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Lionel Messi

The latest stories and features on footballer Lionel Messi, including professional football news and updates.

Born

24 Jun 1987

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Sport

Job Title

Athlete

Ferran Torres wearing Under Armour FC last month. The Spanish footballer just scored a winning goal at the World Cup. Photo: @ferrantorres/Instagram

Fifa World Cup 2026

Meet Ferran Torres, who scored Spain’s winning World Cup goal

The 26-year-old was discovered when playing futsal with friends at school, and played for Valencia and Man City before joining Barcelona.

6 minutes ago

Fifa World Cup 2026

France’s Kylian Mbappe wins second World Cup Golden Boot, Spain sweep other awards

5 hours ago

Hong Kong economy

Dim sum and bubble tea at 3am: football fans pack malls for World Cup final

6 minutes ago

Fifa

Fifa World Cup final: what factors favour Argentina, what factors favour Spain

Looking beyond Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal, what are the strengths that help title holders Argentina and European champions Spain?

19 Jul 2026 - 9:30PM

Spain's Lamine Yamal (left) and Argentina's Lionel Messi are their teams' obvious main weapons for the final in New Jersey on Sunday, but both sides have several other trump cards. Photo: TNS

China exports

China did not qualify for the World Cup. It may have won in economic terms

While its men’s team has not competed since 2002, this year’s tournament has generated significant profit for many Chinese firms.

19 Jul 2026 - 4:03PM

Fifa World Cup 2026

Messi pulls ahead of Yamal in Ballon d’Or race, with all to play for at World Cup

Bookies, prediction markets make Lionel Messi favourite to claim trophy despite 39-year-old playing in a second-tier domestic competition.

18 Jul 2026 - 9:00PM

Fifa

2 stars and a bathtub: when World Cup leading men Messi and Yamal first met

The two superstars face each other for the first time on the pitch in the final, but they share an incredible backstory from 19 years ago.

18 Jul 2026 - 8:00AM

Lionel Messi, then 20, helps to bathe Lamine Yamal, who was six months old, during a photo shoot in the dressing room of Barcelona's Camp Nou stadium in 2007. Photo: AP

Fifa

True team, strong defence, unbeatable coach: why Spain are in the World Cup final

European champions Spain face South American champions Argentina in Sunday’s final, and there are three key reasons for their strong run.

17 Jul 2026 - 8:00AM

Fifa World Cup 2026

While you were sleeping: England blow it, Argentina march into World Cup final

Three Lions facing another four years of hurt after throwing away semi-final lead. Defending champions to take on Spain in historic final.

16 Jul 2026 - 7:01AM

Fifa World Cup 2026

Fifa World Cup: Tuchel tactics leave England wondering what might have been

Argentina come from behind again, but England boss Thomas Tuchel will face plenty of questions in coming days after his side’s defeat.

16 Jul 2026 - 12:22PM

Argentina’s Lionel Messi celebrates after teammate Lautaro Martinez scores the winner. Photo: AP

Fifa

Fifa World Cup: England are ‘hungry, ready to go’ in semi-final against Argentina

Head coach Thomas Tuchel says finals are ‘draining and nerve-racking’ but make him ‘feel alive’ before highly-anticipated clash in Atlanta.

15 Jul 2026 - 1:30PM

Thomas Tuchel addressing the media at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Tuesday. Photo: Getty Images

Fifa

6 million sign petition to kick Argentina out of World Cup, citing favouritism

Organisers of argentinaout.com claim Fifa and match officials have favoured the defending champions and their captain, Lionel Messi.

15 Jul 2026 - 5:45PMvideocam

Fifa

All eyes on Mbappe, Yamal as Spain, France meet in ‘final before the final’

France, Fifa’s No 1 team, face No 3-ranked team in first semi-final, but Spain may have upper hand, having won their past two meetings.

14 Jul 2026 - 3:30PM

Fifa

Fifa World Cup semis: 4 previous champions, a bitter rivalry, race for Golden Boot

Top four in Fifa rankings meet over two blockbuster matches, with Mbappé v Yamal and Messi v Kane just two of many intriguing storylines.

14 Jul 2026 - 8:00AM

Spain’s star forward Lamine Yamal (left) has yet to show his best, while France’s Kylian Mbappe is leading the race for the Golden Boot with Argentina's Lionel Messi. Photo: AFP

Hong Kong economy

Fifa World Cup: Hong Kong pubs, restaurants enjoy net gains from big matches

Lan Kwai Fong Group chairman Allan Zeman says business ‘up 60 to 70 per cent’ in nightlife district and set to get ‘crazier’ for the final.

