Page 11 - Lionel Messi

Messi scores, Argentina beats Australia 2-1 at Fifa World Cup 2022

Lionel Messi marked his 1,000th professional game with his first goal in the knockout stage of a World Cup, leading Argentina into the quarterfinals with a 2-1 win over Australia on Saturday. With a flourish of his famous left foot in the 34th minute, Messi put Argentina ahead with his third goal at this year's tournament and ninth in total at the World Cup one more than Diego Maradona. Julian Alvarez pounced on a heavy touch by Australia goalkeeper Mathew Ryan to tap into an empty net for the second goal as Argentina set up a meeting with the Netherlands in the quarterfinals. Australia scored a 77th-minute consolation goal when Craig Goodwin's shot deflected into the net off Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez. For Australia's squad of unheralded players, it was a match too far at a World Cup in which the team has exceeded expectations by reaching the knockout stage for only the second time. Australia also lost in the last 16 in 2006, to eventual champion Italy. Maybe it's an om

Lionel Messi and Argentina try to avoid World Cup upset vs Australia

Australia's players speak in glowing, almost reverential terms about Lionel Messi. "He just does things that, you know, no one else can do," forward Mathew Leckie said. Milos Degenek went even further. "Probably," the Socceroos defender said, "the best footballer ever to grace the game." Imagine, then, how they'll be feeling on Saturday when they share the same field as Messi and his Argentina team in the last 16 of the World Cup. These are pinch-yourself times for a group of unheralded players who were expected to be on their way home by this stage of the tournament. Yet here they are in Doha, looking to cause the latest upset in a World Cup that has been full of them right from the moment Saudi Arabia shocked Argentina in perhaps the most unlikely win in the tournament's 92-year history. That set the tone for the past two weeks, during which Japan has beaten both Germany and Spain, Morocco has defeated Belgium, Tunisia has beaten France and, let's not forget, Australia has stun

Messi and Argentina advance at Fifa World Cup 2022, beat Poland 2-0

Rest easy, soccer fans. Lionel Messi will grace the World Cup stage at least one more time. The Argentina great had a penalty saved but his team still beat Poland 2-0 Wednesday after second-half goals from Alexis Mac Allister and Julian Alvarez and advanced to the last 16. Argentina finished in first place in Group C to set up a match against Australia, a surprise qualifier for the knockout stage. It's a strong position for Argentina to be in, especially considering the team opened the World Cup with a shocking 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia in one of biggest upsets in the tournament's history. Messi's likely final World Cup rolls onto Saturday. He will be relieved after failing to score a penalty for the second straight World Cup. It was awarded after being hit in the face by the flailing hand of Poland goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny, who made amends by diving to his left to block Messi's kick. Mac Allister converted a cross from Nahuel Molina inside the first minute of the second half a

FIFA World Cup: Win over Mexico 'a weight off our shoulders', says Messi

Lionel Messi said Argentina are ready to "start over again" after resuscitating their FIFA World Cup campaign with a 2-0 victory over Mexico

Biggest World Cup crowd in 28 years sees Messi play against Mexico

Lionel Messi played in front of 88,966 spectators on Sunday when Argentina beat Mexico 2-0, the largest attendance at a World Cup match in 28 years. The Lusail Stadium north of Doha, which will stage the final on December 18, hosted the most people at the World Cup since the 1994 final in the United States, according to FIFA. There were 91,194 people at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, to see Brazil beat Italy in that penalty shootout after a 0-0 draw. Saturday's attendance was several hundred more than the figure for the two previous games at Lusail Stadium, when Brazil beat Serbia and Argentina lost to Saudi Arabia. Qatar's attendance figures do not rank in the top 30 of all-time World Cup matches. The largest crowd was 173,850 inside the Maracan Stadium in Rio de Janeiro in 1950 for Uruguay's 2-1 victory over host Brazil in the final game of that tournament. Other stadiums figuring in the top-30 list are the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City, Wembley Stadium in London and the

Messi leads Argentina to 2-0 win over Mexico at FIFA World Cup 2022

Lionel Messi came up with another crucial goal for Argentina in a 2-0 win over Mexico on Sunday that ignited the team's World Cup chances. Messi took a touch from Angel Di Maria's pass across the face of the area and drove a low shot from 25 metres into the bottom corner in the 64th minute. He ran towards Argentina's fans with his arms outstretched before getting mobbed by his jubilant teammates. He looked emotional as he grabbed and shook his jersey, then blew a kiss to the crowd. Substitute Enzo Fernandez added a second goal in the 87th minute. Argentina bounced back from a shocking 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia in its opening match. The team is in second place in Group C ahead of its last match against Poland on Wednesday. The 35-year-old Messi is likely playing in his last World Cup, which is the only major title missing from his collection.

