Football legends Thierry Henry, David Beckham, and Rivaldo have lauded Lionel Messi's extraordinary performance in Argentina's dramatic FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 comeback against Egypt, with Henry stating Messi is 'not human' for his ability to elevate his game when it matters most.
Lionel Messi, celebrating his 39th birthday, continues to be a dominant force in football, leading Argentina and achieving new milestones. Fans in Kolkata marked the occasion with grand tributes, including a 30-foot portrait and neighbourhood decorations, honouring the football legend.
When I planned my 27th birthday trip to Kerala, I had a very clear vision in mind. There would be beaches. There would be the backwaters. There would be long boat rides, cute cafs and perhaps a fancy dinner overlooking the water. What I did not anticipate was celebrating my birthday with Lionel Messi.
England manager Thomas Tuchel insists his players are not focusing on the historical rivalry with Argentina ahead of their World Cup semi-final, stating the occasion itself is significant enough and their preparation centres on the game at hand.
Lionel Messi's record-breaking night draws ultimate praise from former record-holder Miroslav Klose.
Cristiano Ronaldo led Portugal to a 5-0 victory over Uzbekistan at the FIFA World Cup 2026, scoring two goals. His performance was overshadowed by a viral post-match moment where he appeared to ignore a question about Lionel Messi. Ronaldo also made history by becoming the first player to score in six different World Cups and surpassed Eusebio as Portugal's all-time leading scorer in the tournament.
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.
Lionel Messi has become the most prolific scorer in World Cup history, netting two goals in Argentina's 2-0 victory over Austria. This achievement, which saw him surpass Brazilian great Marta's record of 17 goals, also secured Argentina's place in the knockout stage with a game to spare. Despite missing a penalty, Messi expressed satisfaction with the team's performance and the crucial win.
Cabo Verde, making their FIFA World Cup debut, delivered a memorable performance, reaching the Round of 32 and pushing defending champions Argentina to extra time. Despite a 3-2 defeat, their campaign was marked by resilience, drawing against European champions Spain and two-time world champions Uruguay, and highlighted by the exceptional goalkeeping of 40-year-old Vozinha.
Lionel Messi's family has confirmed that his father, Jorge Messi, 68, is receiving medical treatment for an undisclosed health issue. They stated he is recovering well and responding positively to treatment, while also expressing frustration over media speculation and requesting privacy for the family during this time. The statement follows emotional scenes involving Lionel Messi during a recent World Cup match, which he later clarified were unrelated to football but due to difficult personal days.
Former football player Zlatan Ibrahimovic has lauded Lionel Messi for breaking the all-time FIFA World Cup goal record, stating that the Argentinian ace is in a 'category of his own', surpassing even legends like Pele, Diego Maradona, and Johan Cruyff due to his numbers, longevity, and trophies.
Lionel Messi scored twice against Austria to become the FIFA Men's World Cup's all-time leading goalscorer with 18 goals as his family celebrated the historic moment from the stands.
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 is poised to further cement his legendary status as Argentina faces Austria in a crucial FIFA World Cup Group J match. Following a record-breaking hat-trick against Algeria, Messi is on the verge of equalling or surpassing several all-time World Cup records, including consecutive goals, total goals, and match victories. The football world watches as he leads Argentina against a formidable Austrian side.
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.
Lionel Messi has achieved a new World Cup milestone, becoming the first player to score in seven consecutive matches.
England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford is set to face Lionel Messi for the first time in his career during Wednesday's World Cup semi-final against Argentina, an occasion he described as carrying a 'sense of history' given his long-standing admiration for the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner.
Lionel Messi, nearing 39, has broken the World Cup all-time goal-scoring record with 18 goals, surpassing Marta and Miroslav Klose. This latest achievement adds to his illustrious career, which includes numerous club and international titles, cementing his status as one of football's greatest players.
Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni has confirmed that star player Lionel Messi will start on the bench for their final World Cup Group F match against Jordan.
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.
Cristiano Ronaldo's World Cup record fell as Lionel Messi scored a historic hat-trick and reached 16 tournament goals.
Yashasvi Jaiswal took a break from his cricketing duties to attend a FIFA World Cup 2026 match between France and Sweden in New York, immersing himself in the vibrant football atmosphere.
Football superstars Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have taken to social media to share their preparations for crucial FIFA World Cup 2026 group-stage matches. Messi, fresh off a hat-trick, is fine-tuning for Argentina's clash against Austria, while Ronaldo, after a frustrating draw, is refocusing for Portugal's game against Uzbekistan.
Lionel Messi, Erling Haaland, and Kylian Mbappe showcased their exceptional talent in recent World Cup matches, each scoring multiple goals. Despite recent dips in form or career stages, these football superstars proved their enduring prowess, with Mbappe becoming France's all-time top scorer and Messi achieving his first World Cup hat-trick.
It was a starry-starry evening in Miami and Kansas, as superstar Mohanlal, David Beckham and Mick Jagger watched the FIFA World Cup quarter-final matches from the stands on Saturday.
While Mbappe and Messi currently lead the charts, Haaland, Kane, Dembele, and Vinicius Junior are all within striking distance, setting up an intense battle for the tournament's top scorer award in the matches ahead.
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.
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.
Lionel Messi equalled the men's World Cup all-time scoring record with a hat-trick in Argentina's Group J opener against Algeria on Tuesday.
Portugal, led by Cristiano Ronaldo, were held to a surprising 1-1 draw by DR Congo in their FIFA World Cup 2026 opener. Ronaldo had a quiet game, failing to score, and was met with "Messi" chants from fans after the match, raising questions about the team's early performance.
Argentina's dark blue away jersey holds significant historical and superstitious value for the team, particularly in World Cup encounters against England. The team will wear this kit in their upcoming semi-final, hoping to replicate past successes from 1986 and 1998, where the blue jersey was worn during famous victories over England. Both coaches acknowledge the role of superstition in high-level sports, though Argentina's coach downplays the specific jersey choice. The jersey also features cultural motifs.
An emotional Lionel Messi was wiping his tears with his shirt after scoring Argentina's first goal against Algeria in the World Cup, a strike that marked the beginning of a memorable performance where he netted thrice to secure a 3-0 win.
After the US's win in the round of 32 fixture against Bosnia and Herzegovina, which involved striker Flo Balogun being shown a red card and sent off after a tackle with an opponent, former US footballer Alexi Lalas questioned why Argentina superstar Lionel Messi escaped any notice
The top 32 teams at the FIFA World Cup 2026 are now confirmed after a dramatic and exhausting group stage that came to a close on Saturday.
Cabo Verde's star goalkeeper Vozinha has expressed confidence ahead of their FIFA World Cup round of 32 clash against Argentina, vowing to make history. The debutant nation has impressed with three draws in the group stage, becoming the smallest country to reach the knockout phase. Vozinha also achieved a rare feat, becoming only the third goalkeeper over 40 to register multiple clean sheets in the tournament. Argentina's coach Lionel Scaloni has acknowledged Cabo Verde as a tough opponent.
The 70-foot statue of Lionel Messi in Kolkata, West Bengal, is set to be dismantled due to safety concerns after being found unstable in the wind.
A 70-foot statue of football legend Lionel Messi was removed from Kolkata's Lake Town area on Monday after concerns were raised about its safety.
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.
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.
The study, covering audience trends across the three host nations, found that Lionel Messi's debut for Inter Miami CF in the 2023 Leagues Cup drove a 173% leap in linear viewership compared with the tournament average.
