Barcelona striker Lionel Messi has returned home to Argentina but remains doubtful for World Cup qualifiers against Uruguay and Venezuela with his club confirming the 29-year-old is struggling with a sore left hamstring.
Lionel Messi's second-half goal gave Argentina a 1-0 home win over Ecuador on Thursday to get their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign off on the right foot.
Argentina and Barcelona's Lionel Messi, Uruguay and Liverpool's Luis Suarez, Brazil and Chelsea's Oscar Suarez were a few Latin American stars who lit up football stadiums across Europe over the weekend.
Betis fans bow to 'extraordinary' Messi after sublime hat-trick Lionel Messi is used to receiving adulation at the Nou Camp but on Sunday he got a rapturous reception from rival supporters for a majestic hat-trick in Barcelona's 4-1 win at Real Betis. Messi opened the scoring with an unstoppable free kick then combined with devastating effect with Luis Suarez to carve Betis open and score a second goal right before halftime. The Argentine saved his best goal for last, completing a victory which took Barca 10 points clear at the top of La Liga with a spectacular first-timed chip from the edge of the area after playing a one-two with Ivan Rakitic. Beaten Betis goalkeeper Pau Lopez looked on in awe while the home supporters, renowned for devotion to their side, rose to their feet, bowed down to Messi and chanted his name. "Even though the opposition concedes goals to Messi they can still enjoy this unbelievable era which he has created, they enjoy it too and today they recognised that," said Barca coach Ernesto Valverde. "It's significant that they gave him this ovation, it's an acknowledgement. Our rivals' supporters have to suffer him but they also appreciate him, because of the player he is. "Leo's performance was extraordinary, he got three goals but he could have got four, that shows you how good he is." Betis coach Quique Setien commended his supporters for their treatment of Messi while saying he felt honoured to work in the same era as the Argentine. "I really like the fact that our supporters showed their appreciation for a great player, today he really made us suffer," Setien said. "It's only fair and it's right to recognise this, our fans behaved in an extraordinary way and I'm very proud of them. I've seen some magnificent players do great things but no-one can match the things Messi has done over the last 12 years. "It's a privilege to have been able to start this era with him and see him in action every weekend." The five-times world player of the year moved on to 39 goals in all competitions this season with two months still left in the campaign. It was Messi's 51st career hat-trick but he could not recall receiving such applause from a rival team's fans. "I cannot remember anything like this before and I'm very grateful for the fans' reaction," Messi said. "I'm very grateful to them and happy for the victory, which was very important."
La Liga on Sunday released a statement saying Lionel Messi's Barcelona contract is still valid, days after his shock announcement that he wants to leave the club and hours after he failed to attend a pre-season medical.
Injured Lionel Messi will miss Argentina's 2018 World Cup qualifier away to Venezuela on Tuesday with a groin problem.
On Saturday evening, Lionel Messi finally got what had eluded arguably the finest footballer of his generation throughout his glorious career -- a trophy playing for his country.
Finances aside, though, there is an even bigger question mark hanging over Lionel Messi. Is he a fading force?
Barcelona star Lionel Messi saves his best against Real Madrid. He sizzled in the 'El Clasico' and threw the La Liga title race open with a hat-trick.
Messi has no current contractual link with the Catalans after his deal expired on June 30
Lionel Messi lifted Barcelona out of their recent slump with two goals in a vintage display as his side survived a tenacious Tottenham Hotspur fightback to claim a 4-2 victory in Champions League Group B on Wednesday.
'After winning the World Cup and not being able to go to Barca, it was time to go to the US league to experience football in a different way and enjoy the day-to-day.'
A Spanish court will push ahead with the process of prosecuting Argentina and Barcelona forward Lionel Messi for alleged tax evasion despite a recommendation from the public prosecutor the charges be dismissed.
Eight years is a long time in the life of an athlete. But just like Messi, Di Maria has preserved and persisted towards his childhood dream, points out Deepti Patwardhan.
The duo has constantly been compared in terms of their playing style, in addition to having represented Spanish giant club Barcelona and captained Argentina.
Paris St Germain manager Thomas Tuchel says Lionel Messi would be welcome at the club if he ever decided to leave Barcelona but he does not expect the Argentine forward to do so.
Lionel Messi's fifth-place finish in this year's Ballon d'Or vote was absurd, Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde said of the Spanish champions' Argentina forward on Tuesday.
Barcelona's star striker Lionel Messi, who completed a decade at FC Barcelona on Thursday, used social media to reach out to his fans, thanking them for their support.
Lionel Messi, 33, has been the team's spiritual leader throughout that time but the catalogue of failures in Europe has made the previously unthinkable scenario that he could leave Barca, where he has spent most his life, seem ever more plausible.
Lionel Messi scored a record eighth Champions League hat-trick as Barcelona kick-started their campaign with a 4-0 home win over PSV Eindhoven, although they had defender Samuel Umtiti sent off late in the second half on Tuesday.
Messi is idolised the world over but said he does not enjoy giving advice
Stopping the stars won't be enough to win World Cup
Lionel Messi became Barca's record appearance maker in the competition with 76 Copa matches.
Lionel Messi returned to training with his Barcelona team mates on Monday, suggesting the World Player of the Year could play a part in Wednesday's Spanish Super Cup second leg at home to Atletico Madrid.
Former Real Madrid and England manager gives a clear explanation to the Messi vs Ronaldo debate
The crowd in Tel Aviv cheered Messi throughout and it was the forward who helped Argentina draw level in the 63rd.
Lionel Messi is Argentina's centre forward, coach Sergio Batista said on Monday as he closed the Copa America door to Carlos Tevez.
Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde said captain Lionel Messi could feature against Inter Milan in the Champions League, on Tuesday, little more than two weeks after breaking his arm.
Locals and Argentinian fans started fighting during the playing of the national anthems prompting the Brazilian police to charge the visiting contingent.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi transported fans back in time to the heyday of their storied rivalry, as both forwards got on the scoresheet in an exhibition match in Riyadh on Thursday.
Lionel Messi began the second phase of recovery from the injury that has sidelined the Barcelona forward until next month with a physiotherapy session at Argentina's training complex on Monday.
Lionel Messi signed a new contract with Barcelona on Monday that will reportedly make the four-times World Player of the Year soccer's best-paid player with a net annual salary of 20 million euros ($27.4 million).
Spanish media claims that the Barca talisman was in talks to move to City, a claim that City coach Guardiola denies.
Following are the award winners who were honoured by UEFA during the Champions League draw on Thursday in Monaco.
Lionel Messi -- but who else -- led Argentina's World Cup celebrations.
Barcelona and Argentina forward Lionel Messi had nothing to do with his own tax affairs and should not be included in an investigation into an alleged fraud, his father Jorge has insisted.
Four-time world player of the year Lionel Messi would soon face trial for alleged tax evasion; a Spanish judge has ruled and might face a six year jail term if convicted.
The victory takes Barcelona up to fourth with 10 points after six games, one point behind surprise leaders Granada, Athletic Bilbao, who visit Leganes on Wednesday, and Real Madrid ahead of their game at home to Osasuna the same night.
Messi was named the top-earning footballer in the world by French newspaper L'Equipe earlier this year, claiming an estimated 8.2 million euros ($9.97 million) per month from Barca.
Former Brazilian great Ronaldinho feels that Lionel Messi has been the perfect senior to Neymar at Barcelona, exactly the role played by him when the Argentine stalwart joined the first team of the Catalan giants more than a decade ago. "I think so. When Messi came in, he was a young kid and there was so much potential in him. I thoroughly enjoyed playing with him and we did share a great rapport on the field and off it too.
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