Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick as Argentina beat arch-rivals Brazil 4-3 in an end-to-end friendly on Saturday, dealing a blow to the Brazilians as they wrapped up their preparations for the London Olympics.
France will look to boss the midfield in a bid to limit supply to the lethal 31-year-old, who has struggled to impose himself in the tournament.
IMAGES from the UEFA Champions League matches played on Wednesday
No amount of preparation is enough to snuff out the threat of Argentina's "assassin" Lionel Messi, Panama coach Hernan Dario Gomez said ahead of Friday's Copa America clash between the teams. Messi was an unused substitute in Argentina's 2-1 win over holders Chile in their opening Group D match in Santa Clara, California on Monday after a back injury but will reappear when they face Panama in Chicago. "Leo trained normally, he will play," coach Gerardo Martino told a news conference on Thursday. Both sides have three points after Panama marked their first appearance in the world's oldest international tournament with a surprise 2-1 win over Bolivia, who face Chile in Foxborough on Friday.
Paraguay's Lucas Barrios scored in the 90th minute to give his side a dramatic 2-2 draw against Argentina in the Copa America in Santiago, on Saturday.
Factbox on Barcelona and Argentina forward Lionel Messi, who became his country's all-time top goalscorer on Tuesday when he scored his 55th international goal.
Lionel Messi's Argentina put the love of their fans to a new test in a World Cup qualifier against Paraguay on Friday after the thrill of their captain's nine goals in five games.
Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton and Barcelona forward Lionel Messi were declared joint winners of the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year Award in Berlin on Monday, with the voting tied for the first time in the awards' 20-year history. Mercedes driver Hamilton won his sixth world championship in 2019, with 11 race wins and 17 podium finishes, while Messi was crowned the world's best player for a record sixth time when he won the Ballon d'Or. American gymnast Simone Biles, who became the most decorated gymnast in world championship history when she won her 25th medal last year, won her third Sportswoman of the Year gong after winning the award in 2017 and 2019.
Barcelona's Lionel Messi is the best player ever, Bayern coach Pep Guardiola said.
This is the first time a player other than Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo has topped the list in eight years.
Lionel Messi has Ronaldinho and rough competition from his brothers to thank for a seamless move into big time soccer
Following is a factbox detailing a selection of key moments in Lionel Messi's Barcelona career.
The 35-year-old also paid tribute to Messi, who played for Real's arch-rivals Barcelona.
Lionel Messi's early goal earned Paris St Germain a 1-0 win at Olympique Lyonnais on Sunday as they opened a two-point lead at the top of Ligue 1.
Barcelona's star striker Lionel Messi has backed Atletico Madrid to seal this year's Champions League title, saying his team don't want to see Real Madrid claim the trophy.
Argentina's injured captain Lionel Messi has been named in a squad missing the suspended Javier Mascherano and Gonzalo Higuain for next month's World Cup qualifier against South America's bottom side Paraguay.
Lionel Messi, looking to score his first World Cup goal since 2006 in Brazil this month, went scoreless as Argentina cruised to a 3-0 win over Trinidad and Tobago in a World Cup warmup on Friday.
Barcelona forward Lionel Messi and goalkeeper Victor Valdes are unavailable for the King's Cup last-16 first leg at home to Osasuna on Wednesday because of flu and fever, the La Liga club said on their website (www.fcbarcelona.es).
Barcelona forward Lionel Messi is in such magical form that opposition defences would need a machine gun to stop him, said former European Footballer of the Year Hristo Stoichkov. Messi's remarkable season continued when he set Barcelona on their way to a 2-0 win at Real Madrid in Spain's Clasico on Saturday, four days after the Argentine's brilliant four-goal Champions League haul against Arsenal.
Israeli President Shimon Peres inadvertently kicked a ball straight into the midriff of startled Barcelona striker Lionel Messi as he launched a soccer event by the Spanish league champions in Tel Aviv on Sunday.
