Unbeaten leaders Barcelona extended their near-perfect start but again suffered the defensive lapses that have plagued them this season when Lionel Messi netted twice in a 4-2 La Liga win at Real Mallorca on Sunday.
Barcelona coach Luis Enrique expects Lionel Messi to bounce back from a difficult summer with his usual enthusiasm -- and does not rule out a return to international football.
The transfer of the title of European Player of the Year effectively took place in the Champions League final last May when Lionel Messi eclipsed the 2008 winner Cristiano Ronaldo.
Lionel Messi scored two wonder goals as European champions Barcelona ripped apart Brazil's Santos 4-0 to win their second Club World Cup in swashbuckling style on Sunday.
Last year's winner Cristiano Ronaldo and Argentina's Lionel Messi were among the 30 players on the 2009 Ballon d'Or award shortlist released on Sunday but Italian and German players were conspicuous by their absence.
Striker Ezequiel Lavezzi scored two first half goals as Argentina, lacking four key players including Lionel Messi, beat Peru 3-1 in a World Cup qualifier at the Monumental on Friday.
Lionel Messi wasted little time in finding his stride as he struck twice to lead 10-man Barcelona to a 3-0 home win over Elche and hand new coach Luis Enrique a happy start to the La Liga season on Sunday.
Images from the Champions League matches plsyed across Europe on Wednesday.
Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka and Lionel Messi are the three finalists for the 2007 World Player of the Year award.
Lionel Messi and Neymar will take part in a new anti-doping program to trial a biological passport in football, FIFA said.
Lionel Messi can stamp his authority on international soccer when Argentina clash with arch-rivals Brazil in Saturday's World Cup qualifier, coach Diego Maradona said.
'We want to clarify that our desire has always been to apply a drop in salary because we fully understand that this is an exceptional situation and we are the first ones who have ALWAYS helped the club when asked'
World Cup winner Argentina topped the FIFA rankings on Thursday for the first time in six years.
The 'Pass the message to kick out coronavirus' campaign calls for people around the world to follow five key steps to protect their health in line with WHO's guidelines.
The clinical Argentine Messi now has 11 goals in his last five games in all competitions and with record signing Ousmane Dembele injured and Luis Suarez rested, he put on a sensational show at Camp Nou to extend Barcelona's La Liga lead.
Lionel Messi will be working "full time" to shake off the hamstring injury sustained on Sunday that will sideline him for six to eight weeks, Barcelona's Argentine World Player of the Year said on Tuesday.
Lionel Messi scored a stunning freekick and helped set up two more goals as Barcelona swept hosts Deportivo Coruna aside 4-0 to surge five points clear at the top of La Liga on Saturday.
Argentina captain and star forward Lionel Messi, who arrived in the wee hours of Wednesday, defied jet lag and fatigue to join his teammates for a full practice session under new coach Alejandro Sabella at the Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata on Wednesday.
Lionel Messi's World Cup double for Argentina in Wednesday's 3-2 victory over Nigeria suggests the four-time World Player of the Year may be ready to take his place among the all-time greats of the game.
Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola and leading scorer Lionel Messi described their 2011 La Liga crown as the toughest of titles after securing top spot with a 1-1 draw at Levante on Wednesday.
Devising a strategy to thwart Barcelona forward Lionel Messi is Chelsea coach Guus Hiddink's main concern ahead of his side's Champions League semi-final first leg at the Nou Camp on Tuesday. The Argentina international is the top scorer in this season's competition with eight goals and Chelsea's task of preventing him from adding to his tally has been complicated by the suspension of left back Ashley Cole.
Lionel Messi helped Barcelona triumph at a venue where champions Real Madrid lost two weeks ago, scoring twice at Granada in La Liga on Saturday to pass 300 goals for the club and earn the leaders a 2-1 win.
Images from the La Liga matches played across Spain on Saturday.
Seven times reigning winner Lionel Messi was not nominated for this year's Ballon d'Or for the first time since 2005 and nor was his Paris Saint-Germain team mate Neymar.
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