Lionel Messi said he is aware that his 'retirement is approaching'.
'Being able to finish this way here with my people is what I always dreamed of.'
Messi's love for Barcelona, who he joined when he was just 13, is deep.
Should FIFA approve the 64-team format, it would be a one-off birthday bash, with the tournament expected to shrink back to 48 in 2034.
Lionel Messi has been suspended for one game after sitting out the MLS All-Star Game without prior approval, the league said on Friday.
Cristiano Ronaldo has become the first footballer to reach billionaire status, according to the latest Bloomberg Billionaires Index, which has valued the Portugal great's net worth at an estimated $1.4 billion.
'At my age, it's only logical to think I might not.'
India's live events scene is hitting a high note. With global performers adding the country to their tour maps and the government aiming to double the concert economy, hotels in key metro cities are bracing for sold-out weekends. Travel operators, too, are curating packages built entirely around concerts.
Messi's Inter Miami lead Leagues Cup quarter-final lineup as average match viewership reached 1.43 million, up 62% from 2024.
Friday's game marked Messi's return to the national side after being rested for Argentina's previous two World Cup qualifiers
Travellers are turning concerts into full-fledged weekend getaways, giving rise to the 'gigcation' -- a short, experience-led micro-holiday.
Joao Neves scored twice as Paris St Germain swept aside Lionel Messi's Inter Miami 4-0 at Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium to secure their place in the Club World Cup quarter-finals.
Born in Buenos Aires in 1936, the first Latin American leader of the Roman Catholic Church died on Monday aged 88.
Tigres nearly forced extra time when Edgar Lpez's header rattled both posts late on.
The match will take place between November 10 and 18, and is likely to be played Kochi.
Lionel Messi, arguably the most recognizable player in the Club World Cup, is steering viewership to his underdog team.
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 drew vast crowds and showed flashes of his brilliance when his Inter Miami side were held to a goalless draw by African giants Al-Ahly as the revamped Club World Cup got off to a festive start on Saturday.
Football icon Lionel Messi was in the stands at the Miami Open, watching Novak Djokovic cruise past Grigor Dimitrov in the semifinals on Saturday.
'They don't allow me to be on the field anymore.'
The Argentina captain's Kolkata schedule on December 13 will begin at 9am with a meet-and-greet event, followed by the unveiling of a 70-feet statue of him at the Lake Town Sribhumi on VIP Road.
'I've scored many goals that might have been even more beautiful and valuable -- also because of their importance -- but the header in the Champions League final against Manchester United has always been my favourite.'
Leaders Barcelona needed two goals in the last ten minutes to beat bottom club Osasuna 3-2 away, and moved 12 points clear at the top of the Primera Liga on Sunday.
Suarez appeared to be caught on camera spitting at the staffer in video that went viral on social media.
Kerala's sports minister V Abdurahiman stated that there was no doubt about Lionel Messi's planned visit.
Dhoni was seen flaunting his football skills in front of the Argentine icon, sending the internet into a frenzy.
In 2022, she launched the 'Khela Hobe Divas' with party leaders organising football matches across West Bengal to promote sports.
Lionel Messi's much-anticipated visit to India has received its final seal of approval with the Argentine superstar set to kick off his three-city tour in Kolkata on December 12.
'I had a feeling from within that this tournament (Asia Cup) would be something special, but I did not think that I would become the player-of-the-tournament.'
Lionel Messi was not included in Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni's squad for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Uruguay and Brazil
Argentine football legend Lionel Messi will return to India in October to play an exhibition match in Kerala.
'I just tried to move him out of the way, because for him to get a red card at the end of the game would have been ridiculous.'
Lionel Messi scored a stunning first-half goal to help Argentina to a 4-1 demolition of Mexico in an international friendly.
From their glory days at Barcelona to reuniting at Inter Miami, Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez have now brought their enduring partnership into a new chapter, co-founding Deportivo LSM, a club set to compete in professional Uruguayan football.
In a recent interview with El Pais, Suarez was asked whether he and Messi had talked about retirement.
After lifting his fourth Ballon d'or award, Real Madrid star striker Cristiano Ronaldo has insisted that the competition for the trophy would have been fiercer if he and Lionel Messi were in the same team. Ronaldo, who inspired Zinedine Zidane's side to the Champions League glory and Portugal to the European Championship 2016 trophy, defeated Messi and Atletico Madrid forward Antoine Griezmann to win the coveted prize.
IMAGES from the UEFA Champions League matches played on Wednesday
A statue of Lionel Messi in Argentina's capital has been broken in half, with the player's upper body, arms and head removed.
Video footage showed Messi approach the coach and grab the back of his neck, causing him to pull away from the eight-times Ballon d'Or winner after the 2-2 draw in Miami.
Argentina's star player Lionel Messi on Monday announced his retirement from international football after missing a penalty in the team's 2-4 defeat against Chile in the Copa America Centenario final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Following Messi's retirement from international football, Rediff.com lists the highs and lows from the player's Argentina career...
© 2026 Rediff.com - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances