-year career, saying he wants to leave a spectacular legacy and has mapped out post-football plans including family, travel, and padel. The 41-year-old Portugal captain has one year remaining on his Al-Nassr contract and is 24 goals short of 1,000 senior career goals.
16 August 2026 · Joy Online →
Lionel Messi made a substitute appearance for Inter Miami on Wednesday following the death of his father Jorge at age 68, and has indicated he may retire from football. Messi flew back from Argentina after attending his father's funeral to play in Miami's 3-2 Leagues Cup defeat by Leon.
14 August 2026 · The Ghanaian Times →
Lionel Messi said he is having doubts about continuing his career following the death of his father Jorge, aged 68, last week. In an Instagram tribute, Messi expressed uncertainty about his future in football, noting that his father had been by his side from the beginning and had urged him to play in the World Cup.
13 August 2026 · The Ghanaian Times →
Lionel Messi's father Jorge Messi died at age 68 following a long illness in his hometown of Rosario, Argentina. Jorge, who served as Messi's agent since the player was 14 years old, played a significant role in his son's football career; Inter Miami and Barcelona both honoured him with moments of silence.
10 August 2026 · Daily Guide →
Lionel Messi missed Inter Miami's Leagues Cup defeat by Monterrey following the death of his father Jorge, who died on Saturday at age 68 after a long illness in Rosario, Argentina. Inter Miami paid tribute with a minute's silence, black armbands, and team-mates including Rodrigo de Paul honoured him during the match.
9 August 2026 · Joy Online →
Jorge Messi, the father and longtime agent of Argentine soccer star Lionel Messi, has died at age 68 in Rosario following treatment for an unspecified illness. Lionel Messi's emotional performance at this year's World Cup was attributed to personal difficulties related to his father's health.
8 August 2026 · Joy Online →
Lionel Messi made his competitive return for Inter Miami after Argentina's World Cup final loss to Spain, coming on as a substitute in a 2-2 Major League Soccer draw with Columbus Crew, where team-mate Casemiro inadvertently scored an own goal.
3 August 2026 · Joy Online →
Lionel Messi, thirty-nine, played his final World Cup as Argentina lost the 2026 final one-nil to Spain. Despite the loss, Messi's World Cup legacy remains marked by moments of brilliance across a decades-long tournament presence.
27 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Ugandan dance group Ghetto Kids appeared at the football World Cup final half-time show alongside Burna Boy and Shakira, performing in the game between Spain and Argentina at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. The young dancers, who come from humble beginnings in Kampala, described the experience as life-changing.
27 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Major League Soccer is investigating allegations of tampering by Inter Miami after the club signed 34-year-old Brazil midfielder Casemiro from Manchester United on a deal running to the end of 2027, with an option to extend until June 2029. The investigation concerns Inter Miami's acquisition of Casemiro's discovery rights from LA Galaxy, an MLS regulation that gives a specific club first refusal over a player.
22 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Kylian Mbappe won the 2026 World Cup Golden Boot after scoring 10 goals, finishing ahead of Lionel Messi's eight. The Real Madrid forward is now the top scorer in World Cup history with 22 goals across three tournaments.
21 July 2026 · The Ghanaian Times →
Ferran Torres scored in the 106th minute to give Spain a 1-0 victory over holders Argentina in the World Cup final at MetLife Stadium, ending Lionel Messi's bid for a second World Cup title in what was likely his final appearance in the tournament.
21 July 2026 · The Ghanaian Times →
Lionel Messi said "the pain is immense" and that it "will take time to heal" after Argentina lost 1-0 to Spain in the World Cup final, with Ferran Torres scoring in extra time. Messi has now lost two World Cup finals, and at 39 years old is unlikely to feature at the 2030 tournament.
20 July 2026 · Joy Online →
During the World Cup in the US, former England captain David Beckham has dominated off-the-pitch marketing, fronting advertising campaigns for 11 brands including McDonald's, Major League Soccer, and Bank of America. Marketing experts attribute his prominence to his broad appeal across demographics and his authentic, down-to-earth persona that translates across football, fashion, entertainment, and business.
20 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Lamine Yamal helped Spain win the 2026 World Cup, defeating Argentina 1-0 in the final. At 19, he became the youngest player ever to win both the European Championship and the World Cup. His three-year-old brother Keyne drew significant attention on social media for his joyful celebrations during the match.
20 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Spain teenager Lamine Yamal, 19 years and six days, has won both the World Cup and Euros, making him the youngest player to achieve the double. The article compares his symbolic embrace with Lionel Messi at the World Cup final to a passing of the torch, noting Yamal recovered from a hamstring injury to play a key role in Spain's tournament run.
20 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Kylian Mbappe won the Golden Boot at the 2026 World Cup with 10 goals in eight games, becoming the first player to win the award twice and extending his men's World Cup all-time top scorer record to 22 goals.
19 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Spain defeated defending champions Argentina 1-0 in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final on Sunday, with substitute Ferran Torres scoring in the 106th minute. The victory gave Spain their second World Cup title and first since 2010, with Argentina finishing the match down to 10 men after Enzo Fernández's red card.
19 July 2026 · Joy Online →