13 Jul 2026 - 12:41PM

Norway’s Erling Haaland (right) has become an internet sensation in China. Photo: Xinhua

Fifa

Fifa World Cup: Argentina beat Switzerland to book blockbuster England date

Defending champions given run for money before extra-time goals from Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez break 10-man Swiss resistance.

12 Jul 2026 - 3:36PM

Fifa World Cup 2026

Latest Mbappe goal makes him first to score at least 8 at multiple World Cups

Current World Cup is also first in history in which two players have scored at least eight goals in the same tournament.

10 Jul 2026 - 6:29PM

Fifa

Fifa World Cup: Kylian Mbappe fires France past Morocco

Africa must wait at least another four years to crown first world champion, Belgium or Spain stand in way of France and third straight final.

10 Jul 2026 - 6:51AM

Kylian Mbappe salutes supporters following France’s comfortable quarter-final victory over Morocco. Photo: AFP

Hong Kong Jockey Club

Fifa World Cup: Berbatov explains why Lionel Messi outdid Cristiano Ronaldo

Former Manchester United striker keen for Harry Kane Premier League move, in Hong Kong for Jockey Club Youth Football Academy Summit launch.

9 Jul 2026 - 8:15PM

Fifa

Has Argentina’s chances of winning World Cup improved? Supercomputer says no

Holders are considered fourth-most-likely team among the quarter-finalists to win the tournament, though their betting odds remain unchanged.

9 Jul 2026 - 5:30PM

Fifa

Messi, Morocco and same old story as Europe dominates World Cup quarter-finals

The rest of the world has seen its share of spots shoot up, but this tournament could still end up with all-European semi-finals.

9 Jul 2026 - 4:00PM

Moroccan and French flags, and jerseys with the names of Lionel Messi and Spain's Lamine Yamal, outside a sports shop in Hebron in the occupied West Bank on Wednesday. Photo: AFP

Fifa

Teary Argentina, Messi face World Cup’s last Cinderella team in quarter-finals

Switzerland have not qualified for the last eight since 1954, when they were hosts, and have never advanced to the semi-finals.

9 Jul 2026 - 12:00PM

Ruben Vargas (right) celebrates with his Swiss teammates after scoring the winning penalty in the shootout win over Colombia in Vancouver on Tuesday. Photo: AFP

Fifa

France face Morocco in 2022 World Cup semis rematch as quarter-finals kick off

Match between tournament’s form team and African champions the pick of final-eight line-up, with race for Golden Boot an intriguing subplot.

9 Jul 2026 - 8:00AM

Fifa World Cup 2026

World Cup while you were sleeping: VAR robs Egypt, Messi magic saves Argentina

Another day, another example of VAR not being used properly. Argentina escape potential upset, while Switzerland beat Colombia on penalties.

8 Jul 2026 - 7:00AM

Fifa

Argentina ‘not feeling pressure’ of being World Cup co-favourites, Messi to start

Defending champions face Mohamed Salah-led Egypt on Tuesday for a place in quarter-finals as Messi looks to reclaim lead in Golden Boot race.

7 Jul 2026 - 10:50PM

Argentine coach Lionel Scaloni (left) says Lionel Messi (right) will start against Egypt despite playing the full 90 minutes plus extra time against Cabo Verde in the previous round. Photo: AFP

Belt and Road Initiative

Cabo Verde wows at World Cup – with an economic assist from China

From boots to building a stadium, China played a vital role in helping the West African nation qualify for football’s biggest tournament.

6 Jul 2026 - 9:00PM

Cabo Verde's football team arrive home in Praia yesterday from the United States and celebrate with their supporters despite their exit from the Fifa World Cup 2026 following a 3-2 extra-time defeat to Argentina. Photo: Reuters

Fifa World Cup 2026

Cabo Verde’s fairytale World Cup run wins hearts of Chinese football fans

Argentina also acknowledged the tiny nation off the coast of West Africa on their official Weibo account after the hard-fought victory.

4 Jul 2026 - 4:01PM

Fifa World Cup 2026

Messi adds to World Cup goals tally as Argentina just survive Cabo Verde scare

Defending champions need extra-time before finally reaching last 16 after being pushed all the way in five-goal thriller.

4 Jul 2026 - 10:38AM

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