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Miami Herald
5 days ago
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Messi suffered ‘minor muscle injury' in right leg. Here is latest update
Lionel Messi sustained 'a minor muscle injury in his right leg' during Inter Miami's Leagues Cup penalty shootout win over Necaxa on Saturday, according to a club statement on Sunday night. He underwent medical exams to determine the extent of the injury and the timetable for his return is undetermined. 'His medical clearance will depend on his clinical progress and response to treatment,' said the press release. Messi fell to the ground and clutched his leg after being challenged by defenders Raul Sanchez and Alexi Pena at the 11-minute mark of the game. He stumbled, got up, tried to walk it off, but then sat down and sought medical attention. Messi was clearly dejected as he removed his captain's armband and headed to the tunnel. The 38-year-old Argentine star had been on a hot streak of late with a brace in six of seven matches. He scored 18 goals and had nine assists in 18 MLS games and played 90-plus minutes in 20 matches in a row, including four in the Club World Cup. He had two assists in Miami's 2-1 Leagues Cup opening win against Atlas last week and was named MLS Player of the Month. 'Obviously, we feel it when he is not on the field, he's the best player in the world,' said goalkeeper Rocco Rios Novo, who made a big save in the penalty shootout. 'We want to have him playing. But these are things that can happen to anyone. We have to carry on without him. No excuses.' Midfielder Fede Redondo added: 'He's our captain, our leader, and we hope he recovers as soon as possible.' Miami will face Mexican club Pumas on Wednesday at Chase Stadium in the third and final group stage match. The top four MLS teams and top four Liga MX teams advance to the quarterfinals. As of Sunday night, with 15 of 18 MLS teams having played two games, Miami sat in second place in the MLS side of the bracket with five points (one regulation win for three points, one penalty shootout win for two points). The Portland Timbers, led by former Inter Miami coach Phil Neville, were in first place with six points. Minnesota and Columbus were third and fourth with four points each.
Time of India
31-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Watch: Crazy scenes! Lionel Messi explodes at opponent after dramatic last-second assist seals Inter Miami's Leagues Cup win
Lionel Messi plays for Inter Miami (Screengrab) Lionel Messi once again proved why he's the heartbeat of Inter Miami, delivering two critical assists, including one in the dying seconds, to seal a thrilling 2-1 victory over Atlas in the Leagues Cup opener on Wednesday night. The viral moment wasn't just the dramatic finish, but Messi's rare visible frustration after the goal, sparking major buzz online. Watch: Back in action after a one-match suspension for skipping the MLS All-Star Game, Messi wasted no time making an impact. He set up Telasco Segovia's opener in the 58th minute with a slick pass after receiving a through ball from Sergio Busquets. Atlas answered in the 80th with an equaliser from Rivaldo Lozano, setting the stage for a wild finish. In the 96th minute, Messi linked with Marcelo Weigandt for the game-winner, initially ruled offside but later confirmed by VAR. The stadium erupted. Fireworks flew, and Messi, fist raised, embraced longtime teammates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, who made his Inter Miami debut. Messi's heated demeanour came amid rising tension throughout the match. controversial first-half challenge led to a brief sideline argument between coaches Javier Mascherano and Gonzalo Pineda. Mascherano defended the passion: 'We play to win. That's what this beautiful sport is about.' Pineda, caught off guard by Messi's intensity, said, 'He's won so much… He's usually quite even-keeled.' With five assists and eight goals in July alone, Messi was named MLS Player of the Month and he shows no signs of slowing down. His fiery celebration and late heroics turned an already dramatic match into an unforgettable, viral moment. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
Time of India
31-07-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Lionel Messi's last-gasp assist seals Inter Miami's 2-1 win over Atlas in Leagues Cup
Lionel Messi delivered two crucial assists, including a dramatic one in stoppage time, to lead Inter Miami to a 2-1 victory over Atlas in their Leagues Cup opener on Wednesday night. The match marked Messi's return following a one-game MLS suspension for skipping the All-Star Game, along with teammate Jordi Alba. ALSO READ - Leagues Cup 2025: Teams, New Format, Schedule, Kick-Off Time - All you need to know Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category Messi assisted on the game-winning goal in the final seconds, finding Marcelo Weigandt , whose strike in the 96th minute was initially flagged offside before VAR confirmed the goal. Earlier, in the 58th minute, Messi set up Telasco Segovia for the opener, giving Inter Miami a 1-0 lead. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Play War Thunder now for free War Thunder Play Now Undo — LeaguesCup (@LeaguesCup) Atlas fought back with a late equalizer from Rivaldo Lozano in the 82nd minute, setting the stage for Messi's late heroics. Live Events — LeaguesCup (@LeaguesCup) The win extends Messi's outstanding July, during which he tallied five assists and eight goals across competitions, earning MLS Player of the Month honors while helping Miami go 4-1-1 in league play. — LeaguesCup (@LeaguesCup) The first half was tightly contested and physical, with both sides creating chances but unable to break through. Inter Miami goalkeeper Rocco Ríos Novo made three key saves in the first half, including a sliding stop on a close-range header from Eduardo Aguirre. Luis Suárez nearly gave Miami the lead at halftime, smashing a shot off the crossbar just before the whistle. The match also saw the debut of Argentine midfielder Rodrigo De Paul , Messi's national team teammate, who recently signed with the club. With the win, Inter Miami begins their Leagues Cup campaign on a high note.
