Both Messi and Ramos, who joined PSG in the summer of 2021, were included in the team for PSG’s last game of the season against Clermont Foot, despite suffering a 3-2 defeat.
Despite the unexpected loss, PSG remained committed to honoring the iconic duo. Following the conclusion of their final match on Saturday, the club presented Messi and Ramos with plaques as a gesture of appreciation for their contributions during their time at the club.
This display of recognition showcased the respect and gratitude PSG holds for the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner and the seasoned Spanish defender.
In photos making the rounds on the internet, seen by Sports Brief, Ramos and Messi flaunted their memorabilia given by the club in the dressing room as they said their final goodbyes to their soon-to-be ex-teammates.
While Ramos and Messi added to their trophy collection after joining PSG, the pair struggled to reach the expected target of guiding the club to European glory, per GOAL.
Where next for Ramos, Messi?
According to Mirror, Ramos, a bona fide legend at Real Madrid, has been linked with a move back to Spain, while Saudi Arabian clubs are reportedly keen to take him to the Middle East.
In a similar turn of events for the 2022 World Cup winner, Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal have circled Messi with a big money move while La Liga champions FC Barcelona are also bent on bringing him back to Camp Nou.
Messi says goodbye
In a related publication, Lionel Messi said goodbye to Paris Saint-Germain after the club confirmed that the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner will leave at the end of the season, Sports Brief reported.
In an anticlimax to his farewell game against Clermont Foot on Saturday, Messi’s final game for PSG and possibly his last outing in European football – ended in defeat.
It was not the perfect end Messi envisaged having missed a couple of chances, including a sitter after being put through on goal by Mbappe, while he was also subjected to boos by some section of PSG fans at the Parc des Princes.
After enticing offers from two teams, Lionel Messi and Karim Benzema may wind up competing in the Saudi Pro League the next year.
Messi has received a $400 million annual offer from Al-Hilal, which would make him the highest-paid athlete in the world. Al Ittihad has reportedly made Benzema a $200 million offer.
The Daily Mirror claims that Newcastle’s owners are apparently contributing funds to support Saudi Arabia’s efforts to persuade Messi and Benzema to relocate to the Middle East.
Karim Benzema with Lionel Messi
Bosses in the Middle Eastern state are hoping to tempt other superstars to join their teams after acquiring Cristiano Ronaldo after his exit from Manchester United.
The PIF, Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund and owners of Newcastle is chaired by the country’s powerful crown princeMohamed bin Salman and has provided much of the money which has been invested into the league in recent years.
Two EPL clubs enter Messi race
Meanwhile, Lionel Messi’s contract with PSG expires this summer, and two English Premier League teams have entered the fray to sign him.
Chelsea and Newcastle are interested in signing the 35-year-old superstar after he played his final game for Paris Saint-Germain on Saturday in the 3-2 defeat to Clermont.
Messi back in training with PSG after Saudi trip suspension and fine
Chelsea are hoping Messi’s previous working relationship with new manager Mauricio Pochettino will give them the edge while Newcastle who has the financial might believe Champions League qualification is good enough to lure the Argentine.
PSG lose on Messi’s farewell
Earlier, Sports Brief reported Lionel Messi’s final game for PSG ended in defeat on Saturday, while Monaco missed out on European qualification and Auxerre were relegated on the last night of the Ligue 1 season.
Messi’s expected departure from the French giants after two seasons was officially confirmed by PSG in a statement shortly before Saturday’s match against Clermont.
Yet Messi, who ends his PSG career with 32 goals in 75 appearances, was jeered by some fans during the match, which the champions lost 3-2.
In a daring move, Ronaldo departed Europe for the Middle East, signing a lucrative contract with Al-Nassr in January, following his controversial departure from Manchester United.
His transfer has generated unparalleled interest in Saudi football, with rumors suggesting that numerous European stars could follow in Ronaldo’s footsteps.
Speaking on the prospect of seeing big players switch to the Gulf state, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner – who has predicted the Saudi League to be among the best in the world in the coming years – suggested their presence in the competition will help in improving its quality.
“Life goes very well. The [Saudi] league is good. The big players are all welcome. If this happens, the league will improve,” he told SPL Chat, as quoted by Fabrizio Romano.
CR7 in an interview with Piers Morgan
Ronaldo’s former teammate, Karim Benzema has been heavily linked with a move to reigning Saudi champions, Al-Ittihad, while PSG superstar, Lionel Messi has also been tipped to join Al-Hilal, per Football Espana.
Ronaldo ends Al-Nassr exit rumours
Meanwhile, Ronaldo has discussed his Saudi future with league side, Al-Nassr, amid speculation he is unhappy in the Gulf state, Sports Brief reported.
The Portuguese veteran’s Middle East sojourn ended on a disappointing note after failing to inspire the Knights of Nahd to silverware in his first season.
Ronaldo has since been linked with a return to Europe with Saudi-backed Premier League side, Newcastle United, but the veteran does not seem to agree.
The Frenchman’s future has been the subject of much speculation over the last few days, with many claiming he will join Ronaldo in the Middle East nation.
Real Madrid’s striker, Karim Benzema
Multiple reports have emerged suggesting Benzema is set to end his 14-year stay at Real Madrid this summer in favour of a move to the Saudi top flight.
According to Katia Aviero, Cristiano Ronaldo‘s sister, the reason they avoid discussing Lionel Messi at home is because Ronaldo and Messi have been involved in a football rivalry spanning over 15 years.
Given their dominance in the sport and the countless discussions and accolades surrounding them, the family likely prefers to keep those conversations separate from their personal environment.
With a combined 12 Ballon d’Ors between them, among other achievements, the two are arguably the greatest players to ever grace a football game.
Ronaldo with sister, Katia and Messi with World Cup trophy (R)
The rivalry hit fever-pitch during their days in Spain when Ronaldo used to turn out for Real Madrid and Messi for their Classico rivals, Barcelona. The duo has always maintained great respect for each other but have admitted they pushed each other to the limits.
Ronaldo vs Messi GOAT debate
The GOAT debate has also been a divisive issue among fans for quite a long time. In the Ronaldo household, they have a silent rule of not talking about Messi when the five-time Ballon d’Or winner is home. They do this to keep Ronaldo away from all the gruesome debates and routines of the outside world.
“We don’t talk about Messi at home.Cristiano knows that behind the door, there is a whirlwind. And that when he goes through the door from the outside to the inside, he is protected. That’s where that he recharges all his batteries,” Katia said in a 2018 interview.
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo during the 2015 Ballon d’Or gala in Switzerland. Photo by Philipp Schmidli.
Ronaldo left Los Blancos for Juventus in 2018 before rejoining Manchester United in 2021. His contract at Old Trafford was ripped up and he joined Saudi Arabia giants Al-Nassr. On the other hand, Barcelona’s financial issues saw them lose Messi on a free transfer to Paris Saint-Germain in 2021.
It is undeniable that Ronaldo and Messi are incredibly talented and accomplished athletes who have achieved numerous records and accolades throughout their careers, but the question still lingers – who is the GOAT?
Offering his two pence on the discussion, Carlos, who was known for his intense love for training and dedication to his craft, tilted towards Ronaldo in the GOAT argument.
Lionel Messi showcased his skills by scoring a crucial goal as Paris Saint-Germain clinched their record-breaking 11th Ligue 1 title, despite being held to a 1-1 draw against Strasbourg on Saturday.
In the midst of his impending departure from PSG as his contract expires, Messi made an impact by breaking the deadlock with his 16th goal of the season just before the hour mark at Stade de la Meinau.
However, Strasbourg substitute Kevin Gameiro denied PSG victory with a 79th-minute equalizer, preventing Christophe Galtier’s team from securing a win. Nevertheless, the single point earned proved sufficient for PSG to successfully defend their Ligue 1 title with a match to spare.
The draw also confirmed Strasbourg’s position in the top-flight, as Frederic Antonetti’s team maintained a six-point lead over 17th-placed Nantes, who failed to secure a victory against Lille.
PSG survived a scare in the 15th minute as Habib Diallo intercepted El Chadaille Bitshiabu’s sloppy pass back towards Gianluigi Donnarumma, but Sergio Ramos reacted quickly to clear the forward’s attempt from a tight angle.
Diallo drew a smart reflex save from Donnarumma, while Matz Sels produced a fine stop at the other end to keep out Renato Sanches’ volley from a Kylian Mbappe corner.
Strasbourg continued to carry the greater attacking threat and went close again when Diallo rattled the right post with a thumping 20-yard volley.
But PSG broke through 14 minutes into the second half when Messi arrived late in the box to collect Mbappe’s square ball before neatly sweeping into the far corner.
The duo almost reversed roles for a second goal soon after as Messi crossed for Mbappe, who failed to convert from inside the six-yard box.
Yet PSG were denied victory by former player Gameiro, who capitalised to snatch a draw 11 minutes from time after Donnarumma parried Morgan Sanson’s initial attempt.
According to reports, Lionel Messi’s time at Paris Saint-Germain will come to an end this summer.
The Argentinian, whose contract with PSG expires in a month, has recently been the target of jeers from PSG supporters, and this week’s unauthorized travel to Saudi Arabia resulted in a ban from his Parisian employers.
The club’s president Nasser Al Khelaifi was already dedicated to eradicating the “bling bling” culture at the team and rebuilding around young, local talent, so the writing now seems to be on the wall for Messi at PSG.
Even though it was extremely expensive, Kylian Mbappe’s contract renewal from the previous year is considered as a component of this new approach. But Messi appears to no longer be a part of those plans.
It has been reported Messi’s father, Jorge, informed the club’s director of football a few weeks ago that his son did not want to extend his contract by another year.
The unauthorised trip to Saudi Arabia further upped the ante and it is understood he has been suspended for two weeks from training and matches.
On Wednesday, the Saudi Tourism Authority released details of Messi’s trip to Riyadh. The player and his family “indulged in a fine-dining experience” at the Al Bujairi Terrace, visited the VIA Riyadh luxury retail complex and also the 300-year-old UNESCO World Heritage Site in Diriyah.
Before heading to Diriyah, the family had been to a farm where they fed Arabian gazelles, the release said.
Amnesty International said earlier this year that Messi’s ambassador role with Saudi Arabia was part of the country’s “aggressive sportswashing programme”, with Saudi authorities “seeking to exploit the celebrity appeal of elite sport to deflect attention from the country’s appalling human rights record”.
Enrique Cerezo, the president of Atletico Madrid, wants to witness a LaLiga matchup between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo before both players hang up their boots.
Messi spent 21 years at Barcelona before departing on a free transfer to join Paris Saint-Germain in August 2021. He has been frequently linked with a return to the club.
Prior to playing for Juventus, Manchester United, and currently Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr, Ronaldo had nine trophy-filled seasons at Real Madrid.
Although there hasn’t been much discussion about Ronaldo returning to Spain’s top division, Cerezo thinks it would be in the league’s best interest if the two star attackers did.
“It would seem fantastic to me if Messi returned to the league, the same as Cristiano Ronaldo,” he said while attending the Barcelona Open tennis final on Sunday.
“Both are still playing and it would be fantastic if they returned.”
Cerezo was speaking ahead of Atletico’s 1-0 loss to Barcelona, which leaves Diego Simeone’s side 16 points adrift of the leaders and five behind second-place Real Madrid.
