Prior to Argentina's friendly against Estonia at El Sadar in Pamplona on Sunday, Lionel Messi had only once registered five goals in a single game throughout his illustrious career. That was back in 2012 when Barcelona crushed Bayer Leverkusen 7-1 in the Champions League Round of 16.
The animosity between Argentina and Brazil is reaching a fever pitch at the perfect moment: right before the 2022 World Cup. Their only possible clash course in Qatar would see the bitter rivals meet in the semifinals, but that world-stopping event is plausible because La Albiceleste and the Seleção are as good as they've been in a long time.
The two have split the past two Copa Américas, playing out a bad-blooded semifinal in 2019 that Brazil won en route to the title while Argentina had its vengeance in the 2021 final at the Maracanã.
Earlier this week, Lionel Messi spoke about how lingering effects from Covid-19 greatly limited his abilities with PSG in 2022. In addition to being a reminder to everyone to get fully vaccinated (and boosted), it provided context to a season that, by Messi’s supremely high standards, was awful, with just six goals.
Messi looked the picture of health on Wednesday.
After a disappointing first season in Paris, Lionel Messi is back with his national team ahead of Wednesday's Finalissima between Copa América champion Argentina and Euro 2020 winner Italy at Wembley in London.
According to USMNT legend Tim Howard another legend will take his talents to Major League Soccer. Howard believes that Lionel Messi will come to America and play in MLS in the future. Howard shared this belief during the Pat McAfee Show on Thursday.
Welcome The18's Halftime Countdown of the Best Goals Ever Scored!
Lionel Messi was the world's highest-paid athlete over the last year, according to the annual Forbes list released on Wednesday that had the Paris Saint-Germain forward ahead of the NBA's LeBron James and Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo.
The lasting image of Lionel Messi's dominance in El Clásico is certainly his iconic celebration at the Santiago Bernabéu on April 23, 2017. Despite being on the receiving end of a Marcelo elbow that left him bloodied and a two-footed tackle by Sergio Ramos that amounted to his fifth Clásico red card, Messi scored a brilliant solo goal to equalize for Barça before curling home the winner in the 92nd-minute.
When it comes to international soccer, appearances, goals scored and trophies won are usually the biggest indicators of a successful career, and rightly so. But perhaps the most elusive achievement for an international footballer is appearing at five World Cups.
First, it requires an international career of at least 16 years. Around 30 or so active international players made their debut for their country before the 2006 World Cup. A player must also be on a team that qualifies for five successive World Cups — something only 13 countries have achieved.