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☆ Lionel Messi breaks a Cristiano Ronaldo record as PSG wins Ligue 1 title
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-28 | by ( Issy Ronald | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —There was another landmark in the long rivalry between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo on Saturday. As Paris Saint-Germain sealed an 11th Ligue 1 title, Messi scored his 496th goal in Europe’s top five leagues, surpassing Ronaldo’s previous record of 495 goals. Kevin Gameiro equalized for Strasbourg twenty minutes later, but PSG still coasted to the league title despite the match ended in a draw. It was a record-breaking day for PSG as well as Messi, as the club overtook Saint-Etienne’s haul of 10 Ligue 1 trophies to claim the outright record. Messi scored PSG's only goal of the night.

☆ FC Barcelona: How Xavi's defensive revolution brought La Liga title back to Catalunya
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( Matias Grez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

Such has been the Blaugrana’s dominance this season, Xavi’s side clinched the trophy with four games still remaining and his iteration will undoubtedly go down as one of the greatest defensive teams in La Liga history. With only 13 goals conceded so far this season, Xavi’s Barcelona is set to obliterate that record. “Not only for me, but for the club and for all Barcelona fans it’s very important to win La Liga,” Barça striker Robert Lewandowski told CNN Sport ahead of the match against Espanyol. I think the first round [of fixtures] was very important, we proved that we can think about winning La Liga. Barcelona fans celebrate Sunday's La Liga success -- the club's first league title since the 2018-19 season.

☆ Lionel Messi booed by some Paris Saint-Germain fans on his return from suspension
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-14 | by ( Aimee Lewis | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —Lionel Messi endured a difficult return to Paris Saint-Germain’s starting line-up as some of his own team’s fans booed the Argentine before and during PSG’s convincing victory over Ajaccio at the Parc des Princes. But some PSG fans made their feelings known during the 5-0 win on Saturday, which moved the club closer to a record 11th Ligue 1 title. It isn’t the first time Messi has been booed by some of PSG’s fans this season. In March both Messi and Neymar were booed by a significant section of PSG fans. Both teams ended the match with 10 men after Hakimi and Ajaccio’s Thomas Mangani were sent off late in the game.

CNN —He may have won almost everything there is to win in the game, but Lionel Messi says he’ll keep playing as long as he’s still enjoying his career. “As long as that’s the case, I’ll keep doing it.”Messi also accepted the Team of the Year award on behalf of Argentina on Monday, following the side’s epic World Cup victory last year. Messi lifts the World Cup trophy in December 2022. “It’s a very special moment in my career, in my life, and there’s always a time to remember that moment of that World Cup which we enjoyed a lot for a month,” Messi said. But obviously, I am grateful that people think that way.”Since the World Cup, Messi has struggled to find the form that inspired his country to victory and has seemingly fallen out with current club Paris Saint-Germain.

☆ Lionel Messi apologizes to Paris Saint-Germain and teammates following unauthorized trip to Saudi Arabia
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( Matt Foster | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Lionel Messi apologized to Paris Saint-Germain and his teammates on Friday after taking an unauthorized trip to Saudi Arabia and missing training earlier in the week. “I wanted to make this video after everything that’s been happening,” Argentina’s World Cup-winning captain said in an Instagram story. The 35-year-old’s trip to Saudi Arabia meant he missed the team’s Monday training. “We welcome visitors from all around the world to experience a unique trip to Saudi Arabia and its hospitality.”Messi himself posted a promotion for Saudi tourism on his Instagram six days ago: “Who thought Saudi has so much green? Messi’s contract with the French capital’s premier football club expires on June 30, and his trip to Saudi Arabia comes amid multiple reports that the 35-year-old won’t stay at the Parisian club.