Yannick Carrasco played a full part for Atletico, though he may find himself at Barcelona next season as the Catalan giants have the option to sign the versatile wide player.
“Yannick is a very good player, fantastic,” Cerezo said when asked about Carrasco’s future.
“In the world of football, there are people who want to achieve many things and don’t get to, and others who don’t want anything and get it. I don’t know [what will happen next].”
PSG supporters praised Lionel Messi after he tied Cristiano Ronaldo for the most goals scored in the top five leagues in Europe. Currently, both the Portuguese and the Argentine have scored 495 goals.
Messi completed a play that he initiated by scoring his team’s third goal of the game. The goal was made possible by a fantastic assist from Kylian Mbappe.
In their Ligue 1 matchup against Lens, the top-of-the-table Parisians prevailed 3-1. Together with Messi, Mbappe and Vitinha also scored goals for the French powerhouses.
With the performance, Messi maintained his strong run of form this year. In 34 games across tournaments this season, the Argentine has now scored 20 goals and given 18 assists.
Christophe Galtier’s team, meanwhile, went nine points clear of Lens with the win. They now have 72 points on the board from 31 matches.
World Cup champions Argentina, for the first time in six years, is at the top of the FIFA World Rankings.
In the March international break, Lionel Scaloni’s team defeated Panama and Curacao in friendlies. Last year, they defeated France in an exciting final to earn their third world championship.
In both games, captain Lionel Messi reached two milestones: he scored his 800th career goal in a 2-0 victory over Panama and then registered his 100th international goal with a hat-trick in a 7-0 demolition of Curacao.
Argentina previously held the top spot in the standings in 2017, but the Albiceleste fell as far as 12th the year after a disappointing World Cup performance in Russia in 2018.
Argentina replace rivals Brazil at the summit after the Selecao suffered a surprise friendly loss to World Cup semi-finalists Morocco in March, a result which sees them drop to third.
France are second in the rankings after their Euro 2024 qualification wins over the Netherlands and the Republic of Ireland, while the rest of the top 10 remains unchanged.
According to the club’s vice president Rafael Yuste, Barcelona is in communication with Lionel Messi and would “love” for the Argentine star to make a long-awaited comeback to Camp Nou.
Messi, who joined Paris Saint-Germain after being forced to leave Barcelona in 2021 due to financial difficulties, is nearing the end of his two-year contract with the Ligue 1 powerhouse.
The World Cup winner has contributed 17 assists to his season’s total of 18 goals, but with PSG losing in the Champions League, questions have been raised about his future in the French city.
Inter Miami, controlled by David Beckham, is eager to get Messi to the MLS, but Barcelona has frequently been linked to a trade, and Yuste wouldn’t rule out a reunion on Friday.
“Of course we are in contact with Messi,” Yuste said on Friday. “Leo and his family know the affection I have for him, that we have them.
“I participated in the negotiations that did not come to fruition two years ago. I have that thorn stuck in me, and if we talk about La Masia, we talk about Leo.
“I would love for him to come back and I think the fans would too, because beautiful stories in life have to have a happy ending.
“We are in love with Messi and I think Messi is in love with Barca and the city of Barcelona.”
Any potential return for Messi may be dependent on Barca’s ability to cut their wage bill, with LaLiga president Javier Tebas claiming they must save €200million to meet the competition’s regulations for next season.
If the required savings can be made, Yuste believes a move for Messi is possible, adding: “Mateu [Alemany] and Jordi [Cruyff] have to present the viability and income plan to Tebas in two months.
“If all the conditions are given, we would explore that possibility. The president [Joan Laporta] was with Leo’s father recently and there is a good relationship.
“Of course, there is no attack plan because I do not want PSG to take it as that. If this happens, it will happen because destiny makes you go back to where you have to go back.
“If we could put all the conditions together and return Leo to Barcelona, it would be the perfect ending to a very happy story.”
Lionel Messi appears not to have plans of retiring anytime soon as anticipated by social media users.
Recently, many big names in the sports world have retired from football. In January 2023, Gareth Bale, 33, retired from professional football. On March 21, 2022, Emmanuel Adebayor, a 39-year-old Togolese retired.
Today, March 22, 2023, Mesut Ozil, 34 retired, linking his decision to injuries.
For some reason, football fanatics are expecting 35-year-old Messi to follow suit, but that may not be the case.
With all the retirement news springing up, fans of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are imagining how it would feel should any of the two athletes described as “Greatest Of All Times” retire from professional football.
I’m not ready for the days when both Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi retire 💔 pic.twitter.com/ufQRs96LrA
Sonnie Badu, a preacher and musician, has urged the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to alter its outlook and behavior.
He finds it distressing that the football organization has essentially coerced several players into early retirement throughout the years.
His opinions were expressed in an open letter to the GFA following Christian Atsu, a player for the Black Stars,’ funeral and burial.
In contrast to Lionel Messi, the PSG star and Argentina captain, who won the World Cup in Qatar at the age of 35, Atsu, sometimes referred to as the Messi of Ghana, took a step back at the age of 31.
“Dear GFA @chris_atsu has been finally laid to rest. However, let me say this .. Let this be a reform of mindset and a change of attitude…. I know our @ghana_fa_official chairman will do things differently
“I heard in recent interviews people saying that he was the Messi of Ghana… Well you guys retired him quick – whiles Messi is still playing the World Cup… Messi is 35 and Astu was 31 …
“Let us learn how to make players feel important while they are alive. We should not wait for something to happen to them before we take over their funeral expenses and all of that,” his letter read in part.
The March 17, 2023 final funeral rites of Christian Atsu attracted people from all walks of life as the forecourt of the State House buzzed with activity.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and his vice were in attendance along with a high-powered government delegation. Also in attendance was the former president John Dramani Mahama.
The Ghana Football Association (GFA) was led by its president Kurt Okraku who also led members of the association and a group of former Black Stars players.
Every year, records are broken in the Champions League, which has hosted some of the world’s best teams and players since 1992.
Dominating on Europe’s biggest stage is a sure-fire way to go down in history as the pinnacle of club football.
This article examines the competition’s all-time goal scorers to determine which star has shone the brightest.
5. Raul (71 goals)
Real Madrid and Spain legend Raul sat comfortably at the top of the scorers’ table with 71 goals when he retired.
But in recent years the Spaniard has been knocked down to fifth on the list, most recently by Frenchman and fellow Los Blancos star Karim Benzema.
Raul had a highly-decorated career, winning the Champions League three times with his hometown club and being named the illustrious competition’s top scorer twice.
4. Karim Benzema (89 goals)
Karim Benzema’s goalscoring form shows no signs of stopping
Benzema is the fourth-highest scorer in Europe’s top club football competition and another strike in the second-leg victory over Liverpool has him edging closer to the top three.
Now 35, the Frenchman scored for Lyon on his tournament debut when he was just 17 years old.
His goals have helped Real be crowned European champions five times during his time at the Bernabeu but, with three prolific marksmen ahead of him, Benzema may not retire on the podium in this contest.
3. Robert Lewandowski (91 goals)
Robert Lewandowski added five goals to his Champions League tally this season
Bayern Munich great Robert Lewandowski reached the 80-goal mark in record time after taking just 100 games — two fewer than the next man on this list.
The Pole’s 15 goals in the 2019-2020 edition saw him take the Golden Boot and lead his side to the title.
But he will not have a chance to close in on his century with Barcelona failing to reach the knockout stage this season.
2. Lionel Messi (129 goals)
Reigning Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi has continued to dazzle at Paris Saint-Germain
Argentine maestro Lionel Messi has graced the Champions League plenty of times since 2005 and is third in the all-time appearances list.
Spending the majority of his career playing for his childhood team Barca, he has racked up a century of goals and lifted the famous trophy four times.
And he has kept up his exploits at Paris Saint-Germain but has not yet been able to end the French outfit’s wait for continental success.
1. Cristiano Ronaldo (140 goals)
Cristiano Ronaldo has scored numerous important Champions League goals
The Portuguese international has netted 140 times for three clubs, with the majority coming during his time at Real.
Ronaldo has appeared in 183 games in the competition since debuting for Manchester United in 2003.
With four Champions League titles under his belt from his time at Madrid and another from the Red Devils, the striker is one of the most decorated players ever.
Ex-Juventus star Ronaldo, 38, also became the first-ever player to score in two finals for two different winning teams — bagging the opener for United in 2008 and a 120th-minute penalty for Real in 2014.
The superstar of Paris Saint-Germain assisted Argentina in winning the World Cup in Qatar, which was probably his final opportunity to win the biggest prize in international football.
Messi won the Golden Ball for the tournament’s best player after scoring seven times in as many games.
One of the greatest footballers of all time, his legacy was further cemented by victory in the Middle East. He contributed to PSG winning the Ligue 1 championship at home in 2022, scoring 17 goals and registering 24 assists in 37 appearances.
But it was an international calendar year which included 18 goals, six assists and a World Cup which put him above the competition. Recognition from FIFA means Messi has scooped the award for the second time since its inception in 2016.
And with a pair of gongs, he joins Cristiano Ronaldo and Robert Lewandowski as two-time winners. In the seven editions of the ceremony, Messi has only been out of the top 3 once and was a narrow runner-up to Robert Lewandowski 12 months ago.
In a typically humble acceptance speech, Messi said: “I’d like to express thanks to my team-mates, to Scaloni [Argentina coach] and without them I wouldn’t be here. My coach, he is part of this victory as well. I’d like to pay tribute to all of my team-mates. It was an amazing year and I achieved a dream I’ve been hoping for so long.
“Finally I achieved it. It’s a dream for any player. Very few players can achieve that and I’ve been lucky enough to do it.”
This time around, his main competition came from French duo Karim Benzema and Kylian Mbappe. Benzema won the Ballon d’Or back in October of last year thanks to his stunning performances during Real Madrid ’s run to the Champions League. Messi wasn’t even nominated for that particular award, although he appears a shoo-in for a record eighth in a matter of months.
As for Mbappe, he enjoyed a similarly historic World Cup to his PSG team-mate Messi. The 24-year-old was the top scorer in Qatar and became the first person since Sir Geoff Hurst to score a hat-trick in the final.
As the visitors sprinted to a 2-0 halftime lead, Mbappe and Messi traded assists. Messi’s tap-in gave him 700 goals in senior football for Barcelona and PSG.
The pair saved their best for last, though, as Mbappe scored PSG’s 200th goal on a memorable night for Christophe Galtier’s team by volleying in Messi’s dinked pass to join Edinson Cavani in the feat.
The outcome put PSG eight points ahead of Marseille in the Ligue 1 standings, relieving Galtier of some of the pressure that had been mounting due to their lacklustre start to 2023.
200 – Kylian Mbappé has scored 200 goals for Paris in all competitions, matching Edinson Cavani’s record. History. #OMPSGpic.twitter.com/Tnee7KVFGm
PSG suffered an early setback when a tearful Presnel Kimpembe was carried off injured, but they hit the front 25 minutes in as Messi found space to send Mbappe through on goal, with the striker applying an unerring finish.
Red Devils march on to rd of 16 – Mangers reaction
Mbappe repaid the favour four minutes later, combining with Nuno Mendes on the break before teeing Messi up for a tap-in with a pinpoint low cross.
