Lionel Messi scored twice as LaLiga champions Barcelona beat Alaves 3-0 at the Nou Camp in their opening match of the new season.Messi, who saw his Argentina side fail to make an impact at the World Cup in Russia, returned to club action in determined mood and had rattled the crossbar with a first-half free-kick.The Barcelona captain, taking the armband following the departure of Andres Iniesta,...Full Story »

Lionel Messi could be used on the right this season by Barcelona Barca boss Valverde has revealed that Messi could be used on the right as the club highlight the need to look after the 31-year-old’s wellbeing. "It's possible - we know his tendency to be drawn to where the ball is," Valverde said. "Whether Messi plays out wide or through the middle, it's always an advantage for us. "Th...Full Story »

For so long been we’ve been compelled to watch the Lionel Messi-Cristiano Ronaldo rivalry play out on Spanish and European pitches. And as the new season rolls around the realisation looms large that we’ll never see another Clasico involving them. That should bring a sense of immense longing for supporters, for casual fans, for anyone with even a passing interest in football. And ...Full Story »

Lionel Messi and new boy Malcom were among the goals as Barcelona cruised to a 3-0 win over Boca Juniors to win the Joan Gamper Trophy. Having lifted the Supercopa de Espana thanks to a slender 2-1 win over Sevilla on Sunday, Barca again looked in good shape ahead of their title defence in LaLiga, which begins on Saturday against Deportivo Alaves, sweeping a feisty Boca aside with minimal fus...Full Story »

Argentina's disastrous World Cup has forced Lionel Messi into a rethink and he has reportedly decided he'll not play for the Albiceleste again in 2018. With Lionel Scaloni in caretaker charge, it remains to be seen who'll be the next permanent Argentina coach and now it also remains to be seen when or if Messi will be back. According to TNT Sports, the No.10 will not go the United States for...Full Story »

The hustle and bustle of Dallas was a world away from the setting enjoyed by Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets, Gerard Pique and Jordi Alba when returning to Barcelona on Tuesday. A behind closed doors training session followed a medical check-up for the quartet, who all finished their holidays on Monday having been knocked out of the World Cup at the last-16 stage. Joined by academy players, th...Full Story »

There was a time, not so very long ago, when Lionel Messi was able to huddle up on the same bed as his new puppy. Skip forward a few months and suddenly the aptly named "Hulk" (a truly enormous Dogue de Bordeaux) is roughly the same size as your average family station wagon. Still, it doesn't mean that his owner can't show him a thing or two during a backyard kickabout. Messi's two children...Full Story »

Juventus newcomer Cristiano Ronaldo has opened up about his on-field relationship with Barcelona legend Lionel Messi, admitting he has never considered the Argentine a rival. The Ronaldo versus Messi debate has influenced football discourse across the globe for over a decade now, dominating discussion among football fans, and sparking arguments over who the greatest player on the planet is. ...Full Story »

Despite moving to Juventus, it seems unlikely that Cristiano Ronaldo will be able to leave Lionel Messi comparisons behind. Cristiano Ronaldo's blockbusting move to Juventus was not enough to keep Lionel Messi off the agenda on his first day with his new employers. Ronaldo was greeted by a throng of buoyant Juve supporters on Monday before completing his medical and staging an unveiling news...Full Story »

From Diego Maradona to Alfredo Di Stefano, from Lionel Messi to Jose Mourinho, everyone has had their say on Cristiano Ronaldo. As the winger leaves Real Madrid, we look back on how football has called his time in the Spanish capital. Florentino Perez, Real Madrid club president, has never hesitated to put Ronaldo up there with the greatest of all time, including Blancos legend Alfredo Di Ste...Full Story »

Defensive duo Domagoj Vida and Dejan Lovren will try to keep the England captain quiet after enjoying a fine World Cup to dateCroatia boss Zlatko Dalic is hoping his defence can repeat their heroics against Lionel Messi and Christian Eriksen when they face Harry Kane in the World Cup semi-final. Kane is two goals clear in the race for the Golden Boot , the England captain having fired the Thr...Full Story »

Atletico Madrid defender Lucas Hernandez says France can handle Belgium ace Eden Hazard in their World Cup semifinal. Lucas insists after their job on Barcelona star Leo Messi and Argentina, France can do the same to Chelsea midfielder Hazard. He declared: "We'll have to be focused. "We have already eliminated the best player in the world in 8th against Argentina. He did not touch the ball....Full Story »

Claiming the World Cup scalp of Lionel Messi ensures France have nothing to fear against Belgium star Eden Hazard, according to Lucas Hernandez. Les Bleus crushed Messi's hopes of winning the tournament when they dispatched Argentina 4-2 in the round of 16. Didier Deschamps' side subsequently beat Uruguay 2-0 on Friday to tee up a mouth-watering semi-final date with Belgium, who ousted favou...Full Story »

Lionel Messi has reportedly told Barcelona chiefs to deliver the transfer of a top class midfield playmaker this summer, providing three top candidates. According to Don Balon, the Argentina international has listed Paris Saint-Germain pair Marco Verratti and Adrien Rabiot as possibilities, along with Juventus star Miralem Pjanic. Iniesta will undoubtedly prove a tough act to follow at the N...Full Story »

Eden Hazard is ready to make the World Cup his tournament EDEN HAZARD is ready to make the World Cup his tournament now that Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have gone home. Hazard will lead Belgium against Japan in Rostov in the last 16 tonight with a clear mission to unlock both his own potential as a global superstar and his country’s potential to be world champions. Belgum’s...Full Story »

France finally put Argentina out of their World Cup misery by knocking them out with a 4-3 win in the first match of the knockout stages but Paul Pogba still had time to console Lionel Messi. Argentina were extremely lucky to get into the knockout stages of the World Cup and for a brief spell actually looked like they were going to improve enough to make it through to the quarter final stage....Full Story »

Messi and Ronaldo bid farewell to the World Cup after losing both their last 16 matches and could have set up a quarter-final tie with each otherRussia bids a sad farewell to both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, who crashed out of the World Cup at the last 16 stage on the same day. Had Argentina and Portugal both won their ties against France and Uruguay, respectively, they would have set...Full Story »

Kylian Mbappe upstaged Lionel Messi as France recorded a 4-3 win over Argentina in a topsy-turvy last-16 clash to open the knockout stages at the World Cup. Teenager Mbappe was in devastating form in the heavyweight clash, scoring two second-half goals to bring Argentina's Russia 2018 campaign to an end in Kazan. The Paris Saint-Germain forward's surging 70-yard burst also led to the opening...Full Story »

Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar are "from another world", with the duo rated at the same level as Lionel Messi by Brazil midfielder Casemiro. Neymar's Brazil take on Mexico in the World Cup's round of 16 having looked increasingly strong in the group stages of Russia 2018. Ronaldo and Messi also remain in the tournament, with Portugal and Argentina on track to meet in the quarter-finals if they...Full Story »

Cezaro De Luca/Getty Images Argentina coach Jorge Sampaoli says he was informing rather than consulting Lionel Messi in an exchange during the team's last World Cup match that some media interpreted as him ceding authority to the celebrated forward. Much has been made of the footage of the discussion before Sampaoli brought on striker Sergio Aguero as a substitute during the 2-1 win over Niger...Full Story »