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.
Moved by Lionel Messi's record-breaking form at the World Cup, Argentines have taken to the streets and social media to sing "Happy Birthday" to their favourite footballer who turned 39 on Wednesday.
With a dazzling hat-trick against Algeria, Lionel Messi once again defied age, expectations and logic at the World Cup, prompting coach Lionel Scaloni to call his performances "inexplicable" and admit he is simply no longer surprised by the Argentine legend's brilliance.
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.
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.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma received a signed Lionel Messi jersey and expressed his excitement on social media.
FIFA's new hydration breaks at the 2026 World Cup have sparked controversy, with coaches including Marcelo Bielsa and Gustavo Alfaro claiming they disrupt football's rhythm and serve commercial interests more than player welfare.
Monday marks 40 years since Diego Maradona's defining performance in Argentina's 2-1 win over England in the 1986 World Cup quarter-finals at Mexico City's Azteca Stadium.
Lionel Messi is dealing with muscle fatigue in his left hamstring less than three weeks before the start of the World Cup, Inter Miami said on Monday after the Argentine forward was forced off in his final club match before the tournament.
Argentina start their bid for back-to-back World Cups on Tuesday with a side full of familiar faces from Qatar 2022, facing an Algerian team buoyed by warm-up wins and featuring a 20-year-old rising star nicknamed after Diego Maradona.
Austria coach Ralf Rangnick praised Lionel Messi's exceptional scoring ability after his team's 2-0 loss to Argentina, where Messi netted twice. However, Rangnick expressed frustration over Argentina's first goal, believing a foul on Xaver Schlager was overlooked. Despite the defeat, Rangnick was largely satisfied with his team's performance and their World Cup campaign.
Lionel Messi earned a spot in the World Cup history books with a hat-trick that saw Argentina begin the defence of their title with an emphatic 3-0 victory over Algeria in their Group J opener at Kansas City Stadium, Missouri, on Tuesday.
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.
Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said the World champions will stick to the same winning formula that delivered glory at the Qatar 2022 World Cup after on Friday finding out their group opponents for next year's global tournament.
Lionel Messi has surpassed Diego Maradona as the greatest player of all time, Argentina's World Cup winning coach Lionel Scaloni said.
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.
In the last two World Cup meetings between Argentina and the Netherlands, in the group stage in 2006 and a semi-final in 2014 which the Albiceleste won on penalties, neither side was able to score a goal in normal or extra time.
Scaloni has helped get one over the Dutch Master at least once before when he was at Deportivo, who pipped Van Gaal's Barcelona to the 1999-2000 La Liga title.
Scaloni also spoke about former Argentina forward Angel Di Maria's decision to retire from international football after winning his second Copa America trophy last year.
Lionel Messi on Thursday confirmed his participation in the much-anticipated GOAT Tour of India 2025, calling it an "honour" to revisit the "passionate football nation" where he last played 14 years ago.
Lionel Messi was not included in Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni's squad for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Uruguay and Brazil
Argentine superstar Lionel Messi has sent his signed 2022 World Cup victorious jersey to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his 75th birthday.
Reigning world champions Argentina have kept top spot in the final FIFA men's world ranking of 2024 for a second consecutive year, with no changes in the top 10 of the latest list published on Thursday.
Argentina captain Lionel Messi and coach Lionel Scaloni predicted a tough but beautiful encounter with the Netherlands when the sides meet in Friday's World Cup quarter-final.
The match will take place between November 10 and 18, and is likely to be played Kochi.
Argentina host Chile at the Monumental stadium in Buenos Aires on September 5 before facing Colombia five days later in Barranquilla.
Lionel Messi stepped out of Diego Maradona's shadow by leading Argentina to World Cup victory last year and a statue of the diminutive forward will stand alongside those of his predecessor and Brazil great Pele at the South American federation's museum.
World Cup winner Argentina topped the FIFA rankings on Thursday for the first time in six years.
"We saw what happened yesterday (when Germany and Belgium were knocked out in the group stage) but this is not surprising. When you say big national teams deserve to be in the next stage, that doesn't always happen."
Messi named FIFA player of 2022, England women rewarded for Euro campaign
Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni would love to see the superstar -- who is one of only six players to compete in five World Cups -- suit up for the next World Cup.
Lionel Scaloni picked the same starting line-up from the World Cup final win over France as they looked dominant from the start
Croatia were not the favourites to reach the last four again but they came through two penalty shootouts in a repeat of their 2018 exploits.
Scenes from the champion team's homecoming...
Antonella Roccuzzo and her children stole the show during Argentina's 2022 World Cup last 16 clash against Australia on Saturday night.
Scaloni did not say what the injury was but he showered Messi with praise on a night Argentines took to the streets in huge numbers to celebrate their first international title 11 in 28 years and Messi's first victory with the national side.
Argentina and Australia have only two full days to rest, a factor Argentine manager Lionel Scaloni called 'madness'.
Brazil pulled off a last-gasp 2-1 away victory over Chile in the South American World Cup qualifiers on Thursday.
Argentina won the 2021 Copa America but despite always being one of the World Cup favourites they have not lifted football's most precious trophy in the last 36 years.
Argentina captain Lionel Messi said defending champions France and Brazil are the favourites to win the World Cup in Qatar as they have a core group of players who have played together for a long time.
