Lionel Messi guided Argentina past a tough Uruguay side in the final half hour with two brilliant goals for a 3-0 win on Friday that keeps them top of South America's World Cup qualifiers.
Runaway Premier League leaders Manchester City beat champions Chelsea 1-0 at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday to extend their lead to 18 points and leave the London side further adrift from the Champions League qualification spots.
IMAGES from the Champions League 2nd semi-final first leg match between Barcelona and Liverpool at Nou Camp on Wednesday
Soccer's five-times World Player of the Year Lionel Messi said on Thursday he knew nothing about an alleged tax evasion scheme when he signed contracts related to image rights.
It all ended in tears as Argentina and Colombia went out in the round of 16, the latter on penalties, while Uruguay and Brazil both lost their quarter-finals on Friday, to France and Belgium respectively.
Barcelona's Lionel Messi hit his 400th career goal for the La Liga leaders.
According to Goal.com, Messi was set to return to the Catalan capital with his family at the weekend, but will now not be back until around July 12.
Neymar has distanced himself from remarks made by Brazilian great Pele claiming the Santos striker is better than Barcelona's Argentine forward Lionel Messi.
Barcelona teammates Lionel Messi and Andres Iniesta find themselves competing against each other along with four other top sporting icons, including Rafael Nadal, for the 'World Sportsman of the Year' trophy at the prestigious Laureus Awards to be announced in Abu Dhabi on Monday.
Barcelona coach Luis Enrique has decided to rest Lionel Messi, Neymar and most of his regulars for the King's Cup last 16, second leg match at Elche later on Thursday.
Barcelona forward Lionel Messi has paid an emotional tribute to Pep Guardiola, after he announced leaving the Catalans at the end of the season.
Lionel Messi came off the bench and scored twice in the second half as Barcelona, who survived two late dismissals, won 2-1 at Racing Santander on Sunday and maintained their huge lead in the Primera Liga. Racing gave the visitors little space and took the lead after the restart when Nikola Zigic scored from the penalty spot.
Lionel Messi is not interested in leaving Barcelona in the wake of his sentencing for tax fraud, according to club spokesman Josep Vives.
IMAGES from the FIFA World Cup quarter-final played between Argentina and The Netherlands on Friday.
It is a mistake to compare Argentina with Barcelona as the Spanish club have been working as a unit for a lot longer, Lionel Messi said on Thursday.
Lionel Messi is not about to leave Barcelona despite taking his time to sign a new contract with the Liga side, teammate Gerard Pique said on Thursday, saying that the Argentine "loves the club more than anybody".
Football's world governing body FIFA named Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Franck Ribery as the three nominations from a 10-player shortlist for the Ballon d'Or award on Monday.
Lionel Messi stole Cristiano Ronaldo's thunder again by plundering yet another hat-trick for Barcelona and Basel ruined Jose Mourinho's Champions League return with a shock win at Chelsea.
Argentina put behind a dismal first half to beat Algeria 4-3 in a friendly international.
Harry Kane toppled Alan Shearer's 22-year-old record for the most Premier League goals in a calendar year by scoring a double for Tottenham Hotspur against Southampton, on Tuesday, also overtaking Lionel Messi as the top scorer in Europe.
Argentina forward Lionel Messi will not play in the Olympic Games after a sporting tribunal ruled on Wednesday that his club Barcelona were not obliged to release him.
Barcelona's Lionel Messi set a Champions League scoring record when he took his tally to 14 in the competition so far this season as the holders knocked out AC Milan to reach the semi-finals on Tuesday.
"The difficult thing about him is when we are attacking, he is chilling somewhere in a corner or something," remembered Van Dijk.
Argentina won their first major title in 28 years on Saturday after Angel Di Maria's goal gave them a 1-0 win over Brazil and a record-equalling 15th Copa America, at Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Saturday.
The Spanish soccer federation (RFEF) said on Tuesday Messi had been banned for two matches, meaning he will miss Thursday's Copa del Rey last-32 tie at Cornella and Sunday's La Liga match away to Elche.
The 20-year-old Lionel Messi, three years Cristiano Ronaldo's junior, was the outstanding attacking player on show in the Champions League second leg semi-final and almost single-handedly led Barcelona's attempt to claw back Paul Scholes's early goal and take the 2006 winners through to Moscow with an away goal.
Lionel Messi has recovered fully from his thigh muscle injury and can begin work on his fitness although no date has yet been set for his return to action, the Argentine Football Association (AFA) said on Friday.
'We were aware that if we didn't win it would be more complicated.'
A brilliant World Cup for Lionel Messi would be good for Argentina's chances of victory although it is preferable to rely on the team and not one man however great, according to defender Gabriel Heinze.
PSG have set their sights on Messi, with PSG's players, coaches talking of their excitement about the prospect of bringing the Argentine to the French capital
Barcelona will ignore attempts by Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho to play mind games, according to Lionel Messi.
Barcelona forward Lionel Messi raised eyebrows when he said in passing on Monday that he did not know where he would be next year.
Lionel Messi came off the bench and scored twice on his return from injury and Cesc Fabregas also netted a double as Barcelona strolled to a 4-0 win at home to Getafe in their King's Cup last 16, first leg on Wednesday.
Argentina beat Venezuela 2-0 away in their World Cup qualifying match.
Barcelona's Lionel Messi broke free from Arsenal's shackles to score two late goals and put the Champions League holders on the brink of the quarter-finals with a clinical 2-0 victory at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday.
Lukaku, who was signed for around 80 million euros (71.2 million pounds) from Manchester United in the close season, is the club's leading goalscorer in Serie A alongside midfielder Stefano Sensi, with three goals.
Barcelona have reached agreement on new contracts with key squad members Lionel Messi, Xavi and Carles Puyol, the La Liga leaders said on Tuesday.
The 25-year-old penned a deal agreed in December, which includes a two-year extension on his previous agreement and secures his services until he is 31.
Saudi Arabia, FIFA's 51st ranked team and who have suffered 5-0 and 8-0 World Cup defeats down the years, roared back to claim an astonishing 2-1 victory that will go down as one of the greatest shocks in any sport ever.
Lionel Messi scored one goal and created another as Champions League winners Barcelona lifted their fourth European Super Cup trophy Friday with a 2-0 victory over Porto, who finished with nine men.
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