Messi should have had a second when he somehow blazed over from just six yards out, before Marquinhos fired narrowly wide of the bottom-left corner after beating the hosts’ offside trap.
Mbappe nodded Vitinha’s cross narrowly wide of the left-hand post six minutes after the restart, but the France star had his landmark goal four minutes later.
A flowing move ended with Messi scooping a wonderful ball into the path of Mbappe, who lashed a left-footed volley beyond Pau Lopez to effectively end the contest.
Alexis Sanchez and Marseille’s Vitinha went close to pulling one back, but Gianluigi Donnarumma denied both with sharp saves to preserve PSG’s clean sheet.
The 26-player shortlist for the FIFPro Men’s Team of the Year for 2022 has been released by FIFA, and it includes Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, and Kylian Mbappe.
After a challenging second half of the season in which he was released by both Manchester United and Portugal and ultimately parted ways with the Red Devils in November, Ronaldo’s inclusion was undoubtedly the biggest surprise.
Since 2007, the Portuguese superstar has consistently made the Team of the Year alongside Lionel Messi, but he will face tough competition from attackers Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappe, Neymar, Robert Lewandowski, and reigning Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema.
Last year, Ronaldo, Haaland, Lewandowski, and Messi were the only four forwards to make the final XI.
🪄 Shortlists for the Men’s and Women’s #World11 have now been revealed.
World Cup stars Jude Bellingham and Enzo Fernandez are named in the shortlist for the first time in midfield, alongside Casemiro, Kevin de Bruyne, Gavi, Luka Modric, Pedri and Federico Valverde.
The defenders nominated are Joao Cancelo, Virgil van Dijk, Antonio Rudiger, Thiago Silva, Alphonso Davies, Josko Gvardiol, Achraf Hakimi and Theo Hernandez.
The goalkeepers in contention are Alisson Becker, Thibaut Courtois and Emiliano Martinez.
Paris Saint-Germain duo Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi join Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema in the shortlist for FIFA’s Best Mens Award 2022.
The trio of world superstars were selected from an original list of 14 entries thanks to a equally shared vote between national team coaches, captains, journalists and fans. Unlike the finalists for the Best Women’s Award, there were no surprises in the male category, with Messi, Mbappe and Benzema the standout performers between the dates of August 2021 and 18 December 2022.
Arguably the favourite to go on and win the award, Messi of course celebrated his first ever World Cup triumph on 18 December, having a huge hand in Argentina’s victory along the way. While Mbappe was on the receiving end of that defeat, his hat-trick in the final capped off an impressive individual year for club and country. His France team-mate Benzema, who was absent in Qatar through injury, celebrated a career milestone himself, winning his first Ballon d’Or in October following a stellar season with Madrid.
Mbappe is joint-sixth with Pele in the World Cup’s all-time goalscoring chart, having netted 12 times in the tournament.
Results of the final award will be published in full following the awards ceremony on 27 February.
🚨 We have our finalists for #TheBest FIFA Men's Player Award!
After Paris Saint-Germain defeated Toulouse 2-1 to move eight points clear atop the Ligue, Christophe Galtier praised Lionel Messi for yet another game-winning performance.
Renato Sanches, a midfielder, left the pitch in tears after joining the injured list that now includes Kylian Mbappe, Neymar, and Sergio Ramos on Saturday, dealing PSG an early setback at Parc des Princes.
After 20 minutes, Toulouse unexpectedly took the lead with a free-kick by Branco van den Boomen, which changed the course of the game.
Seven minutes before halftime, Achraf Hakimi equalized with a beautiful left-foot finish from 20 yards out after cutting in from the right. They responded like champions.
The mercurial Messi then received a helping hand from Hakimi, and his first-time effort from outside the box increased PSG’s lead over Marseille, who will play Nice on Sunday.
For the 16th consecutive season, Messi has scored at least 10 goals in one of the top five European leagues. This is the first time he has done it for the Parisian giants.
Galtier, the head coach of PSG, was pleased with how his team bounced back after losing Sanches and falling behind.
He said: “We had a tough start to the match with Renato’s injury early on. I decided to bring on El Chadaille [Bitshiabu] very quickly, he’s been showing for many weeks that he’s Ligue 1 level.
“We knew Toulouse’s quality from set-pieces. They are one of the most dangerous teams in Ligue 1 from set-pieces. But overall we controlled the game. We had to get back on level terms and take risks against a very compact defence.
“In that sense, Achraf, as he did against Montpellier even though the goal was ruled out, this time scored with his left foot.
“Then the second half was much better for us going forward even though we needed to be careful of the balance of the team. Marqui [Marquinhos] and Chad, who I think won the ball most today, were great centre-backs today, one young and one with experience were able to stop the Toulouse counter-attacks.
“We were able, thanks to Leo’s quality and his determination, to take the team to victory and win in a game that seemed like we should have won.”
In order to balance his Paris Saint-Germain team, Christophe Galtier rejected suggestions that he should lose Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi, or Neymar.
The Ligue 1 giants’ most recent title charge has been led by the attacking trio, who is probably the most gifted frontline in European sport.
However, the squad has only won two of its last five games in the top level since the World Cup, where Argentina captain Messi upset France forward Mbappe in the championship game.
Prior to Wednesday’s game against Montpellier, Galtier scoffed at claims that the team is overly top-heavy.
“We have three incredibly strong attacking players,” he said. “Are you saying that we have to lose one of these three players to be balanced? That would be a mistake.
“[Our level] is insufficient though, in terms of points per game. We must quickly find a higher level of play, and above all score points.
“It happens in any season, that there is a bad period. We have a busy month ahead of us. January was not good, but now we are all working to remedy it.”
Galtier further acknowledged star men Mbappe and Messi underperformed in the 1-1 draw with Reims, but he stressed the blame lies with the collective rather than the duo.
“Kylian and Leo didn’t achieve what they usually achieve on an attacking level, but it is not a question of their state of mind,” he added.
“With our organisation and our balance, we must find something else. We are working on it. Whatever the system, everyone has to give more on the pitch.”
Lionel Messi says it would have been a dream come true if Diego Maradona had been able to hand him the World Cup trophy last month.
Messi won the Golden Ball after scoring seven goals at the tournament, including two in the championship match against France. Argentina won their fourth World Cup in Qatar last year, and Messi was a major reason why.
The Albiceleste’s victory was their first in the competition since Maradona, who passed away in 2020, orchestrated a sequence of talismanic performances to bring them to victory in Mexico 1986.
During an interview in Paris with Andy Kusnetzoff, Messi said he regretted the fact Maradona – who coached him at the 2010 World Cup – was not alive to witness his crowning moment.
“I would have liked Diego to give me the cup, or at least to see all this, to see Argentina as world champions, with everything he wanted and how he loved the national team,” Messi said.
“I think from above, he – like a lot of people who love me – were strong.”
However, Messi says he has no regrets over the time it took him to lead Argentina to football’s greatest prize.
While Messi had to wait until his fifth and likely final World Cup to lift the trophy, the legendary attacker says his triumph could not have come at a better time.
“I think if I had to choose the moment, it would have been this one,” Messi said. “It’s at the end of my career, closing a cycle.
“I achieved everything with the national team as I always dreamed. I got everything in my career, individually. It was about closing my career in a unique way.
“I never imagined that all this was going to happen to me when I started, and getting to this moment was the best. I have no complaints and I can’t ask for more.
“We won the Copa America [in 2021] and the World Cup, there’s nothing left.”
As well as producing several outstanding performances, Messi made headlines for taking on a more vocal role as Argentina’s leader in Qatar.
The Paris Saint-Germain star memorably celebrated a quarter-final goal against the Netherlands in front of Louis van Gaal before describing him as “disrespectful” in a post-match interview, while he also called striker Wout Weghorst a “fool” after the same game.
Messi admits he is not proud of some of his behaviour at the tournament, adding: “I knew what Van Gaal had said but it [the celebration] happened on the spur of the moment.
“I didn’t like what I did, I didn’t like what happened after. These are moments of nervousness and everything happens very quickly.”
After helping his country win the World Cup of soccer, Lionel Messi has become a national hero in Argentina, receiving honors in the form of murals and tattoos.
Now, his visage may be seen on a cornfield that has been particularly created from above.
An algorithm was used to spread the seeds in the field at Los Condores, in the province of Córdoba’s central region, so that when the corn grew, it would produce a massive image of Messi’s beard.
“For me, Messi is unbeatable,” said Maximiliano Spinazze, the crop farmer who planted the unusual crop formation as a celebration of the team’s victory, their first World Cup since Diego Maradona led the team in 1986.
“Now, they are world champions, I am delighted this can be expressed by planting the crop.”
A farming engineer named Carlos Faricelli created the programming for the seed-sowing machinery that allowed them to plant the seeds in an exact manner to produce the final image, with some places having more seeds per square inch than others.
“I had the idea to make a code that goes in the seeders with Messi’s face as a tribute,” he said, adding he had then made the code available for any farmers “who dared to plant it.”
Using geocoding tools, the machinery knows how much seed per square meter it has to put in certain places to create the contrast for different parts of Messi’s face, Faricelli said.
“So when this corn grows and an aerial shot is taken, where the plants are closer together and the ground is less visible, a more intense green contrasts with where there are fewer plants and then this kind of agriculture art is created.”
Even though they competed against one another in the World Cup final in Qatar, Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi are both included in FIFA 23’s Team of the Year.
It was Messi’s Argentina who won the World Cup for a third time with a penalty shootout victory following a 3-3 tie after extra time, despite Mbappe’s hat-trick in the championship game.
The FIFA 23 Team of the Year, which was chosen from more than 10 million fan votes, includes both of the Paris Saint-Germain teammates.
Despite Argentina’s World Cup win, Messi is the only player from Lionel Scaloni’s team to be included, with Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema completing the front three after scoring 44 goals in 46 matches in the 2021-22 season to help Real Madrid to a LaLiga title and Champions League win.
Jude Bellingham of Borussia Dortmund and Kevin De Bruyne, who placed third in the Ballon d’Or rankings, are also in the midfield. Bellingham, who is just 19 years old, was instrumental in helping England win the World Cup.
At the back, the Madrid motif that permeates the lineup is continued with Thibaut Courtois between the posts and Eder Militao at the center of the defense.
While Theo Hernandez and Achraf Hakimi, who had outstanding World Cups with France and Morocco, respectively, fill the full-back positions, Virgil van Dijk joins Militao.
An official confirmed that a Saudi real estate tycoon who bid $2.6 million at auction got a ticket to see Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi square off in a friendly.
A select team made up of players from Ronaldo’s new team Al Nassr and their Saudi rivals Al Hilal will meet Messi’s Paris Saint-Germain on Thursday in Riyadh.
Ronaldo won’t have played any football in the kingdom since joining Al Nassr on a deal that extends through 2025 and is worth more than 200 million euros ($214 million), according to sources close to the club.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner will play his first Saudi Pro League game on Sunday for Al Nassr.
Turki al-Sheikh, a Royal Court advisor and the president of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, proposed a charity auction for an unique ticket that would come with benefits including access to the players’ locker rooms and opportunity for photos with them to promote Thursday’s friendly.
