Paris Saint-Germain forward Lionel Messi and three other players have tested positive for COVID-19, the French Ligue 1 club said on Sunday.
Argentina international Messi joined PSG from boyhood club Barcelona in August and the 34-year-old has scored six goals in 16 games in all competitions for the Parisian side.
The draw for the 2022-23 UEFA Nations League took place on Friday, but that wasn’t the biggest Nations League news by a longshot. A massive announcement was made that in 2024 we will see a Neymar and Lionel Messi Nations League crossover. That’s right, South America is joining the UEFA Nations League. All 10 South American members will be joining Europe's best.
Barcelona and Argentina striker Sergio Aguero broke down in tears as he announced his retirement from football on Wednesday due to a heart condition, bringing the curtain down on an 18-year career during which he scored more than 400 goals.
— Sergio Kun Aguero (@aguerosergiokun) December 15, 2021
After a decade-plus of domination by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, fans expected Ballon d'Or voting to bring some different results in 2021.
The obvious choice was Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski, who was coming off a record-breaking 41-goal campaign in the Bundesliga.
Instead it was Messi — seemingly entering the twilight of his career — who won the award for the seventh time. "Surely something must be done," the people exclaimed at this perceived injustice. "He still can't be the best player in the world."
Lionel Messi won his record-extending seventh men’s Ballon d’Or on Monday. Anyone who watched him carry both Argentina and Barcelona over the last year knows he absolutely deserved it. But even Messi admitted on Monday that Robert Lewandowski deserves the 2020 Ballon d’Or.
Lionel Messi edged Robert Lewandowski for the men’s 2021 Ballon d’Or, the Argentine’s record-extending seventh trophy as the best men’s player in the world. But Cristiano Ronaldo, who didn’t even attend the award show in Paris, still managed to make it all about him.
Messi, who this year helped Argentina win the 2021 Copa América and Barcelona win the Copa del Rey (lol), was also named the world’s best men’s player in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015 and 2019.
HERE IS THE WINNER!
BUENOS AIRES — Thousands of fans of soccer great Diego Maradona will pay tribute to the star on the one-year anniversary of his death , amid legal wrangles about how he died and allegations over past relationships that threaten to tarnish his legacy.
The referee and the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) who officiated in Tuesday's World Cup qualifier between Brazil and Argentina have been suspended for "serious errors,” the South American soccer governing body CONMEBOL said.
An incident in the goalless draw where Argentine defender Nicolás Otamendi appeared to elbow Raphinha — which left the Brazilian winger with a bloody mouth — went unpunished and CONMEBOL said the use of his arm amounted to "violent conduct.”
Much has been said about Lionel Messi’s slow start to life in Paris, which is basically just to say that the 34-year-old hasn’t played much. Given his reluctance to ever miss a minute with Barcelona — regardless of whether it was a Champions League or second round Copa del Rey match — it’s been weird seeing Messi go over one-third of the league season without scoring or assisting yet.
The greatest love story in football — is it David Beckham and Posh Spice? Too tired. Lionel Messi and Antonela Roccuzzo? Too cookie-cutter. Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez? That’s a Peloton ad.
No, nothing comes close to Mauro Icardi, Wanda Nara and whoever is completing the messy love triangle at this particular moment in time.