After Saudi Arabia loss, Messi & Argentina under pressure for Mexico game

A chant has been doing the rounds among Saudi Arabia supporters and even some from Brazil in the fan parks and streets of Doha at the World Cup. Where is Messi? We broke his eye! they sing in Arabic, using a slang expression meaning to bring shame on a person. Messi and his Argentina team are being mocked after a humbling 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia that has left their presence at the tournament in big and completely unforeseen danger. Argentina needs to immediately bounce back against Mexico on Saturday, otherwise an embarrassing early exit awaits. We always said we were going to look to win every game, Messi said, and now more than ever. A compatriot indeed the team's former coach could mastermind the fatal blow to Argentina. Gerardo Martino led his native Argentina from 2014-16, losing the Copa America final in back-to-back years in that time before quitting. Now Martino is Mexico's coach and looking to guide the team into the last 16 perhaps at the expense of Argentina

FIFA: 5 mins of mistakes, we went down, says Messi after loss to S Arabia

Following the shocking defeat against Saudi Arabia, the Seven-time Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi admitted that he did not expect his team Argentina to start the FIFA World Cup in this fashion

S Arabia declares holiday after shock win over Argentina in FIFA World Cup

Saudi Arabia has declared a holiday on Wednesday after its football team's stunning victory over two-time champions Argentina in a Group C clash at Lusail stadium

Saudi Arabia stuns Argentina by 2-1; upsetting start for Messi's team

In the latest Fifa World Cup match between Argentina and Saudi Arabia, star footballer Lionel Messi's Argentina stumbled to a shocking defeat

FIFA World Cup Group C and D analysis: Argentina, Denmark to make headlines

FIFA World Cup 2022 Qatar: Here's a detailed analysis of which two teams will qualify for the knockouts from Group C and D of the tournament

Best of BS Opinion: Another lotus blooms, a fresh beginning and more

Here are the best of Business Standard's opinion pieces for today

Brand ambassadors: An illusory fascination

Byju's appointment of Messi is a good example of the illusory fascination that companies harbour for celebrity endorsements

Brand Kohli is in top form as the cricketer celebrates his 34th birthday

On Wednesday, the star cricketer became the highest run-scorer in the history of the ICC T20 World Cup, going past Sri Lankan Mahela Jayawardene

Byju's ropes in Messi as global brand ambassador for its social initiative

Earlier this year, edtech giant Byju's became the official sponsor of the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar

Byju's ropes in Messi as global brand ambassador for social initiative EFA

Edtech major BYJU's has roped in football star Lionel "Leo" Messi as the first global brand ambassador of its social impact arm Education For All, the company said on Friday. Messi, who plays for Paris Saint-Germain and captains the Argentinian football team, has signed an agreement with BYJU'S to promote the cause of equitable education, BYJU'S said in a statement. "We are honoured and excited to collaborate with Lionel Messi as our global ambassador. He rose from the grassroots to become one of the most successful sports persons ever. That is the kind of opportunity that BYJU'S Education For All (EFA) wants to create for the nearly 5.5 million children it currently empowers. No one represents the power of enhancing human potential more than Lionel Messi," BYJU'S co-founder Divya Gokulnath said. The engagement of BYJU's with Messi will enhance visibility of the edtech firm overseas as football has roughly 3.5 billion fans worldwide, and Lionel Messi has a social media following of

Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and others likely playing at last World Cup

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are among a handful of players hoping for a final hurrah in what is likely to be their last World Cup appearance. Besides those two, there's also Robert Lewandowski, Luis Surez, Luka Modric, Dani Alves, Manuel Neuer and Thomas Mller. Hanging on for the next World Cup in 2026 in North America might just be a step to far for these veterans. CRISTIANO RONALDO (Portugal) Perhaps ominously for Portugal's Group H rivals, the 37-year-old Ronaldo has endured a frustrating season so far at Manchester United and will be eager to show what he can do in Qatar. Ronaldo is already the all-time top-scorer in men's international soccer with 117 goals and has made a Portuguese record 191 appearances. The five-time five Ballon d'Or winner has scored goals wherever he has played, whether in his first stint at United, in a trophy-laden spell at Real Madrid or in helping Juventus win two Serie A titles before his return to the Premier League. However, his return has n

Ballon d'Or 2022: Live streaming, timing, nomination list, and more

Indian football fans can watch the live telecast of Ballon d'Or, which will be available in the early hours of Tuesday

Qatar World Cup will be my last, confirms Argentina's Lionel Messi

The 35-year-old plays as a forward for Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain and captains the Argentina national team

Messi sets up 2 goals as leader PSG wins 3-0; Lens, Marseille win

Lionel Messi's vision was too much for Toulouse as he set up goals for Neymar and Kylian Mbapp in French league leader Paris Saint-Germain's 3-0 win at Toulouse. Four touches were enough for PSG to open up Toulouse's defense for the first goal in the 37th minute, with Messi applying the final pass to give Neymar his league-leading seventh goal in just five games. After being denied four times by goalkeeper Maxime Dup, Messi grabbed his fourth assist this season when he set up Kylian Mbapp's fifth goal. PSG's MNM attack of Messi-Neymar-Mbapp has combined for 15 of PSG's 21 goals in five games. It would have been more but Dup made nine saves. Promoted Toulouse held out until the 39th minute. The goal was slick one-touch soccer with midfielder Marco Verratti and Mbapp exchanging passes before Messi's first-time pass behind the defense allowed Neymar space to guide the ball under Dup. The goal was given following a video review when replays showed Neymar was onside as the in-form Bra