Page 13 - Lionel Messi

After 17 seasons, post-Lionel Messi era begins in Spanish league

The Spanish league season begins this weekend and it will be unlike any other in the last 17 years. It will be the first without Lionel Messi, its all-time top scorer and one of its greatest players ever. For the first time since 2004, Barcelona will be without Messi because it couldn't sign the Argentina star to a new contract due to its troubled financial situation. The last time the league didn't feature Messi, the likes of Diego Simeone, Zinedine Zidane and Luis Enrique were still playing instead of coaching. Real Madrid forward Vincius Jnior and Atltico Madrid forward Joo Flix were only 4 years old. Former Barcelona player Neymar was entering his teenage years and had just signed his first contract with the youth squad of Brazilian club Santos. Real Madrid target Kylian Mbapp was a 5-year-old whose bright future was as yet unknown. Barcelona won the league only twice in the decade before Messi debuted. In the next 17 seasons, it won it 10 times. He won the league's scoring ti

Emotional Lionel Messi says he wasn't prepared to leave Barcelona

Messi says club's salary caps scuttled a deal; hinting at Paris Saint-Germain as 'a possibility' for next season

We can't mortgage future to keep Messi: Barcelona president Laporta

Barca shocked the football world on Thursday with the announcement that Messi would leave the club

Messi's departure from Barca is a mess everyone could see coming

To come so close to losing Messi once might be regarded as unfortunate. To do so twice looks an awful lot like carelessness

As Messi's Barcelona career ends, a look at his top 10 goals for the club

Lionel Messi scored a club record 672 goals in his 17 seasons with Barcelona. Here are 10 of his best and most important strikes for the blue-and-burgundy: April 18, 2007 Messi emulates fellow Argentine great Diego Maradona with an epic goal, ghosting through half of Getafe's side while his teammates could only gape in awe. Taking the ball from Barcelona's own half, Messi pokes the ball behind the first would-be tackle to make him miss. He then nutmegs a second challenger before taking off and sliding past two more defenders and the goalkeeper. He finishes his move by lifting a shot from an angle over the desperate slide of the last man. May 2, 2009 Messi scores twice in a 6-2 thrashing of Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu in one of the most lopsided clsico matches ever. Messi gets his second goal after exchanging passes with Xavi Hernndez inside the box before he uses a feint to freeze Iker Casillas and fires home. May 27, 2009 Messi hangs in the air to meet Xavi Hernndez's

A timeline of Lionel Messi's incredible 17-season career at Barcelona

Lionel Messi's incredible 17-season career at Barcelona appears to have come to an end.

Lionel Messi moves closer to signing new contract with Barcelona

A person with knowledge of the negotiations between club and player told AP on Friday that Messi was prepared to accept Barcelona's offer of a five-year contract at 50 per cent of his previous salary

Copa America: Argentina beats Brazil 1-0; Messi wins his 1st major title

When the match ended, a tearful Messi was thrown into the air by some of his joyous teammates

Dreamt of winning Copa America for long time says Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi struggled to contain his emotions and "immense happiness" after he ended the 28-year-long wait for Argentina to win an international trophy

Google CEO Pichai hails Lionel Messi as 'best ever' after Copa triumph

Google CEO Sundar Pichai hailed Lionel Messi as the 'best ever' after Barca star guided Argentina to the historic Copa America triumph

Two long droughts end as Messi's Argentina lifts Copa America trophy

The trophy is a relief for Argentina, which won its last major title when Messi was only 6 years old.

Brazil has World Cup hopes dented after Copa America loss to Argentina

Brazil trusted its defense even more than Neymar to keep its Copa America title. It was a move that failed.

Lionel Messi pays his debt to Argentina with Copa America title

Argentina finally made Lionel Messi cry with joy. After losing four times in finals, early exits in major tournaments and even a decision to retire from the national team, the superstar celebrated a much-awaited title with Argentina at Saturday's 1-0 win against Brazil in the Maracana Stadium. The title ended Argentina's 28-year drought of major trophies, with Messi as the best player with four goals and five assists. The captain also broke the team's record for international appearances with 151 matches. When Uruguayan referee Esteban Ostojich blew the final whistle, Messi knelt down on the pitch and covered his face with his hands. The next challenge is to win the World Cup in Qatar next year, which would be the first since Maradona took the team to glory in 1986. Until Saturday, Messi's titles with Argentina were only the U-20 World Cup title in 2005 and a gold medal at the Beijing Olympics in 2008. His first frustration at the senior-team level started at age 19 in the World

Barca coach Koeman 'confident' of Messi signing new contract

FC Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman said on Friday he was confident that Lionel Messi will sign a new contract with the club

Copa America: Brazil vs Argentina final, more than just Neymar vs Messi

A contest between Neymar and Lionel Messi is how many fans perceive the Copa America final between Brazil and Argentina

Lionel Messi thrilled as Copa America glory draws nearer

Lionel Messi said that he is "thrilled than ever" at the prospect of winning an elusive international trophy after helping Argentina beat Colombia on penalties to reach the Copa America final

Stellar Brazil vs Argentina final for emergency Copa America

The most improvised Copa Amrica will have the final most of the fans dreamed of. Brazil and Argentina play for the South American title on Saturday at Rio de Janeiro's historic Maracana Stadium, one of soccer's spiritual homes. It should be a memorable ending to a tournament plagued by setbacks and moved at the last minute to one of the countries hardest-hit by COVID-19. Neymar's Brazil team, the defending champions, and Lionel Messi's challengers have won a combined seven World Cups and 23 continental titles. The Argentine star wants to lift his first major trophy with his country, which hasn't won any since 1993. Messi played and lost the Copa America finals of 2007, 2015 and 2016 and the 2014 World Cup the latter against Germany at the Maracana. What I want the most is to win a title with the national team," captain Messi said after Tuesday's 3-2 penalty shootout victory against Colombia in the semifinal. We aim high, we managed to get the first objective, which was to play th

Argentina advances on penalties to Copa America final against Brazil

It will be Lionel Messi's Argentina against Neymar's Brazil in the Copa America final on Saturday at the historic Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro

Argentina trusting Messi to find answer to Ospina's Colombia

Argentina will continue to trust that Lionel Messi finds a way to overcome Colombia goalkeeper David Ospina at Man Garrincha Stadium in Brasilia to return to the Copa America final.

Argentina beats Ecuador at Copa, plays Colombia in semifinal

Lionel Messi scored his 76th international goal and is now only one shy of Pele for the South American record as Argentina beat Ecuador 3-0 to progress to the semifinals of the Copa America