The auction ended at 11:30 p.m. (20:30 GMT) on Tuesday with bids starting at 1 million Saudi riyals ($266,000).
The winning bid of 10 million riyals ($2.6 million), made by Mushref al-Ghamdi, was subsequently revealed by Al-Sheikh on Twitter.
“Congratulations, you deserve it, and may God reward you with good,” Sheikh said.
The national charity initiative Ehsan is expected to benefit from the auction’s revenues.
Along with Messi, other PSG players expected to participate on Thursday include Kylian Mbappe of France and Achraf Hakimi, who helped Morocco become the first Arab and African team to advance past the quarterfinals of the World Cup last year in Qatar.
Salem al-Dawsari, who scored the winning goal in the Green Falcons’ shocking victory over Argentina in the World Cup group stage, is a member of the Saudi national team.
After being selected captain of the Riyadh ST XI for an exhibition game against Lionel Messi’s Paris St. Germain, officials revealed on Monday that Cristiano Ronaldo would play in Saudi Arabia for the first time since joining Al Nassr.
In the most recent installment of the storied international soccer rivalry, the 37-year-old Portuguese will captain a group of players from the Saudi clubs Al Hilal and Al Nassr against Messi’s PSG.
Salem Al-Dawsari, who scored in the shocking World Cup group-stage victory over Argentina, and Saud Abdulhamid are both included in the starting lineup for Saudi Arabia.
The eagerly awaited match, for which more than two million online tickets were reportedly requested, will occur on Thursday in Riyadh.
An auction that is scheduled to expire on Tuesday has already attracted bids of more than 10 million riyals ($2.66 million) for a VIP “Beyond Imagination” ticket to the game.
After receiving a one-match ban from the English Football Association for kicking a fan’s phone out of his hand in April, Ronaldo missed Al Nassr’s opening two domestic matches.
The Portuguese forward joined the Arab squad earlier this month with a contract that will last until 2025 and is worth, according to the media, more than €200 million.
When Al Nassr plays Al Ettifaq on Sunday, Ronaldo will make his professional debut in the Saudi Pro League.
Christophe Galtier has warned his World Cup players they need to regain their focus after Paris Saint-Germain suffered another heartbreaking Ligue 1 loss.
After losses to Lens and Rennes, who defeated PSG 1-0 on Sunday, PSG’s lead at the top of Ligue 1 has been reduced from seven to three points.
Given the superstars at his disposal, head coach Galtier will be held accountable for such domestic losses, and he is aware that both he and the team need to start performing at their peak once more.
Galtier told Prime Video: “I’m mainly disappointed with our performance. We didn’t create anything, we had very few favourable situations.
“We focused on having possession of the ball and we had far too many players who dropped back without having players high enough to secure the Rennes defensive line.”
Only one of PSG’s eight shots on goal, their fewest in a league game this year, was successful. The setback was their third in their past four league visits to Rennes, solidifying the Breton team as a bogey team for the capital heavyweights.
Galtier mentioned that Neymar and Lionel Messi struggled to find clear targets when trying to advance the ball, and that problem persisted after Hugo Etikike was replaced by the ineffective Kylian Mbappe early in the second half.
The former coach of Lille, Saint-Etienne, and Nice claimed that PSG needed to turn things around “urgently.”
“Obviously we’re going to have to find a lot more play and connection between the lines,” he said. “We knew we would have a difficult match, and we had it. The opposing goalkeeper was barely troubled. We need to find a lot more rhythm, intensity and technical relationship between one another.
“I’m not going to talk about worry, but there has to be awareness. We can find a thousand excuses, but the World Cup is over.
“Even if we have been dispersed for eight weeks, we need to find cohesion and rhythm in our game.”
The incredible ovation that Mbappé received from the whole stadium when he came on against Rennes! 🇫🇷💫#SRFCPSGpic.twitter.com/nnpY32tcS0
PSG will head to Saudi Arabia next to face a Riyadh Season Team, made up of players from Al Hilal and Al Nassr, in an exhibition game on Thursday.
Al Nassr’s new signing Cristiano Ronaldo could be involved in that game, but Galtier wants intense focus from his players when they get a chance to train on the getaway.
They do not have another Ligue 1 game until Reims visit the Parc des Princes on January 29, although there is a Coupe de France tie against minnows Pays de Cassel on January 23.
“We will have 10 days to work,” Galtier said.
Lens are their nearest challengers, but Marseille are only five points adrift of PSG.
“The championship is tight,” Galtier said. “I’m not used to looking at the standings but I’m concentrating on performance and I have work to do.”
Warren Zaire-Emery, at the age of 16 years and 313 days, became the youngest player in PSG’s history to start a Ligue 1 match. He played 72 minutes before being replaced by Carlos Soler.
Galtier will gather his players to show them video comparisons with how the team are performing now and how they played prior to the World Cup.
Mbappe was the World Cup’s top scorer, while Messi brilliantly captained Argentina to the trophy, being named player of the tournament. Such form has been mostly lacking since resuming PSG duties, but they are not the only ones culpable.
Goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, who was absent from Qatar 2022 after Italy failed to qualify, said PSG’s players are furious by their collective drop-off in performance.
“We are angry, and we have to bounce back immediately after this match, from this defeat, because we have no more time to lose,” Donnarumma said, quoted on the club’s website.
“It was an avoidable loss. They didn’t have many chances but we should have done more. We have to learn from this game. We are upset, but now we have to focus on the next game.”
The three English nominees Leah Williamson, Beth Mead, and Keira Walsh are joined by Lionel Messi, the captain of Argentina’s World Cup-winning team, as nominees for the 2022 Fifa Best Awards.
Jude Bellingham, an English midfielder for Borussia Dortmund, and Karim Benzema and Luka Modric, both players for Real Madrid, are also on the men’s shortlist.
The nominees for the women’s prize include Alexia Putellas, who won last year, Sam Kerr, and Jessie Fleming of Chelsea.
For best coach, Sarina Wiegman, Emma Hayes, and Pep Guardiola are contenders.
Sarina Wiegman, Emma Hayes and Pep Guardiola are up for best coach.
Arsenal forward Mead’s nomination comes in a year in which she was named player of the tournament at Euro 2022, shortlisted for the Ballon d’Or and won BBC Sport’s Personality of the Year.
Lionesses manager Wiegman, who led the team to their first major tournament trophy at Euro 2022, is joined on the women’s coach list by Canada’s English-born manager Beverly Priestman, as well as Chelsea’s Hayes.
The Chelsea coach, who won the Fifa Best award last year, became the first manager to guide a side to three consecutive WSL titles in May.
Real Madrid’s Carlo Ancelotti, France’s Didier Deschamps and Argentina’s World Cup-winning manager Lionel Scaloni are nominated for best men’s coach.
Morocco’s Walid Regragui also features on the shortlist after his side became the first African nation to reach a World Cup semi-final.
Manchester City’s Erling Haaland, Kevin de Bruyne and Julian Alvarez are all nominated for best men’s player, as is Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah.
Liverpool’s Alisson Becker, Manchester City’s Ederson and Aston Villa and Argentina’s Emiliano Martinez are up for the best men’s goalkeeper award.
England and Manchester United number one Mary Earps is on the women’s shortlist, alongside Chelsea’s Ann-Katrin Berger.
Alessia Russo’s backheeled finish in England’s Euro 2022 semi-final win over Sweden is among the contenders for the Fifa Puskas Award for the year’s best goal.
She will face competition from Kylian Mbappe’s stunning volley for France, which took the World Cup final to extra time.
Voting closes on 3 February, with the three finalists in each category to be announced later that month.
Best Women’s Player
Aitana Bonmati (Spain/Barcelona)
Debinha (Brazil/North Carolina Courage)
Jessie Fleming (Canada/Chelsea)
Ada Hegerberg (Norway/Lyon)
Sam Kerr (Australia/Chelsea)
Beth Mead (England/Arsenal)
Vivianne Miedema (Netherlands/Arsenal)
Alex Morgan (USA/Orlando Pride/San Diego Wave)
Lena Oberdorf (Germany/Wolfsburg)
Alexandra Popp (Germany/Wolfsburg)
Alexia Putellas (Spain/Barcelona)
Wendie Renard (France/Lyon)
Keira Walsh (England/Manchester City/Barcelona)
Leah Williamson (England/Arsenal)
Best Men’s Player
Julian Alvarez (Argentina/Club Atletico River Plate/Manchester City)
The World Cup-winning year of 2022, according to Lionel Messi, is one he “will never be able to forget.”
The Argentina captain, who received an extension of vacation following his heroics for Qatar 2022, is scheduled to return to Paris Saint-Germain at the beginning of the upcoming week.
Messi won the Golden Ball award for his seven goals and three assists during Argentina’s run to victory, and at age 35, he finally got to lift the World Cup trophy, which was the pinnacle of his career.
As the year came to an end, Messi marked it with a series of Instagram posts featuring his young family, wife Antonela, and himself.
He wrote: “A year ends that I will never be able to forget. The dream that I always pursued finally came true.
“But that wouldn’t be worth anything either if it weren’t for the fact that I get to share it with a wonderful family, the best one can have, and some friends who always support me and didn’t let me stay on the floor every time I fell.”
Messi’s magical moment will not have been met with great reverence in Paris, given it was France that Argentina beat on penalties in the final after a remarkable 3-3 draw.
Addressing supporters, Messi made a point of thanking those from Barcelona as well as Paris.
He scored a staggering 672 goals during a Barcelona career that ended with a shock move to PSG in August 2021.
“I also want to have a very special memory for all the people who follow me and support me,” Messi wrote. “It is incredible to be able to share this path with all of you.
“It would be impossible to get to where I got without so much encouragement that I received from all the people of my country as well as from Paris, Barcelona and many other cities and countries from which I have been receiving affection.
“I hope that this year has also been wonderful for everyone and I wish you all the health and strength to continue being happy in 2023.”
Messi has reportedly agreed in principle to extend his PSG contract, which expires at the end of this season, and putting the finishing touches to a deal will be a priority for the Ligue 1 club in the coming days and weeks.
He will miss Sunday’s game against Lens, who sit second in the French top flight, seven points behind PSG after 16 rounds of games.
Social media users have been left aghast after a picture of Argentina celebrating their World Cup victory emerged on Twitter.
A first glance at the image does not portray what it actually is. For some, it is an art work and for others, something they just can’t decipher.
It is actually an image of Argentines – a mammoth crowd of Argentines.
It is unknown the number of people gathered in Buenos Aires, but it could be close to a million or half a million. They gathered to welcome they heroes.
The Prince of Wales, Prince William and Princess of Wales, Catherine Elizabeth Middleton have congratulated Lionel Messi and Argentina for emerging winners of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
In a tweet on Monday, the royals wrote: “What. A. Final. Congratulations to Argentina and to Messi.”
However, they left a question many have asked since the end of the World Cup. Is Messi the Greatest Of All Time (G.O.A.T)?
Messi has had to share that rank with Cristiano Ronaldo, but after acquiring a World Cup victory, something Ronaldo has not been able to achieve, many believe the tag G.O.A.T best fits Messi and no one else.
What. A. Final. Congratulations to Argentina and to Messi. 🐐?!