Saturday's 'Clasico' between Real Madrid and Barcelona will be more than a duel between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, the Portuguese forward said on Thursday.
Paris Saint-Germain midfielder David Beckham beat Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo to become the world's best-paid footballer, Forbes reported. Here is the list of highest paid footballers in the world.
As well as a potential title decider, Saturday's El Clasico between bitter rivals Real Madrid and Barcelona serves up the latest installment in the goal-scoring drama featuring record-setting marksmen Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
A Lionel Messi-inspired Barcelona tightened their grip on the La Liga title race with a comprehensive 4-0 win at Eibar on Sunday to open up an 11-point lead at the top. Munir El Haddadi tapped home the opener from Luis Suarez's cross before Messi doubled Barca's advantage with a brilliant individual effort just before half-time. Messi doubled his tally from the penalty spot before Suarez lashed home the fourth six minutes from time. Barca's 11th consecutive league win also stretches their record unbeaten run to 36 games. Atletico Madrid can close the gap at the top to eight points when they visit Gary Neville's Valencia later on Sunday. Real Madrid remain 12 points adrift of Barca in third despite Cristiano Ronaldo's four-goal show in a 7-1 demolition of Celta Vigo on Saturday.
Lionel Messi has sent a signed shirt to Gerd Mueller after the Argentina forward broke the former Germany striker's record for the number of goals scored in a calendar year in 2012.
Regarded as the greatest player in history, Lionel Messi has admitted he has cried many times after performing poorly for his national team, Argentina.
Lionel Messi scored twice in the second half to help Barcelona to a 2-0 win over Arsenal in their UEFA Champions League round of 16, first leg match at the Emirates Stadium in London on Tuesday.
Beat Real Madrid's unbeaten run in the 1988-89 season, and thump Rayo Vallecano 5-1
So, who in your opinion, dear readers, is your favourite to win the prestigious prize at the ceremony in Zurich on January 12? Take your pick and vote now!
Barcelona forward Lionel Messi broke a record from the 1930s on Saturday when he scored for a 17th consecutive La Liga game, a 2-0 victory at home to bottom club Deportivo La Coruna.
The World Cup lost its headline acts on Saturday as the game's two biggest stars, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, readied to leave Russia after their teams were eliminated in the round of 16. Messi's Argentina lost 4-3 to France and hours later Ronaldo's Portugal went down 2-1 to Uruguay, leaving the tournament without its two best known and most loved players.
Once again Barcelona's Lionel Messi leads the race for UEFA Player of the Year, 2012-13.
Lionel Messi notched up his 35th league goal of the season as an understrength Barcelona strolled to a crushing 6-1 home win against Getafe that put them 12 points clear at the top of La Liga on Sunday.
Barcelona forward Lionel Messi and his father Jorge testified separately in court on Friday to answer charges of tax evasion on income earned from the sale of the player's image rights.
Lionel Messi is back in the Argentina squad for next month's World Cup qualifiers against Brazil and Colombia after missing the last three due to injury in which his team have dropped seven points. Messi was named on Friday in coach Edgardo Bauza's 26-man squad and will captain Argentina away to arch-rivals Brazil in Belo Horizonte on Nov. 10 and at home against Colombia in San Juan five days later. Argentina have slipped down the South American group standings to fifth after a shock 1-0 home defeat by Paraguay and 2-2 draws with Peru and Venezuela, all without Messi.
Lionel Messi kept his date with India as he landed in the football-crazy city of Kolkata in the wee hours of Wednesday.
Lionel Messi scored yet another hat-trick and surpassed 400club goals as Barcelona came from behind to win the Catalan derby 5-1 against Espanyol.
Lionel Messi does not deserve to win the next FIFA Ballon d'Or as he has only won one minor trophy this year, his former Barcelona team mate Zlatan Ibrahimovic said on Tuesday.
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. The winner will be announced on January 13.
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