Inter Miami crushed New York City FC 5-1 to win the Eastern Conference title and reach the first MLS Cup final in club history. After the match, manager Javier Mascherano praised the team’s unity, calling them an “unbreakable group” and crediting the players for believing in the project. The Herons now await the Western Conference champion.
After more than two years of waiting, Lionel Messi finally has a chance to lift MLS Cup. The Argentine superstar guided Inter Miami to their first-ever trip to the championship game, sealing a 5-1 win over NYCFC in the Eastern Conference final. And he’ll have another countryman to thank: Tadeo Allende, whose first-half brace set the tone for Javier Mascherano’s side.
Former Barcelona star Kevin-Prince Boateng revealed how Lionel Messi "had the power" to block his shock transfer to the Catalan club. The Blaugrana signed the striker from Sassuolo in January 2019, initially on loan with an €8 million option to buy. Now, speaking on the YouTube podcast Unscripted, Boateng has revealed that the transfer only went ahead after Messi gave his blessing.
Sergio Aguero has claimed Lionel Messi could return to Barcelona before the end of his playing career. A former teammate of the eight-time Ballon d'Or at international level, Aguero also said he hopes Messi could "play forever" and that he backs the GOAT to have an impact for defending champions Argentina at next summer's World Cup in North America.
Inter Miami aim to defend home turf against NYCFC, while San Diego visit Vancouver in two finely poised conference finals. GOAL’s writers break down both matchups.
Aitana Bonmati is preparing to lead Spain into another major final but insists her historic third Ballon d’Or does not change who she is. The Barcelona Femini midfielder addressed talk of being labelled the Lionel Messi of women’s football, spoke about expectations ahead of the Nations League showdown with Germany, and reflected on how she handles success on and off the pitch.
Former Manchester United, Newcastle, and Tottenham Hotspur striker Louis Saha has warned Lamine Yamal that he won't match the legacy of Lionel Messi because he doesn't have the same "obsession" with football as Cristiano Ronaldo. The Barcelona youngster has often been in the spotlight for the wrong reasons this season, with Saha the latest to fear that his potential could be wasted.
Former U.S. striker and current Apple TV broadcaster Taylor Twellman praised Inter Miami head coach Javier Mascherano for his decision to drop Luis Suarez, calling it true to Mascherano’s bold nature as a player. Twellman also noted Miami’s recent defensive improvements, crediting tactical tweaks and better player integration.
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has advised Blues wonderkid Estevao Willian to "relax" amid comparisons with legends Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. The Brazilian teenager is off to a bright start in his maiden campaign at Stamford Bridge, with his latest stellar display coming in Chelsea's 3-0 win over Barcelona in the Champions League.
GOAL’s writers found no shortage of drama in the Conference semis, highlighted by Messi’s Miami rolling on and Son Heung-min’s LAFC crashing out in dramatic fashion.
Lionel Messi reportedly reached a complete agreement to rejoin Barcelona in 2023 and an official contract was drafted to welcome back their greatest legend, but the move never materialised. Messi left his boyhood club in 2021 as a free agent after spending almost two decades there. He then completed a high-profile free transfer to Paris Saint-Germain, where he spent two years before heading to Inter Miami in the United States.
Lionel Messi has lifted the lid on the impact that Omar Souto, the long-serving general manager of Argentina's national teams within the country's football association, had on his career. The 73-year-old passed away this week, sending Argentina's football community into mourning, with flags at the nation's two footballing hubs to fly at half mast in tribute.
Messi produced 12 goal involvements in the playoffs already, and Miami’s defensive improvement could be the difference-maker on the road to potentially winning MLS Cup.
Lionel Messi's former World Cup-winning Argentina team-mate, Alejandro Gomez, has finally returned to action for an Italian second-tier club after serving a two-year doping ban. Gomez, who was part of Argentina's triumph in Qatar three years ago, has not touched a football since October 2023 after testing positive for a banned substance. He last played for Monza in Serie A.
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