Lionel Messi

Messi's 2 goals, 2 assists fire Inter Miami into Eastern Conference semis

Lionel Messi and Inter Miami are three wins away from an MLS Cup title. Messi scored a pair of first-half goals and added two assists, leading the way as third-seeded Inter Miami ousted sixth-seeded Nashville SC 4-0 on Saturday night in the decisive Game 3 of their first-round Eastern Conference playoff series. Tadeo Allende scored a pair of goals about three minutes apart both set up by Messi in the second half to blow the game open for Inter Miami, which outscored Nashville 8-3 in the series. Messi had a hand in all eight of those goals, scoring five and assisting on the other three. Inter Miami will go to FC Cincinnati for an East semifinal match everything now is single-elimination, unlike Round 1's best-of-three format on Nov. 22 or Nov. 23. Cincinnati went 1-0-1 against Inter Miami this season, winning 3-0 at home on July 16 and playing to a scoreless draw at Fort Lauderdale on July 26. Messi was in the lineup for the first meeting, but not the second. "We know Cincinnat

Lionel Messi's G.O.A.T. Tour now includes Hyderabad on extended route

Lionel Messi's much-anticipated 'GOAT Tour to India 2025' just got bigger with Hyderabad added as the new southern leg stop to ensure fans in the region are not "deprived" of seeing their idol following the cancellation of Argentina's proposed friendly in Kerala. The decision to add Hyderabad comes in the wake of the cancellation of Argentina's proposed friendly in Kochi, which had been originally announced by Kerala Sports Minister V Abdurahiman for November 17. The revised plan now ensures Messi's 'GOAT Tour' will span all four corners of India -- east (Kolkata), south (Hyderabad), west (Mumbai) and north (New Delhi) -- turning it into one of the biggest sporting spectacles ever hosted in the country. "Now we are covering south also. This will be a tribute to millions of football fans in South India," Satadru Dutta, the sole organiser of the 'GOAT Tour to India 2025', told PTI on Saturday. "With this, every part of India is covered. West is covered through Mumbai, east through ..

Kochi stadium's Argentina match sponsor chosen with transparency: Minister

Kerala Sports Minister V Abdurahiman on Tuesday said that the sponsor for renovating the Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium here, for the Argentina team's football match, was selected in a transparent process based on government orders. The minister's response to reporters came a day after Congress MP Hibi Eden alleged "shady dealings" by the Kerala government in the renovation of the stadium. Abdurahiman said that the Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA) had a day ago clarified everything related to the renovation work. The minister further said that a technical officer of the Argentina team had inspected the stadium. "We should have handed over the stadium at least 20 days before the fixture," he said. Abdurahiman said that the inspections by the authorities found lack of proper fire safety measures. Furthermore, safety and security arrangements had to be put in place quickly and we expected that the work would get over on time. "As you saw, a large number of people

Messi inks new Inter Miami contract, to play on through 2026 season

Lionel Messi has finally agreed to a new contract with Inter Miami, a deal that required several months to complete and ensures that the sport's biggest icon will be with the Major League Soccer club for its planned move into a new stadium next year. The deal was announced Thursday, one day before Inter Miami's playoff opener against Nashville. Messi's team the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference will play host to Game 1 of that best-of-three series on Friday night. The team announced the move in a social media post, one showing Messi signing the contract inside the new stadium that remains under construction. HE'S HOME, the team said in the post. Inter Miami said it was a three-year deal through 2028. The notion of Messi playing two or three more seasons certainly would serve as a boost to ticket sales at the stadium the team has been building near Miami International Airport. The team has been selling ticket packages and taking deposits on seats in the new park for more than a

Harry Kane edges past Ronaldo and Messi to set new goalscoring record

The England captain found the net in Bayern Munich's 4-0 Champions League victory over Club Brugge on Wednesday night, tapping home from close range in the 14th minute.

Messi's GOAT tour of India: Kolkata event date and time, how to buy tickets

Fans can now book their tickets to witness Messi's Kolkata appearance and the possible derby match.

Messi India tour ticket prices, schedule, how to buy Delhi event's ticket

Messi will reportedly meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss grassroots football in India and launch Youth-focused sports programs.

Argentina's football team likely to meet Australia in Kerala in November

The Argentina football team, along with star player Lionel Messi, will most likely play a match against Australia in Kochi when the South American squad visits Kerala in November, official sources in the Sports department said. No date has been fixed for the friendly match, but it will take place in Kochi on any day between November 12 and November 18 when the Argentina team and Messi are in Kerala, the sources said. Australia will most likely be the opponent of the South American team, which won the 2022 World Cup, the sources said. There were some controversies involving the Argentina team's visit to Kerala, with some reports in early August this year saying that the South American squad, with Messi, will not come to the state. However, later the same month, state Sports Minister V Abdurahiman had said that the team would arrive in Kerala in November.