Commiserations to France – both teams played brilliantly. W
— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) December 18, 2022
Meanwhile, the British royals have condoled with France after failing to defend their title.
“Commiserations to France – both teams played brilliantly,” they tweeted.
Since the tournament, Kylian Mbappe has been praised for his phenomenal performance. He scored a hat trick and won the golden boot for scoring 8 goals at the World Cup.
🔹 WC winner at 19
🔹 WC Golden Boot winner at 23
🔹 First hat-trick in a WC final in 56 years
🔹 No player has scored more goals in WC finals
🔹 First man to score 7+ goals at a single WC since Ronaldo in 2002
Kylian Mbappe has promised France would return to the largest stage after his World Cup final hat-trick failed to prevent Lionel Messi and Argentina from winning the tournament in Qatar.
Following a back-and-forth 3-3 draw at Lusail Stadium, Mbappe’s incredible treble—only the second to be achieved in a men’s World Cup final—ensured that France would have to go to a penalty shootout.
Kingsley Coman and Aurelien Tchouameni’s failure to score gave the Albiceleste a third championship, preventing him from winning a second World Cup. He then converted the first penalty in the shootout.
Mbappe, who turns 24 on Tuesday, was defiant in his first social media post after Les Bleus’ defeat on Monday, writing on Instagram: “We will return”.
Three-time World Cup winner Pele was among those to respond to Mbappe’s post, simply writing: “Merci”.
The Paris Saint-Germain attacker is one of only five players to score in both of the tournament’s championship matches, including Vava, Pele, Paul Breitner, and Zinedine Zidane. His total of four goals in World Cup finals is unmatched by any other player.
In an interview with Sky Sports on Monday, former France forward Louis Saha praised Mbappe’s performance and said it was exceptional for a player his age.
“It was stratospheric, it’s an unbelievable achievement for a young guy like him to do that on that stage,” Saha said.
“Everyone was looking for him, even Argentina were looking to defend him and doing everything to stop him. It was not possible.
“On the big stage, with all the pressure on his shoulders, he managed to do this.
“It’s sad for him because for such a young age, he would have written a unique story. Nobody has done something like this.
“With all respect to other players, legends of the game, this guy’s performance to maintain France’s dream… the quality of his attitude through the tournament, it was absolutely breathtaking.”
When Sergio Aguero donned a game shirt to join in with Argentina’s World Cup celebrations, John Terry, a former Premier League foe, teased him.
When doctors revealed that former striker Aguero had a heart condition, he decided to retire in December 2021, not long after moving from Manchester City to Barcelona.
After Sunday’s thrilling final against France, Aguero was out on the field with Lionel Messi and many other ex-teammates, in the middle of the partying players. Aguero scored 41 goals for his country before having to hang up his boots.
As the celebrations intensified, Aguero joined the players in the locker area and drank champagne.
Muy emocionado, chicos, por vivir este momento que ustedes hicieron posible junto a millones de argentinos. Pase lo que pase, ojalá que todo lo mejor, ya están en la historia y el corazón de todos. Vamos Argentina carajo! 🇦🇷❤️ pic.twitter.com/2zGXqigDsX
The former Chelsea and England captain Terry, who is well-versed in turning out in full gear despite not participating in a game, was alerted by the sight of him wearing a shirt but mismatched shorts, socks, and white trainers.
Following Chelsea’s victory over Bayern Munich on penalties in the 2012 Champions League final, Terry became infamous for donning his Chelsea jersey to participate in the trophy-lifting celebrations.
Due to his standing and contributions during the season, the captain had a right to participate in the presentation of the awards despite missing that game due to a suspension. Terry promptly showed up in full match gear.
Pele, a legend of Brazil, has congratulated Argentina on their stunning World Cup victory and said Lionel Messi’s success was what “his trajectory deserved.”
Pele, who has recently been hospitalized, has been paying attention to the happenings at Qatar 2022 and stated that the late Diego Maradona would have enjoyed Argentina’s trophy victory.
The significant milestone for 35-year-old Messi means he now matches compatriot Maradona, who was the inspiration behind Argentina’s success in Mexico 86, by winning his first World Cup. In November 2020, at the age of 60, Maradona passed away.
“Congratulations Argentina! Certainly Diego is smiling now,” Pele wrote on Instagram.
Pele, 82, expressed sadness for Kylian Mbappe, who lost after scoring two penalties and a spectacular volley to clinch just the second hat-trick in a men’s World Cup final, following Geoff Hurst’s hat-trick for England against West Germany in 1966.
Following a Sunday 3-3 tie, Argentina won the trophy after a 4-2 victory in the penalties shootout, thanks to misses from Kingsley Coman and Aurelien Tchouameni.
Before he and Mbappe, a teammate from Paris Saint-Germain, both scored a penalty to start the shootout, Messi scored twice in a memorable game.
Messi was awarded the Golden Ball for the second time as the tournament’s best player, and Mbappe took home the Golden Boot for leading scorer with eight goals.
Three-time World Cup winner Pele hailed Mbappe’s feat of hitting the back of the net four times, including the shoot-out, and he also offered praise to Morocco, who finished fourth after becoming Africa’s first World Cup semi-finalists.
“Today, football continues to tell its story, as always, in an enthralling way,” Pele said. “Messi winning his first World Cup, as his trajectory deserved.
“My dear friend, Mbappe, scoring four goals in a final. What a gift it was to watch this spectacle to the future of our sport.
“And I couldn’t fail to congratulate Morocco for the incredible campaign. It’s great to see Africa shine.”
Lionel Messi has led Argentina to World Cup glory after beating France on penalties on Sunday.
This proved to be one of the most thrilling climaxes in final history.
Argentina won 4-2 in the shootout after a spectacular game which developed into the much-anticipated confrontation between the 35-year-old maestro Messi and his France opposite number Kylian Mbappe, who scored a hat-trick – the first in a World Cup final since 1966 – but still ended up on the losing side.
Messi looked to be securing the one major honour missing from his glittering collection in comfort as Argentina cruised into a two-goal lead, only for an explosive intervention from Mbappe turned a spectacular encounter on its head with two goals inside a minute late on.
Messi had given Argentina lead from the penalty spot in the 23rd minute following Ousmane Dembele’s foul on Angel Di Maria. It made him the first player in World Cup history to score in the group stage, last 16, quarter-final, semi-final and final of a single tournament.
He then contributed a delicate touch within a magnificent counter-attack that ended with Brighton’s Alexis Mac Allister setting up Di Maria for the second 13 minutes later.
Argentina were untroubled until the closing stages, only for Mbappe to give France a lifeline from the penalty spot with nine minutes left – then restore equality with a magnificent volley moments later.
Messi bundled Argentina back in front in extra time, but Mbappe completed his treble from the spot two minutes from the end of a frantic, chaotic added spell.
And so it went to penalties, with the two greats opening the scoring. But Argentina and Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez saved from Kingsley Coman, before Aurelian Tchouameni missed, leaving Gonzalo Montiel to win the World Cup.
Messi, a World Cup winner at last, collapsed to his knees in the centre circle and was engulfled by jubilant Argentina team-mates.
Even though Lionel Messi may be the star of the show, Julian Alvarez could be crucial for Argentina as they aim to win the World Cup.
Although Lionel Scaloni did not start the match with the Manchester City striker, his performances have made him an irreplaceable member of La Albiceleste.
In the final on Sunday, where Argentina will try to defeat France and win their third championship, his danger in the last third will be crucial.
In advance of the World Cup match, we examine the factors that have led to the 22-year-old becoming his country’s starting No. 9.
Too good to ignore
Lautaro Martinez began the World Cup as Argentina’s first-choice centre forward.
The Inter Milan marksman has developed a fine relationship with Messi over the last few years and it made sense that he would continue playing that role in Qatar.
But sub-par performances against Saudi Arabia and Mexico saw Scaloni drop the 25-year-old in favour of Alvarez, who was impressing too much off the bench to be ignored.
The decision has paid off — the Calchin native has scored four goals in the 364 minutes he has played in Qatar.
Only the peerless Messi, with five strikes and three assists to his name, has contributed more to the cause.
Putting Croatia to the sword
Argentina forward Julian Alvarez has been on form at the World Cup
Hard-running and intelligent, Alvarez is the perfect foil for Messi in the final third but he exploded in his own right during Argentina’s dominant 3-0 semi-final victory over Croatia.
The striker won the penalty that Messi converted in the 34th minute to give La Albiceleste the lead and then scored twice himself to put the result beyond doubt.
Given his previous goals at this World Cup came in must-win games against Poland and Australia, it is safe to say that the former River Plate prodigy has a taste for the big occasion.
Alvarez has certainly not looked out of place since forcing himself into the side despite having never previously started for La Albiceleste at a major tournament.
Praised by Messi
Argentina forward Julian Alvarez often attacks the left side of the box
Considered the greatest footballer of all time by many, Paris Saint-Germain talisman Messi has exacting standards and needs his colleagues to meet them.
That is what makes the 35-year-old’s comments when asked who aside from him deserved to be named Player of the Match after Argentina’s victory over Croatia so impressive.
He said: “Every player did very well but if I have to choose, I would give this award to Julian. He had an extraordinary game”.
A boost for Manchester City
Alvarez’s excellent form could be a real boon to Manchester City as well as Argentina.
The Citizens are five points shy of current league leaders Arsenal ahead of the resumption of club football following the break for the World Cup — and a strikeforce of the Argentine and the on-fire Erling Haaland would strike fear into the hearts of many a Premier League defence.
The Argentine has impressed in his early form for City following his summer move from River but he only has 357 minutes of Premier League football to his name, scoring three goals.
Playing a key role in an Argentina side that could lift their first World Cup since the days of Diego Maradona could see him figure more prominently under Pep Guardiola.
World Cup final role
Argentina forward Julian Alvarez has scored four goals at the World Cup
Some of the greatest players in history have never played in a World Cup final — but Alvarez will do it at 22.
And he will play a key role, too. The centre forward’s selfless, hard-running style is the perfect counterbalance to Messi’s more relaxed approach.
But that does not mean that the City star sacrifices individual contribution in the final third — only Messi and Kylian Mbappe have outscored him in Qatar.
Nobody has been more accurate with their shooting than the youngster, who has hit the target with seven of his 10 shots (70%).
If a chance falls Alvarez’s way at Lusail Stadium on Sunday, he will be ready and waiting.
Despite having a record seven Ballon d’Or medals, which are given to the world’s finest player, Messi, 35, has never taken home the biggest team trophy in sports.
“People say France are favourites, but we have the advantage of having the greatest player of all time,” said Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez.
“We always like to hear the opponent is the favourite because we don’t feel superior or inferior to anyone.
“But, as I always say, we have the greatest player of all time. And with a good defence, we have many chances to reach our goal.”
France manager Didier Deschamps captained his country to World Cup victory in 1998 and then, as boss, guided them to another success in Russia four years ago.
He said: “I know Argentina, many people around the world, and maybe some French people, hope Lionel Messi could win the World Cup, but we’re going to do everything to achieve our objective.”
Can Messi help Argentina win World Cup for first time since 1986?
The final sees the tournament’s top two goalscorers go head-to-head in the race to win the Golden Boot. Both Messi and Mbappe have scored five times in Qatar, while France’s Olivier Giroud and Argentina’s Julian Alvarez are one goal behind on four.
