There was an interesting moment during Saturday's MLS 360 show when analyst Shep Messing said he had "inside info" on a Lionel Messi move to MLS and that "it is going to happen and it's going to happen soon."
Like any great amateur sleuth, I then carefully watched PSG's home match against Lyon on Sunday looking for clues. I think I found them: Messi wants to get out of Paris like a bat out of hell.
Before the 2022 World Cup, the idea of Lionel Messi extending his contract with French multi-champion PSG seemed a safe bet. Back from Qatar, however, that certainty has started to crumble and the leading narrative around the player's future is pointing to a sensational return to Barcelona.
Of course, there are a lot of rumors going around, but the blaugranas fans are feeling optimistic after the club's vice-president Rafa Yuste and coach Xavi spoke on Friday about how much they wish for Messi's return to the team.
Argentina continued their never-ending happiness tour after winning Copa América, Finalissima and World Cup, thrashing Curaçao 7-0 in a friendly game where Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick and surpassed the 100-goal mark playing for La Albiceleste.
Argentina palooza continued Tuesday night as the world champions put on an exhibition against CONCACAF minnows Curaçao at the Madre de Ciudades in Santiago del Estero. Captain Lionel Messi had a hat trick in the first 37 minutes, bringing his international tally to 102, as La Albiceleste put seven past the Columbus Crew's Eloy Room.
It was an honor and a privilege.
Messi and Curacao's goalkeeper, Eloy Room, swapping jerseys after Argentina's 7-0 win.
The Argentina national team's training facility has been renamed after talismanic captain Lionel Messi in recognition of his World Cup heroics and star-studded career, the country's football association (AFA) said on Saturday.
The Casa de Ezeiza in Buenos Aires, which houses the national team set-up, will now be known as Lionel Andrés Messi "in tribute to the best player in the world," AFA president Claudio Tapia wrote on Twitter.
"Welcome to the world champion's house," Tapia said at the unveiling ceremony attended by current and former Argentina players.
BUENOS AIRES, March 23 (Reuters) - Argentina beat Panama 2-0 in a friendly on Thursday with goals from Thiago Almada and Lionel Messi amid a festive atmosphere in their first game in front of their home fans after winning the World Cup in December.
Lionel Messi in tears
What a moment as Argentina welcomes back its World Cup winners. pic.twitter.com/Pn9lHAw7uV
Un tiro libre sublime en un partido especial.
Lionel Messi llegó a 800 goles en su carrera como futbolista profesional, luego de marcar en la victoria 2-0 de Argentina sobre Panamá, en un partido que le sirvió a La Albiceleste para celebrar junto a sus aficionados el título conseguido en la Copa Mundial de Catar, en noviembre pasado.
If you’ve played enough of the FIFA video game series with friends, then you’re probably familiar with randomizing the teams before a game. Sometimes you’ll get a strange matchup where one player gets a national team and the other gets a club.
That would never happen in real life, right?
Friday will see a situation just like that as the Argentina national team announced it will play a friendly against Primera División leaders River Plate. The game is part of a national celebration for Argentina’s triumph in Qatar.
Argentina worships Leo Messi. It always has been the case, but after the World Cup title, the adoration only multiplied. The love, the obsession, it's so unleashed that when people found out he was eating at a steakhouse in Buenos Aires on Monday night, hundreds gathered around the restaurant to chant his name and police had to come to keep everybody safe.
Talking points from the weekend in European soccer leagues:
BARCELONA TAKE HUGE STEP TOWARDS LALIGA TITLE
Barcelona have tightened their grip at the top of the LaLiga standings after an electric 2-1 comeback win in an El Clásico against bitter rivals Real Madrid on Sunday.
Franck Kessié's stunner in added time gave Barça a well-earned victory that left second-placed Real trailing the leaders by 12 points with only 12 games to be played.