☆ Paris Saint-Germain strongly condemns 'intolerable and insulting' chants from fans outside Neymar Jr.'s house calling for Brazilian to leave club
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Ben Morse | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Paris Saint-Germain has built a squad of star-studded players – notably Lionel Messi, Neymar Jr. and Kylian Mbappé – but amid recent discord at the Parisian club, two of that attacking triumvirate have found themselves being targeted by a section of fans. “Paris Saint-Germain most strongly condemns the intolerable and insulting actions of a small group of individuals that took place on Wednesday,” the Parisian club said in a statement after videos emerged on social media showing a group of fans gathered outside the Brazilian international’s house chanting: “Neymar, get out! Neymar, get out!”Videos on social media also showed fans gathered outside the PSG headquarters directing less than flattering chants towards World Cup winner Messi. On Wednesday, PSG suspended Messi for two weeks after the Argentinian’s unauthorized trip away from the team to conduct personal business, according to a club source. Meanwhile Messi, would go on and beat his other teammate, Mbappé, in the final as Argentina overcame France.

☆ How Messi’s Marriage With P.S.G. Fell Apart
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Tariq Panja | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The official parting won’t happen until his contract expires in a few weeks. But by Wednesday there was no doubt on the main points: Messi will never play for P.S.G. again, and both the player and the club are just fine with that. The ending will not have come as a surprise to either side. Theirs had always been a business relationship, one lacking the emotional weight of Messi’s previous tenure at Barcelona.

CNN —Paris Saint-Germain has suspended Lionel Messi for two weeks after the Argentinian’s unauthorized trip away from the team to conduct personal business, according to a club source. Messi is in Saudi Arabia, according to multiple reports. Along with undated pictures of Messi relaxing with his family, Ahmed Al Khateeb, the Minister of Tourism for Saudi Arabia, tweeted Monday: “I am happy to welcome #Messi and his family to Saudi to enjoy the magical tourist destinations and authentic experiences. “We welcome visitors from all around the world to experience a unique trip to Saudi Arabia and its hospitality.”Messi himself posted to Instagram four days ago a promotion for Saudi tourism: “Who thought Saudi has so much green? Messi’s contract with PSG expires on June 30, 2023, and his reported trip to Saudi Arabia comes amid multiple reports that the 35-year-old won’t stay at the Parisian club.

☆ Fact Check-No evidence of family link between Messi and Nazi Bohne
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-03 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

No evidence supports a rumor that Argentinian soccer star Lionel Messi is related to Gerhard Bohne, a Nazi who was extradited from Argentina in the 1960s. There is no evidence of close or distant family links to Bohne. Journalists Guillem Balagué (here) and Luca Caioli (lucacaioli.com/libros/messi/), who have both written biographies of Messi, told Reuters the rumor about Bohne is unfounded. Caioli said the Messi family is from the Italian region of Marche and that claims regarding a purported link to Bohne “do not add up.”Messi’s representative declined to provide a comment on the claim. There is no evidence of a family connection between Argentina’s Lionel Messi and Nazi Gerhard Bohne.

☆ Lionel Messi’s World Cup photos are most-liked Instagram post ever
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-21 | by ( Diksha Madhok | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: 1 min

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☆ The Other Lionel Who Unlocked Messi’s Argentina
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( Jonathan Clegg | Joshua Robinson | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

LUSAIL, Qatar—Coaching Lionel Messi seems like the easiest job in sports: Give him the ball, and get out of the way. But for nearly two decades now, a succession of men who were charged with building a winning national team around one of the game’s greatest ever players discovered it was a nearly impossible task.

☆ Lionel Messi’s Argentina jerseys are sold out worldwide
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: 1 min

☆ Argentines Celebrate First World Cup Title Win Since 1986
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-18 | by ( Kejal Vyas | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

BUENOS AIRES—From parks to packed bars to people’s homes, Argentines celebrated wildly as the national team led by Lionel Messi beat France in a penalty shootout in the World Cup, giving a much-needed lift to a country traversing a painful economic crisis. Dust filled the air as fans jumped up and down in parks outfitted with jumbotrons in the nation’s capital. Fans outfitted in the team’s blue-and-white jerseys embraced each other and cried tears of joy after a tense finish. In parks and city streets, they sprayed foam out of aerosol cans, waved the national flag and chanted, “Messi’s bringing home the World Cup,” as the last penalty hit the back of the net.