Messi assisted Argentina in reaching the 2014 World Cup final in Brazil, but the Europeans ultimately prevailed 1-0 in extra time thanks to a goal from Germany’s Mario Gotze.
However, the star for Paris St. Germain has been the inspiration behind Argentina’s effort in Qatar.
He scored in the crucial 2-0 victory over Mexico after converting an early penalty in their opening match, which saw his nation suffer a shocking 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia. Argentina won Group C after defeating Poland 2-0. Messi also scored in Argentina’s 2-1 victory over Australia in the round of 16.
Argentina appeared to be in control of their quarterfinal match against the Netherlands after taking a 2-0 lead after 82 minutes, but Wout Weghorst scored twice for the Dutch, including an equalizer in the 11th minute of injury time to force extra time.
It eventually went to penalties but Martinez saved two spot-kicks as Argentina advanced, before a goal from Messi and two from Manchester City’s Alvarez gave them a routine 3-0 win over Croatia in the semi-finals.
Argentina have won the tournament twice, on home soil in 1978 and in Mexico in 1986, and are looking for their third success on Sunday.
“I’m already getting emotional because they’ve given everything sincerely,” said manager Lionel Scaloni. “Let’s hope we win the title and if it can’t be, they should be proud, because it’s a moment to enjoy.”
Sickness bug hampers France’s preparations
Mbappe, 23, is chasing his second World Cup success and has been instrumental in guiding France to the final. He scored once in their 4-1 win over Australia and twice in the 2-1 victory over Denmark as France reached the last 16 with a game to spare.
That enabled Deschamps to rest players and, despite losing 1-0 to Tunisia, they won Group D, with Mbappe on target twice more in the 3-1 last-16 triumph over Poland.
In the quarter-finals they faced Gareth Southgate’s England and took the lead through Aurelien Tchouameni, but Harry Kane equalised with a penalty. Olivier Giroud put France ahead and they won it 2-1 after Kane missed a second spot-kick.
France beat the tournament’s surprise packages Morocco 2-0 in the semi-final to reach their fourth World Cup final in seven tournaments, having won the competition in 1998 and 2018 and losing in the final in 2006.
But their preparations have been hampered with a sickness bug.
Midfielder Adrien Rabiot, defender Dayot Upamecano and winger Kingsley Coman have been among those struggling with illness.
“We’ve had a few cases of flu-like symptoms,” said Deschamps. “We’re trying to be careful so it doesn’t spread and players have made great efforts out on the pitch and obviously their immune systems suffer.
“We’re taking all necessary precautions, trying to make sure it doesn’t spread but we have had to take precautions against it.”
Match facts
They have met three times before at the World Cup. Argentina won both group matches in 1930 and 1978, but France were victorious in their only knockout encounter, winning 4-3 in the last 16 in 2018.
Argentina are competing in their sixth World Cup final, with only Germany (eight) participating in more. They won in 1978 and 1986 and lost in 1930, 1990 and 2014.
They could become the second side in World Cup history to lose their opening game and go on to lift the trophy, emulating Spain in 2010.
Messi can become the third Argentine player to win the Golden Boot at the World Cup after Guillermo Stabile in 1930 and Mario Kempes in 1978.
France have reached the World Cup final for a fourth time, all since 1998. This is twice as many as any other nation in this period.
Les Bleus are looking to become only the third nation to win back-to-back World Cups, after Italy (1934-38) and Brazil (1958-62).
Didier Deschamps, the head coach of France, is unfazed by the possibility that Les Bleus may interfere with Lionel Messi’s attempt to win the World Cup on Sunday.
Messi has already declared that the championship match at Lusail Stadium will be his final appearance at a World Cup.
In that sense, it is his final chance to win the single major award he has yet to take home, potentially solidifying his title as “best of all time.”
For many, Messi must win the World Cup in order for his legacy to surpass that of Diego Maradona, the legendary player for the Albiceleste.
As such, there is undoubtedly huge anticipation surrounding Argentina’s prospects in the final, but Deschamps – whose France side are bidding to become the first European side to retain the World Cup since 1938 – is not worried about the likelihood of it feeling like it is France against the world.
Asked if he got the feeling France were “alone” in that respect, Deschamps said: “I often get that feeling, but I’m fine being alone, that doesn’t bother me. These uncertainties always arise.
“We are here, we’ve done all we can to be well-prepared for the game against Argentina.
“Lionel Scaloni has also had some challenges; they lost their first match to Saudi Arabia, of course, but they are still here.
“And like us, we haven’t had to face everyone in this tournament, but in the games we’ve played, we’ve managed to come out as victors.
“I don’t have any particular worries or stresses for [the final]. I think when you prepare for a game like this, you need to keep your focus, remain composed, and with a World Cup final in particular you have the match but also the context around it.
According to Argentina teammate Cristian Romero, Lionel Messi is the living example of the saying you can’t keep a good man down as he advances to yet another World Cup final.
On Sunday, another opportunity to win football’s top trophy awaits, eight years after Lionel Messi and Argentina were devastated by Germany’s victory at the Maracana in Rio de Janeiro.
On Tuesday, Messi’s penalty and a double by Julian Alvarez helped the Albiceleste defeat Croatia 3-0 in the semifinal match.
Argentina will look to the captain for motivation in the final against Franceor Morocco. Messi was superb as usual, setting up Alvarez’s second goal by dancing past Josko Gvardiol.
At the age of 35, the Paris Saint-Germain forward could be about to experience his career’s crowning glory.
Defender Romero said: “Leo’s of course a wonderful player, but more than that he’s a reference and he’s somebody who is a personality, who is always going for more.
“He’s been hit so many times and every time he gets back up again and goes for more and he has the strength to do that. He won a Copa America, he’s a benchmark like others, [Angel] Di María, Kun [Sergio Aguero], who is no longer here.”
Messi has now appeared in as many World Cups as Lothar Matthaus, who previously held the record with 25 appearances.
With 11 goals, he now holds Gabriel Batistuta’s World Cup scoring record for Argentina.
Argentina, which is attempting to win its first World Cup since 1986 when the similarly charismatic Diego Maradona was in charge, benefits greatly from having the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner among its ranks.
Romero added: “You put your life into this, to bring the trophy home. We’re here to deliver. It was shown once again that we are lions. No matter what happens on Sunday, we are going to give all we’ve got to bring the cup home.”
Lionel Messi, the captain of Argentina, announced that Sunday’s championship game against either France or Morocco will be his final World Cup appearance as he looks to go out in a flourish.
With a goal and an assist, the 35-year-old was instrumental in Argentina’s 3-0 semifinal victory over Croatia.
Seven-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi had previously stated that this will be his final World Cup, a statement he reaffirmed following Tuesday’s victory.
“I am proud to be able to finish my World Cup journey playing this final,” Messi told reporters. “What I’m experiencing is exciting. Sunday will be my last game in a World Cup.
“It will be many years before the next one [2026] and I don’t think I’ll be able to make it, so I hope I can finish in the best way.”
With his 11th goal against Croatia, Messi surpassed Gabriel Batistuta to become his nation’s all-time best scorer at World Cups.
In addition, Messi scored his 16th goal for Argentina in 2022, giving him the most international goals in a single year of his career.
“I’m enjoying it all very much,” Messi said about the 2022 World Cup. “I feel good. I feel strong to face every game. We have been making a big sacrifice.
“The last game we played was with extra time. That was not easy at all. We were tired, but the group got strength. We played a very important game. We knew it was going to be the match it was.
“I’m very happy. Throughout this World Cup I’ve been having a lot of fun and, luckily, I was able to help the group to get things done.”
Messi will be gunning for the ultimate crowning glory with his maiden World Cup title on Sunday, having played in 2014 when La Albiceleste were runners-up.
Argentina are into their sixth World Cup final, with only Germany (eight) having reached more in the competition.
The competition to score the most goals during the World Cup is definitely in full swing.
The eight teams who are still in the running will be aiming to win the renowned Jules Rimet trophy, but individuals can make history by taking home the Golden Boot.
We examine the contenders for Qatar 2022’s most effective shooter ahead of the quarterfinals, with one star out in front and a sizable group of others trailing behind.
Kylian Mbappe (France) — Five goals, two assists
Kylian Mbappe, a sensation in France, is unquestionably in the lead heading into the final eight after scoring five goals in his first four games.
The Paris Saint-Germain attacker has been in incredible form, scoring the opening goal for Les Blues against Australia before registering a spectacular match-winning double to defeat Denmark in the group stage.
In their round of 16 match against Poland, the 23-year-old struck again, scoring their opening goal before skillfully curling in his fifth of the year late in the game.
Lionel Messi (Argentina) — Three goals, one assist
Lionel Messi has spearheaded Argentina’s charge to win a first World Cup since 1986
Lionel Messi’s hopes of finally delivering a World Cup triumph are still alive and no Argentina player has done more than the diminutive magician to help them get to this stage.
The 35-year-old got off the mark from the spot only 10 minutes into his first game at the 2022 showpiece, though that match ultimately ended in a shock 2-1 defeat to Saudi Arabia.
With La Albiceleste facing a disastrous early exit, Messi struck home a crucial effort from distance against Mexico on their way to a 2-0 win.
Having reached the last 16 by beating Poland by the same scoreline, their talisman came to the fore yet again as his delightful finish broke the deadlock in a 2-1 victory over a resolute Australia side.
Goncalo Ramos (Portugal) — Three goals, one assist
Goncalo Ramos netted a superb hat-trick for Portugal in his first World Cup start
Not many expected 21-year-old striker Goncalo Ramos to feature in Portugal’s last-16 clash with Switzerland, but he grasped his opportunity in blistering style.
An extraordinary performance saw the youngster beat Yann Sommer at his near post with a vicious strike after 17 minutes before two further finishes made him the first hat-trick scorer of Qatar 2022.
Having also provided the assist for Raphael Guerreiro, Ramos now finds himself second alongside Messi in the scoring charts.
Marcus Rashford (England) — Three goals
Marcus Rashford scored an exceptional free-kick for England against Wales
Leading a group of five players tied on three goals still in contention to surpass Mbappe’s tally, England forward Marcus Rashford is next on this list thanks to his superior ratio of 2.05 strikes per 90 minutes.
The Manchester United attacker only recently won back his place in Gareth Southgate’s squad after a difficult period since his penalty miss in the Euro 2020 final shootout defeat to Italy.
He netted just minutes into his international return against Iran before playing a starring role from the start against Wales with two goals — the first an excellent free-kick past Danny Ward.
Bukayo Saka (England) — Three goals
Bukayo Saka nets England’s third goal against Senegal in the last 16
Rashford’s Three Lions team-mate Bukayo Saka also has a trio of goals to his name, after dinking a neat finish in England’s 3-0 last-16 win over Senegal.
The Arsenal starlet, 21, is a key component of Southgate’s side and made himself an early contender for the prize with a lovely brace in his World Cup debut against Iran.
If Saka is selected for the quarter-final clash with France, he will be a key man for Didier Deschamps’ world champions to watch out for.
Olivier Giroud (France) — Three goals
Olivier Giroud has become France’s all-time top scorer at Qatar
There is every chance Olivier Giroud would have barely kicked a ball for France had Karim Benzema been fit for this World Cup.
