Narendra Modi hits out at Trinamool Congress over chaos during Lionel Messi's Kolkata visit, promises boost to Bengal sports ecosystem.
Lionel Messi's Argentina celebrate after their come-from-behind win over England in the FIFA World Cup semi-final on Wednesday.
A statue of Lionel Messi in Argentina's capital has been broken in half, with the player's upper body, arms and head removed.
Antonela Roccuzzo, Lionel Messi's wife, shared a poignant Instagram message, expressing immense pride in his international career, not just for his achievements but for his resilience and the journey their children witnessed.
Lionel Messi's Argentina take on Jude Bellingham's England in a blockbuster FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-final, reviving one of football's greatest rivalries with a place in the final on the line.
In Peru, there is a wave of new baby Haalands. In Argentina, Lionel has raced up the rankings, and in Mexico a girl was reportedly named after three soccer players. Parents in Latin America are already christening a new generation of babies after the stars of the World Cup.
The study, covering audience trends across the three host nations, found that Lionel Messi's debut for Inter Miami CF in the 2023 Leagues Cup drove a 173% leap in linear viewership compared with the tournament average.
Sunil Chhetri became the joint second highest international goal scorer among active players along with Argentine superstar Lionel Messi
After a spectacular haul of trophies with Barcelona, Lionel Messi has a chance to lead Argentina to glory on the World Cup stage and build on his reputation as one of the all-time greats.
Inspirational Lionel Messi would like to end his glittering career on a high as Argentina begin their World Cup defence on June 17 against Algeria in their Group J encounter.
'That's not just a football victory -- that's the heartbeat of an entire nation'
Lionel Messi faces a lawsuit in Miami alleging breach of contract and fraud after missing an Argentina friendly central to a multimillion-dollar promotional deal.
Factbox on Argentina and Barcelona forward Lionel Messi who won the Ballon d'Or for world player of the year for an unprecedented fourth successive time on Monday.
Cabo Verde's star goalkeeper Vozinha has expressed confidence ahead of their FIFA World Cup round of 32 clash against Argentina, vowing to make history. The debutant nation has impressed with three draws in the group stage, becoming the smallest country to reach the knockout phase. Vozinha also achieved a rare feat, becoming only the third goalkeeper over 40 to register multiple clean sheets in the tournament. Argentina's coach Lionel Scaloni has acknowledged Cabo Verde as a tough opponent.
Argentine superstar Lionel Messi arrived in Kolkata in the wee hours on Wednesday but more than 1500 frenzied fans were left heartbroken as securitymen whisked the Argentine superstar away through the VIP gate.
Lionel Messi was accidentally tackled by a security guard during Inter Miami's friendly win over Independiente del Valle in Puerto Rico after a fan invaded the pitch.
France striker Kylian Mbappe has become the World Cup's all-time leading scorer with 22 goals, surpassing Lionel Messi's 21 goals, after netting twice in France's third-place play-off match against England.
England's manager Thomas Tuchel has faced heavy criticism following their World Cup semi-final defeat to Argentina, but he attributes the loss to fundamental issues like a lack of 'ball possession DNA' rather than just tactical errors, while acknowledging the unstoppable brilliance of Lionel Messi.
Argentina staged a dramatic comeback, scoring two late goals to defeat England 2-1 in the World Cup semi-final, with Lionel Messi orchestrating the turnaround after England had taken the lead.
Argentina produced a stunning comeback after falling two goals behind, scoring twice in four minutes through Cristian Romero and Lionel Messi to beat Egypt 3-2 in their last 16 clash of the FIFA World Cup 2026 in Atlanta on Tuesday.
Lionel Messi sparked injury concerns after he left the field in the 73rd minute of Inter Miami CF's 6-4 victory over Philadelphia Union
Former Arsenal and France legend Thierry Henry has publicly backed Kylian Mbappe to win the prestigious Ballon d'Or award, citing his exceptional individual scoring achievements across the Champions League, LaLiga, and the World Cup.
Looking at Patrick Stewart's life through the ages.
Lego is collaborating with football stars Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappe, and Vinicius Jr. to release new sets ahead of the 2026 World Cup, featuring letter-shaped designs, display models, and a 3D wall art piece of Messi.
Former England cricketers Alastair Cook and Michael Vaughan share differing opinions on Jasprit Bumrah, with Vaughan comparing the Indian pacer to football icons Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford is set to face Lionel Messi for the first time in his career during Wednesday's World Cup semi-final against Argentina, an occasion he described as carrying a 'sense of history' given his long-standing admiration for the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner.
Switzerland players have heaped praise on Lionel Messi ahead of Saturday's World Cup quarter-final against Argentina, but said they have identified weaknesses in the defending champions and believe they can cause an upset.
Passed the milestone of 200 goals for Barcelona in November 2011 and is fast closing in on the Catalan club's record marksman Cesar Rodriguez, who scored 235.
Lionel Messi scored his 900th career goal, but Inter Miami CF were knocked out of the CONCACAF Champions Cup by Nashville SC.
Former West Bengal sports minister Aroop Biswas has been summoned by police in connection with a case related to chaos at a Lionel Messi event at Salt Lake Stadium last year. The summons follows an FIR lodged by event organiser Shatadru Dutta, accusing Biswas of black-marketing tickets, extortion, and cheating.
Kerala Sports Minister V Abdurahiman has accused the Argentina football team of deceiving the state by failing to play a match after allegedly receiving payment.
A factbox on Barcelona and Argentina forward Lionel Messi
Inter Miami's Lionel Messi did not participate in training on Wednesday due to a muscle strain in his left hamstring, with his injury leading to the postponement of what was supposed to be the reigning MLS Cup champions' preseason finale.
Lamine Yamal's working-class neighbourhood, Rocafonda, is filled with pride as the Spanish forward prepares for the World Cup final against Lionel Messi's Argentina. The story highlights Yamal's deep connection to his roots, his admiration for Messi, and how he honours his community through gestures like his "304" hand sign and wearing a Rocafonda headband.
The Wankhede crowd went in to tizzy when India's cricket God and the Argentine football captain came together on stage and exchanged pleasantries and presents.
Paris St Germain defeated Manchester City 4-2 in a thrilling Champions League encounter, with a dominant first-half performance. The match took place amidst scrutiny over City's financial breaches. Erling Haaland set a new record as the fastest player to reach 60 Champions League goals. Other notable results included Liverpool's 6-3 win over LASK, Aston Villa's 6-0 victory against Fenerbahce, and Real Madrid's dramatic 4-3 comeback against AS Roma.
When I planned my 27th birthday trip to Kerala, I had a very clear vision in mind. There would be beaches. There would be the backwaters. There would be long boat rides, cute cafs and perhaps a fancy dinner overlooking the water. What I did not anticipate was celebrating my birthday with Lionel Messi.
Ravichandran Ashwin praised Cabo Verde on X, urging fans to "Remember the name" after their spirited performances.
Argentina, having secured top spot in Group J, will face Jordan in their final group match with an eye on the knockout stage. Coach Lionel Scaloni is expected to rotate the squad, potentially resting Lionel Messi, while Jordan aims to conclude their debut World Cup campaign on a positive note despite early elimination.
Miloslav "Curby" Urbanec, a Czech music promoter, has transformed his three-storey house in Bukovka into a vibrant shrine dedicated to the Argentine national football team, featuring sky-blue and white paint, a Lionel Messi mural, and a Diego Maradona statue, all stemming from a childhood passion ignited by the 1978 World Cup.