☆ Messi’s Argentina Beats France to Win the World Cup
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-18 | by ( Joshua Robinson | Jonathan Clegg | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

LUSAIL, Qatar—Over more than 15 years in professional soccer, Lionel Messi had become a champion of nearly everything. He won every major club competition available to him at least once. And he had taken soccer’s highest individual prize, the Ballon d’Or, a record seven times. Messi was so good for so long that even without a World Cup, he had a claim on being the sport’s greatest of all time. Now Messi has that World Cup, too.

☆ France and Argentina bring multiple plot lines to mouthwatering World Cup final
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( Amy Woodyatt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Standing in Messi’s way is his Paris Saint-Germain teammate Kylian Mbappé, as France seeks to win back-to-back World Cup trophies. After a shock defeat by Saudi Arabia in its opening group game, Argentina’s World Cup campaign got off to the worst possible start. When asked whether Sunday’s game will be his last at a World Cup, Messi replied: “Yes. Like Griezmann, the 36-year-old Giroud has had a renaissance in this World Cup, after failing to score a single goal in 2018. We’ll enjoy it now and get ready for the last match of this World Cup.”

☆ Soccer legend Maradona is cheering Lionel Messi from heaven, Argentina fans sing ahead of World Cup final
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-14 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

DOHA, Qatar — The blue-and-white wall of Argentina fans launched into another rendition of their World Cup anthem as fulltime approached at Lusail Stadium. The parallels between the two all-time greats of Argentine soccer, Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi, are becoming ever more striking in Qatar. There have always been echoes of Maradona in Messi — his size, his dribbling skills, his quick feet, his wand of a left foot. “Messi is playing the Maradona role in the World Cup,” Jorge Valdano, who was in Argentina’s victorious World Cup squad in 1986, said in an interview to TyC Sports channel. That was clear to see in Messi’s latest stirring performance as Argentina beat Croatia 3-0 on Tuesday to advance to the World Cup final for the sixth time.

☆ France stand firm to overpower gallant Morocco
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-14 | by ( Mark Gleeson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

"There's emotion, there's pride, there's going to be a final step, we've been together with the players for a month, it's never easy, there's happiness so far," said coach Didier Deschamps. France found themselves in an absorbing battle as Morocco showed them no deference and made many chances of their own, coming close to an equaliser. The world champions’ defence had to scramble several times, including a late goalline clearance and Morocco struck the post with a spectacular bicycle effort. France swept forward and converted their first chance through Hernandez to put their opponents on the back foot. NO FAIRYTALEWhile there was to be no fairytale continuation of their unprecedented run to the last four, Morocco exited with their heads held high.

☆ Lionel Messi confirms final will be last World Cup game ever as Argentina overpowers Croatia 3-0
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-13 | by ( Matias Grez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

JUAN MABROMATA/AFP/AFP via Getty ImagesWhen asked whether Sunday’s game will be his last at a World Cup, Messi replied: “Yes. To finish my World Cup career playing my last game in a final. Everything I’ve lived in this World Cup, what people experienced and how much the people back in Argentina are enjoying it all is very emotional. Luka Modric was unable to guide Croatia to a second consecutive World Cup final. That was Messi’s 11th World Cup goal, taking him past Gabriel Batistuta as Argentina’s all-time leading goalscorer in World Cup finals.

☆ Lionel Messi’s Last Dance Is More of a Stroll
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-09 | by ( Andrew Beaton | Jonathan Clegg | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

When Lionel Messi takes the field for Argentina’s World Cup quarterfinal against the Netherlands on Friday, it will mark the latest moment in what is likely his final run at the trophy. Except it’s actually been more of a walk.

☆ Argentina vs Netherlands: 'Aging genius' Lionel Messi looking to inspire La Celeste
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( George Ramsay | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Lionel Messi and Argentina are three games away from winning the World Cup, but against the Netherlands they will face their toughest test of the tournament so far. Friday’s quarterfinal at the Lusail Stadium is a compelling match-up, not least because of the World Cup history between the two teams. With three goals – including a superb strike against Mexico and a well-worked move against Australia – and one assist from four games, Messi is the heartbeat of this Argentina team, even in the twilight of his career. “You can see he’s happy and, for us, that’s very important.”Yet this Argentina team is more than just Messi. “It’s not about me, or the Netherlands, against Messi, it’s about the Netherlands against Argentina,” the Netherlands captain Virgil van Dijk told reporters this week, according to Reuters.