Now Les Blues’ all-time top scorer with 52 goals, it would be foolish to discount the 36-year-old centre forward out of the race at this stage.
A brace against Australia was followed by an important opener in the last-16 encounter with Poland and now the former Arsenal and Chelsea man will hope to end England’s run in Qatar.
Richarlison (Brazil) — Three goals
Tottenham striker Richarlison finished off a delightful Brazil team goal against South Korea
Brazil outlined their credentials to go all the way with a superb 4-1 win over South Korea in the last 16, with Tottenham striker Richarlison finishing off a fine team move to score arguably the pick of the bunch.
The Selecao No9 can also lay claim to another contender for goal of the tournament with an exceptional touch and scissor-kick effort in the South American’s opener against Serbia.
Having netted both of Brazil’s goals in the 2-0 win that night, he is likely to stay in the Golden Boot conversation as the tournament favourites target their first World Cup title in 20 years.
Cody Gakpo (Netherlands) — Three goals
Netherlands forward Cody Gakpo’s transfer value keeps rising with his World Cup displays
PSV Eindhoven ace Cody Gakpo was already one of Europe’s most sought-after forwards before the World Cup — and his performances for the Netherlands have shown exactly why that is.
The 23-year-old nodded home six minutes from time to help the Oranje overcome Senegal in their opener, before netting against both Ecuador and Qatar in an impressive group-stage showing.
Interest from the likes of Manchester United will only hot up if he can inspire his country past Argentina into the semi-finals.
Virgil van Dijk asserts that Lionel Messi will pose a threat to the Netherlands even when he is “chilling” and that the Dutch must have a “good plan” to deal with Argentina’s great player.
In a match with a long World Cup history, the Dutch and La Albiceleste will renew their hostilities on Friday in Qatar.
The Netherlands fell to Argentina in the 1978 championship game, but Louis van Gaal will get the chance to exact retribution because he was in command when his team lost to Messiand co. on penalties in the semifinals eight years ago.
When Liverpool overcame Barcelona in the 2018–19 Champions League semifinals, Van Dijk faced off against Messi, who has already scored three goals in Qatar, including one in the 2-1 last-16 victory over Australia.
So, naturally, he knows the Paris Saint-Germain star and seven-time Ballon d’Or winner is a player you can never take your eyes off.
“The difficult thing about him is when we are attacking, he is chilling somewhere in a corner or something,” Van Dijk said.
“You have to be so very sharp in terms of defensive organisation. They always looked for him to try to make it difficult for us on the counter.
“It is an honour to play against him. It is not me against him, or the Netherlands against him, but the Netherlands against Argentina.
“No one can do it on his own, we will have to come up with a good plan.”
Former teammate Sergio Aguero says Lionel Messiis enjoying his pivotal role in Argentina’s World Cup ambition after feeling liberated by last year’s Copa America victory.
Argentina defeated Australia 2-1 on Saturday to advance to the quarterfinals against the Netherlands thanks to a goal from Messi, who scored his ninth World Cup goal and first in a knockout match.
With his goal, the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner surpassed Diego Maradona’s record of eight World Cup goals for Argentina. He finished with his trademark left foot after cutting inside from the right. Only Gabriel Batistuta (10) now contributes more to the nation.
Messi highlighted his “beautiful” bond with Argentina’s supporters after the win, but Aguero believes that is a recent development, one which came about as a result of the Albiceleste ending a 28-year wait to win the Copa America last July.
“Leo is going to do everything possible to achieve the goal that we all want,” the former Argentina international told ESPN.
“Leo is happy and content. The Copa America changed his life, it gave him life. After the Copa America, he was happy again in the national team, like when we were in the under-20s.
“He lived with criticism and lost finals for a long time. The Copa America was liberating for him.”
Messi had the disgrace of losing four important international finals before to Argentina’s victory over the hosts Brazil last year, failing to carry his team to victory in the 2014 World Cup or the 2007, 2015, or 2016 Copa Americas.
Aguero suggested Brazil, who might face Argentina in the World Cup semifinals, would not enjoy a rematch after that victory in Rio de Janeiro.
“If we made it to the quarter-finals, let me be excited,” Aguero said. “Do you think that Brazil wants to meet Argentina in the semi-finals?
“Brazil has just lost the Copa America final, I think they don’t want that match.”
Messi has surpassed Diego Maradona in terms of World Cup appearances and goals.
The Argentina number 10 has drawn level with his predecessor on two critical metrics that highlight their respective creative talents.
Argentina advanced to the quarterfinals with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Australia on Saturday, with Messi scoring the tenth goal of his World Cup career to give Lionel Scaloni’s squad a 1-0 lead in the first half.
With those two goals, Messi moved up to 23 World Cup appearances this year, two more than the previous national team record held by his late compatriot and fellow number 10 jersey wearer Maradona, who finished his career with eight goals.
The fact that Messi is one goal short of Gabriel Batistuta’s record of 10 World Cup goals for Argentina may be on his mind as he prepares to face the Netherlands on Friday.
The Paris Saint-Germain forward is breaking records as he goes during this tournament, and in that match against Louis van Gaal’s club, he will undoubtedly surpass two more Maradona records.
This is due to the fact that in terms of chances produced and opportunities presented during an open play during the World Cup, Messi and Maradona are currently exactly equal.
According to Opta data, they have both generated 67 opportunities, 48 of which have resulted from open play for each player.
In total, Messi produced four chances for Argentina against Australia, one of which was a fantastic opening for replacement Lautaro Martinez, who wastefully blasted it late in the game as Argentina sought to defeat their valiant opponents.
When it comes to goal assists, Maradona tops Messi. Compared to Messi’s total of six assists since making his World Cup debut at the 2006 finals, Maradona’s eight from 1982 to 1994 are superior.
Maradona led Argentina to victory at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico and later served as the team’s coach, most notably at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
At the age of 60, he passed away in November 2020.
Messi played his 1,000th match for club and country on Saturday against Australia.
Argentina beat Australia 2-1 on Saturday to advance to the quarterfinals, and Lionel Messi scored his first goal in the World Cup elimination stage to commemorate his 1,000th career appearance.
At Ahmad bin Ali Stadium, Australia was content to delay their opponents, but as halftime drew near, Messi used his signature style to split the Socceroos open, picking out the bottom-left corner to score.
As exquisite as Argentina’s first goal was, their second goal almost bordered on the ludicrous as Australia goalie Mathew Ryan sent the ball to Julian Alvarez, who scored the game-winning goal with ease.
When Craig Goodwin’s shot bounced off Enzo Fernandez and past Emiliano Martinez, Australia cut the deficit in half, but Argentina never looked like they would be beaten as they set up a quarterfinal matchup with the Netherlands.
Argentina found it difficult to advance early on due to Graham Arnold’s team’s staunch defense, but La Albiceleste can credit their seven-time Ballon d’Or winner for helping them take the lead with their first significant attack.
After 35 minutes had passed, Messi ducked inside from the right flank to grab Nicolas Otamendi’s pass before putting a brilliant side-footed finish over Ryan’s helpless dive.
As Argentina sought a second goal after the break, Messi had a shot ricochet into Ryan’s arms. However, Ryan was at fault when Argentina extended their lead after 57 minutes.
When pressured by Rodrigo De Paul and Alvarez, Ryan puzzlingly attempted to dribble his way out of difficulty, and the Manchester City striker executed the easiest of finishes after seizing the ball.
When Fernandez unintentionally deflected Goodwin’s long-range shot into the bottom right corner, Australia unexpectedly cut the lead. Lisandro Martinez then made a superb last-ditch block to stop Aziz Behich from scoring a dramatic equalizer.
As Argentina clung on to secure their advancement, substitute Lautaro Martinez came close on three separate occasions until Emiliano Martinez stopped Garang Kuol from close range at the end.
Messi surpasses Maradona, chases Batistuta
On the day Messi brought up 1,000 career appearances – 169 of them for Argentina, he also inched closer to making another piece of history for his country.
Messi’s opener saw him surpass Diego Maradona and Guillermo Stabile’s tallies of eight World Cup goals. Only Gabriel Batistuta (10) has now outscored Messi when representing the country at the tournament.
Alvarez impresses once more
While Messi stole the headlines on Saturday, his 22-year-old strike partner also demonstrated his worth with another energetic performance.
Alvarez’s goal may have owed much to the poor decision-making of Ryan, but it made the City striker just the sixth Argentina player to score on each of his first two World Cup starts, and the first since Hernan Crespo did so in 2006.
Argentine forward Lionel Messiclaims that Diego Maradona would be very thrilled following his victory as Argentina’s most capped player at a World Cup.
Argentina’s 2-0 victory over Poland on Wednesday earned them first place in Group C and a matchup with Australia in the round of 16. Paris Saint-Germain star Lionel Messi was heavily involved in the victory.
“I only learned about this record recently,” Messi said when told about his latest achievement.
“It’s a pleasure to be able to continue achieving these kinds of records. I think Diego would be super happy for me because he’s always shown me a lot of affection. He was always happy when things went well for me.”
With the score tied, Wojciech Szczesny stopped a penalty shot from Messi, who was playing in the competition for the 22nd time overall—one more than his old mentor Maradona.
Messi could yet take another record from Maradona, as the 63 chances he has created at World Cups in recorded history is second only to his compatriot, who created 67.
The 35-year-old scored in Argentina’s opening two games in Qatar, a 2-0 victory over Mexico and a shocking 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia, before going scoreless against Poland.
His seven shots against Poland were his most for Argentina without a goal since a 1-1 draw with Iceland at the 2018 World Cup (11).
However, thanks to goals from Alexis Mac Allister and Julian Alvarez in the second half, Argentina got the victory they needed and are now the heavy favorites to beat Australia.
“After the first goal, everything went our way,” said Messi, who was part of the Argentina squad that finished runners-up to Germany at the 2014 World Cup.
“We started doing again what we had been trying to do since the start of the World Cup, but which we hadn’t been able to achieve for various reasons.
“Having been able to do it today, it gives us confidence for the future.”
On Saturday, Messi will try to score in the World Cup’s knockout rounds for the first time because all eight of his previous goals came in the group stage.
In 23 attempts, he has failed to score after the opening round, although in the final 16 in the 2010, 2014, and 2018 competitions, he did contribute.
During Poland’s World Cup match against Argentina, Wojciech Szczesny and Lionel Messi wagered that the referee would not give a penalty, the goalkeeper has said.
In the opening period of Poland’s 2-0 defeat in Group C, the Juventus goalkeeper denied Messi from the penalty spot after a contentious call in which Danny Makkelie pointed to the spot after studying the event and acting on VAR instructions.
Szczesny was one of many who believed that there shouldn’t have been a penalty, even going so far as to wager against Messi during the game’s delay, but he has no plans to fulfill his end of the bargain.
“We spoke before the penalty. I told him I can bet him €100 that he [the referee] wasn’t going to give it. So, I’ve lost a bet against Messi,” he said after the match.
“I don’t know if that’s allowed at the World Cup and I’m probably going to get banned for it but I don’t care right now. And I’m not going to pay him either! He doesn’t care about €100, come on.”