Messi scores twice, adds assist to lead Inter Miami past DC United 3-2

Lionel Messi had a first-half assist before scoring two goals in the second half to take over the league lead and propel Inter Miami to a 3-2 victory over D.C. United. Messi scored the go-ahead goal in the 66th minute before adding some insurance in the 85th. He has 22 goals this season, one more than Nashville SC's Sam Surridge in the race for the Golden Boot Award. Defender Jordi Alba collected his 10th assist on Messi's first goal and Sergio Busquets notched his seventh for the brace. First-year midfielder Tadeo Allende scored his eighth goal with an assist from Messi in the 35th minute and Inter Miami took a 1-0 lead into halftime. It was Messi's 12th assist this season tied for fourth most in the league. DC United pulled even in the 53rd minute when Christian Benteke took a pass from Brandon Servania and scored. It was the ninth goal for the 2024 Golden Boot winner and the 47th of his career. It was the third assist for Servania, matching his career high. DC United got wit

Messi's Argentina to play FIFA friendly in Kerala in November: AFA confirms

Argentina's only previous visit to India came in 2011, when they faced Venezuela at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata

WATCH: Lionel Messi stuns fans with no-look assist on Inter Miami return

Despite missing the previous two games with a hamstring issue sustained on August 2 during the Leagues Cup, Messi returned with a goal and a dazzling no-look assist that left fans stunned.

How Ronaldinho and Emi Martinez helped convince Messi to make India trip

To make the tour financially sustainable, the event will span four major Indian cities with multiple sponsor-backed events planned.

Messi-less Inter Miami thrashed 4-1 by Orlando City; Muriel scores brace

Muriel opened the scoring in the 2nd minute, assisted by Ojeda, but the lead lasted only three minutes before Yannick Bright netted his first career goal in his 40th appearance to draw Miami level.

Which player has scored the most career hat-tricks in football so far?

Ronaldo completed his hat-trick for Al Nassr vs Rio Ave in the 68th minute on August 7, confidently converting from the spot before being substituted to a warm reception.

Kerala visit off for Messi-led Argentina over scheduling conflict

Argentina's national football team, led by legendary player Lionel Messi, will not visit Kerala, state Sports Minister V Abdurahiman said on Monday. The minister had earlier insisted that the Messi-led Argentina side would visit the state as announced by the government, and that the sponsor had already paid the match fee for the event. He told reporters on Monday that the foreign team informed them that they were facing difficulties in visiting the state in October this year, but the sponsor responded that "we are interested only in a visit in the month of October." Abdurahiman had earlier said the team was more likely to come in October or November this year, and that they would be treated as state guests, with their security, accommodation, and other facilities provided by the government.

Messi has minor muscle injury, Inter Miami unsure of return timeline

Inter Miami star Lionel Messi is dealing with a minor muscle injury in his right leg after being hurt in the opening minutes of Saturday's Leagues Cup match against Necaxa, the club said. Messi underwent tests on his right leg after experiencing discomfort following a play in which he fell while being challenged by a pair of Necaxa defenders, in a game Inter Miami won on penalty kicks. His timeline for return isn't yet known, though it seems unlikely that he will be available for Miami's next Leagues Cup match against UNAM Pumas on Wednesday. Inter Miami said in a release that Messi's medical clearance will depend on how he responds to treatment. Messi slapped his hand against the ground in frustration after the fall, which happened in the first 10 minutes of Saturday's match. He walked slowly toward the Inter Miami bench before sitting down on the pitch. Trainers came out and worked on his right upper thigh area for a couple of minutes before he subbed out for Federico Redondo in

Messi's India Tour: Kolkata to kick off, Delhi & Mumbai await the icon

If all the pieces fall in place, football devotees in Kolkata will have the first sighting of iconic Lionel Messi after a decade, and the City of Joy will be the first stop in the Argentine's whirlwind journey across Ahmedabad, Mumbai and New Delhi, culminating in a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The sources privy to the development informed PTI that all arrangements have been finalised including booking the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, but an official confirmation from Messi is still awaited. "It's been finalised and we are waiting for an official announcement from Messi, maybe on his social media handle anytime soon," said the source. "As of now we have agreed on the proposed itinerary and we are just awaiting an official announcement from his social media, which would be in anytime soon, the source added. As per the itinerary, Messi will land in Kolkata on the night of December 12 around 10pm and will stay for two days and one night -- the longest stop on his ...

Save the date! Messi to visit India for an event at Wankhede on Dec 14

A source within the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) confirmed that the organizers, Wizcraft, have received the green light to host a ticketed event featuring the football icon.

Messi's last-second assist helps Inter Miami edge Atlas 2-1 in Leagues Cup

Lionel Messi had two assists, including one in the final seconds of the match, to help lift Inter Miami over Atlas 2-1 in their Leagues Cup opener. It was Messi's first game since he and teammate Jordi Alba were suspended one match by Major League Soccer for skipping its All-Star game. He connected with Marcelo Weigandt for the winning score in the final minute of stoppage time. It's a competition that we always do well in, Messi said in Spanish during a post-match interview with Apple TV. I think we did a great job against a great team. Messi also assisted on Telasco Segovia's goal that opened scoring. He received a through ball from Sergio Busquets and sent it to Segovia for an easy finish in the 58th. Rivaldo Lozano scored the equalizer for the Guadalajara club in the 80th minute before Weigandt's goal in the 96th that had to be confirmed by VAR after he was originally ruled offside. That meant five assists in July for Messi, who was named the Major League Soccer Player of the

How Beckham and Messi have together helped MLS evolve into a bigger brand

Beckham's move, a pivotal moment for MLS. Beckham's arrival gave the league credibility on a global scale and set the precedent for European stars considering the U.S. as a viable career destination.