☆ Lionel Messi scores in 1000th career game as Argentina reaches World Cup quarterfinals
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-03 | by ( Ben Morse | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Lionel Messi scored in what was the 1,000th game of his storied career as Argentina beat Australia 2-1 to advance to the World Cup quarterfinals. In the second half, Julián Álvarez capitalized on some slack goalkeeping by Australia stopper Mat Ryan to score his second goal of the tournament and extend Argentina’s lead. Those fans were soon crooning even more loudly when Messi curled a beautiful, left-footed effort past Australian keeper Ryan following a slick Argentina moved. After the break, Argentina began to turn on the style, though La Albiceleste’s second goal stemmed from hard work and pressing. With Australia pushing for a second goal, Argentina had an opportunities to catch the Socceroos on the break, with Lautaro Martínez missing numerous opportunities to seal the game.

☆ Lionel Messi has penalty saved but Argentina progresses to World Cup knockout stages with win
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( Ben Morse | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Lionel Messi had a penalty saved but Argentina booked its ticket to the knockout phase of the 2022 World Cup with a 2-0 victory over Poland. The opener came after Messi, Argentina’s all-time top goalscorer, had his penalty saved by Poland goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny. Álvarez’s sublime finish midway through the second half capped off a nail-biting evening for Argentina, who will now face Australia. Poland advanced to the knockout stages by the skin of its teeth, qualifying on goal difference. While the Polish attack offered very little throughout the game, Argentina cranked up the pressure – and both Messi and left-back Marcos Acuña coming close.

☆ Lionel Messi: Fans around the world flock to watch Argentina star play at Qatar 2022
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( Ben Church | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Doha, Qatar CNN —Walk around Doha and it isn’t long before you hear people talking about Lionel Messi. “I get to see the man himself,” Belal Ahmed, who has traveled from the US to watch Messi play, told CNN Sport. The World Cup is the only trophy not yet in Messi’s cabinet, and the 35-year-old is in the last chance saloon at Qatar 2022. “I think to solidify his GOAT [Greatest Of All Time] status he needs the World Cup,” Ahmed added. Ravindran had not managed to get his hands on a ticket to watch Argentina play, but he still wanted to be in the city to support his hero.

☆ Argentina and Lionel Messi face crunch game against Poland
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-29 | by ( Ben Morse | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Argentina was stunned by Saudi Arabia in its first game, before getting its campaign back on track with a 2-0 victory over Mexico in which Messi scored the opening goal. Argentina sits second on three points, a point behind Group C leader Poland, knowing a win in its final game against the Polish will assure its progression. Ariel Schalit/APNext up Argentina takes on Poland, and Robert Lewandowski, pictured celebrating scoring his team's second goal during the Group C match between Poland and Saudi Arabia. Andrej Isakovic/AFP/Getty ImagesArgentina faces a Poland team spearheaded by its own iconic striker, Robert Lewandowski, who scored his first World Cup goal last time out against Saudi Arabia. “We are still alive.”Mexico’s hopes are much slimmer, needing to beat Saudi Arabia by at least a three-goal margin, with Poland not losing to Argentina.

☆ Canelo slams Messi over Mexico team World Cup jersey
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-28 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +1 min

The Argentina star may have gotten into trouble with the wrong person after moving the Mexican national team jersey with his foot while celebrating his team’s much-needed World Cup win against Mexico on Saturday. The Mexican boxer said on Twitter that Messi “was cleaning the floor” with the Mexican shirt. Messi was taking his right shoe off when he — apparently without intention — moved the Mexico shirt which he had exchanged with a Mexican player after Argentina’s 2-0 win. The 35-year-old Messi is trying to win his first World Cup title with Argentina. The win over Mexico kept the Argentines in position to advance to the knockout round.

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