After stopping Salem Al Dawsari of Saudi Arabia in the previous round of matches, Szczesny’s denial of Messi from the penalty spot became the Polish goalie just the third goalkeeper to save two penalties at a single World Cup tournament, excluding shoot-outs.
However, the close race in Group C to qualify to the knockout stage, with Poland barely winning on goal differential over Mexico, kept his celebrations in check.
“Yeah it was nice, I didn’t know at the time it was going to help us get through so I tried not to celebrate,” he added.
“But I’ve had some bad luck at the big tournaments so far, the World Cup four years ago was awful for me and I owed this much to the team and in the last two games I managed to help them a little bit.”
Poland will face defending champions France at Al Thumama Stadium on Sunday in the nation’s first appearance in the knockout stage since 1986.
Argentina’s victory over Mexico helped keep their World Cup ambitions alive thanks to a moment of characteristic magic from Lionel Messi.
Following the shocking loss to Saudi Arabia in their opening match, Messi and Argentina knew defeat would kill their ambitions of making it to the round of 16 after just two games.
Mexico was frustrating Messi in an attritional match, especially in the first half, which was rife with fouls and pauses that prevented Argentina from gaining any momentum.
After 64 minutes, Messi changed everything when he controlled a pass with his left foot and drilled a precise finish past Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa into the bottom corner from 20 yards.
Huge crowds of Argentina fans in the 88,966-person crowd erupted in joy and relief as their World Cup campaign kicked off.
Three minutes before full time, Enzo Fernandez added a beautiful second goal by curling a shot into the top corner, but Messi’s goal was the game-changer.
According to Forbes, Messi took home an astonishing $75 million in on-field earnings over the last year – more than any other sportsperson on the planet.
His Paris Saint-Germain salary alone is worth $35 million annually, which means he earns $738,000 a week, or $105,000 a day, or $8,790 per hour.
The Argentine also pocketed a tidy $25 million joining fee when he signed for the French team last summer, reported the Evening Standard.
But he also earns a lot off it.
Messi’s off-field earnings of $55 million over the last year can only be topped by tennis icon Roger Federer and NBA superstar LeBron James.
On top of a $20 million-a-year partnership with cryptocurrency “fan token” platform Socios, the 35-year-old’s endorsement portfolio includes deals with Adidas, Budweiser, and PepsiCo.
Last June, he also became Hard Rock International’s first ever athlete brand ambassador.
In total, he’s earned over $1 billion during his career.
According to Forbes, Messi has earned $1.15 billion during his career on-and-off the field.
Only three currently active athletes – LeBron James, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Tiger Woods – have ever earned more.
Only two other current athletes – Roger Federer and Floyd Mayweather – other than those mentioned above have ever surpassed $1 billion in career earnings, according to Forbes.
Messi likes to spend his money on luxury cars.
According to Goal, Messi‘s impressive car collection includes a $2 million Pagani Zonda Tricolore, a Ferrari F430 Spyder, a Dodge Charger SRT8, and a Maserati Gran Turismo.
The Argentine is rumored to have bought the most expensive car ever, a 1957 Ferrari 335 Sport Spider Scaglietti, for $37 million in 2016. He appeared to deny the speculation, however, by way of an Instagram post in which he shared a photo of himself holding up a toy car with the caption, “My new car.”
He owns a host of stunning properties.
The most luxurious of Messi’s properties is his $7 million mansion on the outskirts of Barcelona.
Located in the exclusive, no-fly zone suburb of Castelldefels, the property includes a pool, indoor gym, theatre, and spa, as well as stunning views of the Catalan mountains and the nearby beach, according to Architectural Digest.
There’s also a football pitch where Messi likes to have a kickabout with his dog, Hulk.
Messi also owns an “eco-house” themed around his career, a mansion in his home town of Rosario, Argentina, and the entire floor of a luxury condominium in Saint Isles Beach, Florida, which he paid $7.3 million for in 2021, according to The Real Deal.
As well as a number of hotels.
Since 2017, Messi has owned the hotel chain MiM Hotels, operated by Majestic Hotel Group, which has resorts in Ibiza, Majorca, and Barcelona.
In 2021, the chain opened its first winter resort in the the heart of the Pyrenees, in the Aran Valley.
The four-star hotel has 141 rooms and includes a spa, an indoor swimming pool, a fitness center, and mountain guide services, according to Forbes.
He has been forced to demolish his hotel in Barcelona, however.
Messi bought the building in 2017 for $35 million, at which point its demolition had already been approved because its balconies are too big.
He’s unable to fix the issue too as any attempt to remove or downsize the balconies could result in the hotel collapsing.
Whoops.
To get around the world, Messi flies in his $15 million private jet.
Messi’s 2004 Gulfstream V private jet, includes two kitchens and bathrooms, and can accommodate up to sixteen passengers, according to the South Morning China Post.
It features the number 10 – his shirt number from his time at Barcelona – on its tail and the names of his wife, Antonella, and their children on its steps.
He likes to vacation in Ibiza.
This summer, Messi celebrated his 35th birthday with his family at the Ushuaia, a beach hotel in Ibiza.
The soccer star’s former Barcelona teammates Cesc Fabregas and Luis Suarez and their wives also joined.
According to the Miami Herald, Messi chose to vacation on the beaches of South Florida after winning the 2021 Copa America with Argentina.
The PSG star rented a $10,000-a-night, four-story mansion in Key Biscayne, which boasted five bedrooms, five bathrooms, a gym, a rooftop terrace, and an infinity pool, reported the Mirror.
Messi is very generous with his wealth.
The Lionel Messi Foundation, formed in 2007 in partnership with UNICEF, helps vulnerable children around the world.
In 2017, Messi donated his own money to help the foundation build classrooms for 1,600 war-orphaned children in Syria, according to UNICEF, while in 2019, the foundation donated $218,000 to provide food and water for citizens in Kenya, reports Goal.
“It excites me every day that I get a child smiling, when he thinks there is hope, when I see that they feel happy,” reads a statement from Messi on the foundation’s website.
“That’s why we decided to create the Leo Messi Foundation, and I will continue to fight to make the children happy with the same strength and dedication that I need to continue being a soccer player.”
Lionel Messi begins his World Cup campaign on Tuesday against Saudi Arabia, whose head coach is looking forward to the challenge.
Herve Renard’s men face Argentina in their Group C opener and the experienced French coach insists his team are not just in Qatar to make up the numbers.
All six of Messi’s goals at previous World Cupshave been scored in the group stages, while he has netted 12 times in 19 games for Paris Saint-Germain this season.
Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Renard said: “Cristiano [Ronaldo] and Messi are football legends and thanks to them, football is different. It’s an honour to be here and play against them.
“When there’s a fight you have to be one hundred per cent motivated to beat the best. That’s the beauty of sport. In sport, there can always be surprises.
“We have to be ready. Above all, we have to be very good in all three games, not only against Argentina. All three are equally important.”
10 – Lionel Messi’s fewest games in a Top 5 European Leagues campaign to deliver 10 assists :
Saudi Arabia will come up against Mexico and Poland after taking on the Albiceleste in what appears an incredibly challenging task for Renard’s men in Group C.
While conceding it is unlikely Saudi Arabia will qualify, Renard insisted his team – ranked 51st in the FIFA rankings, one place below hosts Qatar – will “fight against the forecasts”.
“We love it when they forget about us from the outside,” he said. “We like this, that they consider us the smallest team. It doesn’t matter to us. It’s justified if we take into account the FIFA ranking.
“I don’t think we’ll go to the next round but we’re here to fight against the forecasts. In the World Cup, there are surprises and that is the mentality we have.”
Roberto Mancini has tipped Argentina to win their third World Cup as Lionel Messi and team-mates chase glory in Qatar.
Mancini’s Italy side will not be involved after a shock 1-0 play-off defeat to North Macedonia in March.
Italy’s absence from Qatar comes despite them being the reigning European champions, having beaten England on penalties in the Euro 2020 final.
That triumph subsequently saw them face off against Argentina in the UEFA/CONMEBOL Finalissima at Wembley in June, after Lionel Scaloni’s men won the Copa America.
Argentina comfortably beat Italy 3-0, and Mancini says that performance plays a part in him ranking them as favourites for the World Cup.
“There are many strong teams,” Mancini told reporters. “If I had to choose one, I’d go for Argentina.
“They really impressed when we played each other.”
Italy have won their last three matches as they look to get over World Cup disappointment, most recently seeing off Albania in a 3-1 friendly victory on Wednesday. They face another game against Austria on Sunday.
Mancini is still upset about the failure to reach Qatar, but he has been pleased with his team’s reaction, saying: “We immediately showed a desire to fight back, winning a Nations League group that was by no means easy ahead of Germany, Hungary and England.
“Unfortunately, we’ll have to keep this suffering until mid-December when the tournament is over. Next time, we need to be more precise.”
Neymarrevealed he and Paris Saint-Germain team-mate Lionel Messi joke about a potential World Cup final between Brazil and Argentina in Qatar.
Neymar and Messi, alongside Kylian Mbappe, form a fearsome front three for PSG, one that has fired them to a five-point lead at the top of Ligue 1 and reached the Champions League knockout stages.
But that alliance will be temporarily halted until PSG’s next game on December 28, as the three superstars bid to win the World Cup for their respective countries.
While he was highly complimentary of Messiand Mbappe, Neymar jokingly hinted that he fancies his Brazil side’s chances in a potential match-up with Messi’s Argentina.
“We don’t discuss it very much,” Neymar told The Telegraph. “But sometimes we joke about crossing paths with each other in the final.
“I tell him [Messi] that I’ll be champion and win against him and we have a good laugh.
“Playing with him and Kylian is a huge pleasure. They’re two greats, with Messi long considered the best in the world.
“Kylian is a young player who’s been growing and showing his potential and still has a lot to grow. It’s always great to play alongside the greats, I’ve always preferred that because the chances of winning are higher.”
Neymar feels Brazil are one of the favourites, but also highlighted a number of other teams he believes are capable of making the final on December 18.
“The World Cup is full of surprises,” he explained. “You get teams that unexpectedly get very far even in the competition even if many don’t believe in them.
“But I believe the favourites are Argentina, Germany, Spain and France. I think those four along with Brazil are fully capable of reaching the final.”
At the age of 30, the Qatar World Cup could be Neymar’s last attempt at glory with Brazil, having fallen short in his two previous experiences at international football’s premier tournament.
One of those was particularly painful, when Neymar suffered a back injury in a victorious quarter-final meeting with Colombia at Brazil’s home tournament in 2014.
Neymar was ruled out of the semi-final with Germany, a match Brazil went on to lose by a humiliating 7-1 scoreline.
But the former Barcelona forward says his career would not feel incomplete if he were to never win the World Cup, saying: “No, in my career I’ve achieved things beyond my imagination.
“So, if it ended today, I would still be the happiest person in the world.”
The number 10 jersey that Neymar dons for Brazil is steeped in history, having been worn by Selecao legends like Pele, Ronaldinho and Zico.
Neymar does not experience the pressure that could come with following those Brazilian idols, declaring: “I don’t feel under pressure, quite the opposite.
“I’m happy to be able to wear the number 10 on the Brazilian team and make history. It’s a great pride and honour to be part of the group of players that wore it and I only feel happiness about it.”
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