Lionel Messi's profound influence, marked by crucial assists and strategic play, was instrumental in Argentina's victory over England, securing their spot in a second successive World Cup final. Despite not scoring, his collective contribution and energy preservation were key to the team's success, culminating in two late assists for the equaliser and winning goal.
Argentina battled their way into the semis after edging Cape Verde and Switzerland in extra time and coming from 2-0 down to defeat Egypt 3-2.
Lionel Messi's Argentina celebrate after their come-from-behind win over England in the FIFA World Cup semi-final on Wednesday.
Lionel Messi made history by scoring in his seventh consecutive World Cup match, leading a second-string Argentina to a 3-1 victory over Jordan in their Group J clash in Dallas. Goals from Giovani Lo Celso and Lautaro Martinez also contributed to Argentina's win, setting them up for the round of 32.
Alexis MacAllister has puts Argentina ahead in the10th minute.
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.
Lionel Messi will lead defending champions Argentina at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after coach Lionel Scaloni named a 26-man squad featuring 17 players from the 2022 title-winning team.
Lionel Messi extended his record by scoring in a ninth straight FIFA World Cup match as Argentina fought back from 2-0 down to beat Egypt 3-2 and keep their title defence alive.
Swiss football fans expressed pride in their national team despite a 3-1 defeat to Argentina in the World Cup quarter-finals, marking the end of an 'exceptional campaign' that captivated the country.
England's FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign concluded with a semi-final defeat to Argentina. Star midfielder Jude Bellingham expressed gratitude to supporters for their unwavering backing and called for the unity shown during the tournament to continue. Bellingham was England's top scorer, playing a crucial role in their journey to the semi-finals.
England manager Thomas Tuchel has made three changes to his starting XI for the World Cup semi-final against Argentina, bringing Reece James and Djed Spence into the defence, while Argentina's Lionel Scaloni makes one switch, with Giuliano Simeone replacing Rodrigo De Paul.
Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni lauded his team's ability to 'suffer without losing belief' after their dramatic 3-1 extra-time victory over Switzerland in the World Cup quarter-finals, highlighting their growth in navigating challenging situations.
Breel Embolo became the first player in 20 years to be sent off at a World Cup for a second yellow card for simulation, a decision that proved a turning point in Switzerland's 3-1 extra-time defeat to Argentina in the quarter-finals.
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.
Inter Milan delivered a dominant performance against AS Roma, winning 5-2 and extending their lead in Serie A. Marcus Thuram and Lautaro Martinez were instrumental in the victory.
Egypt's players and Coach Hossam Hassan blasted FIFA and accused the governing body of blatantly 'favouring' Lionel Messi and his team.
Lionel Messi became the all-time leading scorer in men's FIFA World Cup history on Monday, netting his 17th tournament goal during Argentina's match against Austria.
Switzerland coach Murat Yakin blasted the rule behind Breel Embolo's controversial red card as "unacceptable" after Argentina's 3-1 extra-time victory ended the Swiss team's historic FIFA World Cup 2026 run.
Messi, who said he was thoroughly enjoying the ride at his sixth World Cup and giving no thought to retirement, was looking forward to locking horns with 2010 champions Spain in New Jersey on Sunday.
Lionel Messi led Argentina to a dominant 3-0 victory over Iceland in a FIFA World Cup 2026 warm-up friendly, scoring a penalty and contributing to another goal after recovering from muscle fatigue.
The arguments over who is the greatest footballer of all time will rage on until the end of days, but you would have to go back to Diego Maradona or Pele to find a player with a similar individual influence on World Cup success.
Argentina booked their place in the World Cup knockout stage on Monday as Lionel Messi recovered from an early penalty miss to score a record-breaking double in a 2-0 victory over Austria.
Inter Milan secured their 21st Serie A title after a season marked by consistency, a strong defence, and a potent strike partnership. Their victory was confirmed with a 2-0 win against Parma, leaving them comfortably ahead of their rivals.
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
Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said he is running out of words to describe Lionel Messi after the captain became the first player to score in seven consecutive FIFA World Cup matches during the 3-1 win over Jordan.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma received a signed Lionel Messi jersey and expressed his excitement on social media.
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.
Multi-champions Brazil, Argentina and Germany all won their preparatory games for the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Saturday, although by small margins, with former champion England and hopeful Portugal also securing victories.
Inter Milan rallied from two goals down to defeat Como 4-3, extending their lead in Serie A. Marcus Thuram and Denzel Dumfries each scored twice in the victory.
Argentina's national team unveiled a revamped 31-man squad on Monday, led by Lionel Messi, for the South American qualifiers against Venezuela and Ecuador for the 2026 World Cup.
The official 26-man squads for FIFA World Cup 2026.
Barcelona closed the gap on their rivals Real Madrid, moving up to 28 points and pulling two clear of third-placed Villarreal.
'It was tough, but I know that she's involved somehow tonight. Maybe she's cheering me on from up there.'
Inter edge Genoa to go top
Defending Copa America champions Argentina beat Canada 2-0 in the opening match of the tournament on Thursday.
A penalty from Kylian Mbappe in the 10th minute of stoppage time rescued Real Madrid, giving them an agonising 2-1 victory over local rivals Rayo Vallecano in LaLiga.
Images from the Copa America 2024 Group A matches between Argentina and Peru, Canada and Chile.
'Being able to finish this way here with my people is what I always dreamed of.'
Kylian Mbappe was in inspired form, scoring twice to guide Real Madrid to a comeback 4-1 win over visitors Las Palmas on Sunday.
Nine players from treble-winning Paris St Germain have been nominated for the men's Ballon d'Or this year along with the club's coach Luis Enrique as France Football announced the list of nominees on Thursday.
