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Lionel Messi
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Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi
The latest stories and features on footballer Lionel Messi, including professional football news and updates.
Born
24 Jun 1987
Industry
Sport
Job Title
Athlete
Lionel Messi says his goodbyes after brining an end to his 21-year career with the Argentina national team. Photo: EPA

Messi calls time on Argentina career, says not playing will be ‘deeply painful’

Lionel Messi ends international career with two goals in 3-0 victory over Benin, tells fans it is ‘saddest day of my career’.

End of an era: Messi prepares to hang up Argentina boots with monumental farewell

Argentina

Lionel Messi retires from Argentina’s international team

Lionel Messi nets in Inter Miami draw for first goal since father’s death

Argentine superstar back on target after drawing blanks in previous two games but Inter winless streak extends to four matches.

Lionel Messi squares up to Quinn Sullivan during Inter Miami’s 2-2 draw away at Philadelphia Union. Photo: Imagn Images
Hong Kong sports

Editorial | A stacked sporting calendar gives Hong Kong the winning edge

From high-profile football to world fencing action, major events are serving up real social and economic rewards.

Argentina

No pressure on Lionel Messi to retire from football, says Argentina boss

Messi will turn 43 during ‌the 2030 World Cup in Spain, Portugal and Morocco. Cristiano Ronaldo was 41 during this summer’s tournament.

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Fifa

After Ref Cam lights up World Cup, what’s next for Lenovo’s AI tech in football?

Chinese multinational raised the bar for television coverage, now bosses eye bringing their expertise to the game’s mainstream.

Lenovo built cameras that were not only really small so they could be easily worn by officials such as French referee Francois Letexier, but that also had long battery life. Photo: AFP
Fifa World Cup 2026

Vozinha, Haaland named in World Cup dream team, but no place for Kane, Yamal

Fans voted for Cabo Verde’s hero goalkeeper but left out golden gloves winner Unai Simon, World Cup winner Lamine Yamal.

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.

Fifa World Cup 2026

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

Midfielder Rodri ‌collected the Golden Ball, goalkeeper ⁠Unai Simon won Golden Glove and defender Pau Cubarsi claimed Best Young Player.

Kylian Mbappe became the first player to win multiple Fifa World Cup Golden Boot awards. Photo: AFP ⁠
Hong Kong economy

Hong Kong restaurants score extra HK$500 million thanks to World Cup

Crowds of football fans, including children and elderly, flocked to shopping centres for match between Spain and Argentina at 3am.

Spain celebrate their World Cup win against Argentina. Photo: Associated Press
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?

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.

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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.

Lionel Messi’s performances at the World Cup have made him favourite to win a record ninth Ballon d’Or. Photo: dpa
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.

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.

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.

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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.

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.

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.

videocam
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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.

(COMBO) This combination of files photos created on July 12, 2026, shows France’s forward #10 Kylian Mbappe in Foxborough on July 9, 2026 (L); and Spain’s forward #19 Lamine Yamal in Arlington on July 6, 2026. France and Spain will meet in a 2026 World Cup semi-finall football match at the Dallas Stadium in Arlington on July 14, 2026. (Photo by Mauro PIMENTEL and Thomas COEX / AFP)
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.

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.

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.

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.

Kylian Mbappe scores France's first goal in their quarter-final 2-0 win over Morocco at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough on Thursday. Photo: AFP
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.

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.

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.

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