USA Today
05-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Argentina vs. Chile in World Cup qualifier: How to watch Lionel Messi play Thursday
Argentina vs. Chile in World Cup qualifier: How to watch Lionel Messi play Thursday Show Caption Hide Caption lionel-messi-fifa-club-world-cup-michelob-ultra-TV-commercial Soccer superstar Lionel Messi appears in a new Michelob Ultra TV commercia for the FIFA Club World Cup. Lionel Messi is healthy and available to play with Argentina for the first time this year in a World Cup qualifying match on Thursday night. Messi and the World Cup champions will be on the road playing against Chile at Estadio Nacional Julio Martínez Prádanos in Santiago, Chile. It's unclear whether Messi will start or come off the bench, Argentine national team coach Lionel Scaloni said Wednesday. Argentina has already qualified for the 2026 World Cup, and could use this match to play several young players on its roster. Several players are also suspended or won't play to rest after long seasons. Knowing it's one of the few times Messi will wear his Argentina jersey this year, expect to see him in action representing his beloved home country. Chile will host Argentina on Thursday at 9 p.m. ET (10 p.m. in Argentina). The match will be broadcast by TYC Sports Internacional USA on DirecTV, YouTube TV, Sling TV and Fubo. Fanatiz also has a pay-per-view live stream available. Here's a link to watch the match on Fubo. Messi's status as a starter or substitute will be confirmed when Argentina announces its starting lineup for the match. What did Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni say about Messi? "We haven't decided yet whether he'll start the game or not. I need to talk to him, especially because it would be good to know how he's feeling physically. We've talked about a lot of things, but not about this specifically," Scaloni said about Messi Wednesday. "We're in a position where we can try other things, and in principle, he's available to play. We'll see. He had a good game last Saturday, so this guy is ready to play. We'll decide how he is." How fit is Lionel Messi before Argentina match in Chile? Messi, 37, is coming off one of his best stretches in 2025, scoring five goals in his last three matches with Inter Miami in Major League Soccer. He was named MLS Player of the Month after seven goals and four assists in seven matches in May. He scored two goals with three assists in Inter Miami's 5-1 win against Columbus Crew last Saturday. When was the last time Messi played with Argentina? Messi last played with the national team in November: He was scoreless as Argentina lost 2-1 to Paraguay on Nov. 14, 2024, and had the assist to Lautaro Martinez in a 1-0 win over Peru on Nov. 19, 2024. Playing with Argentina before the MLS Cup playoffs last year, Messi was scoreless in a 1-1 draw against Venezuela on Oct. 11, 2024, then exploded with a hat trick and two assists in a 6-0 victory over Bolivia on Oct. 15, 2024. Messi was unable to play with Argentina in March against Uruguay and Brazil, while he was recovering from an adductor strain. Argentina beat Uruguay 1-0 on March 21, and beat Brazil 4-1 on March 25. Lionel Messi's upcoming schedule with Argentina, Inter Miami
San Francisco Chronicle
02-05-2025
- Sport
- San Francisco Chronicle
The Whitecaps' rise has been one of the surprises of the MLS season so far
Before the first leg of the Vancouver Whitecaps' CONCACAF Champions Cup semifinal against Lionel Messi and Inter Miami, supporters stretched banners across one end of BC Place. "You allowed us to dream again,' one said. The fan sentiment expressed in the tifo has spilled over to the Major League Soccer season as the Whitecaps defy expectations. 'I don't know if I've really been a part of such a close locker room before. Everyone who has come in in the last couple of years has said the same thing, and I think that speaks volumes," top scorer Brian White said. "And I think you see that on the field, how close this group is.' While it's still early, the Whitecaps sit atop MLS with a 7-1-2 record. They've allowed just seven goals, tied for fewest in the league, while scoring 20, tied for most. White, a new Jersey native who joined Vancouver in 2021, has six total goals and was named the MLS Player of the Month for April. He scored four of those goals in a mid-month match against Austin. Across all competitions this year, the Whitecaps have lost just twice in 18 total games. 'This group of guys is amazing, and it's not just to say that, I really believe it,' said Serbian defender Ranko Veselinović, who has been with Vancouver since 2020. 'All the guys are on the same page, we work with each other, we have good relationships. That's the foundation for success and I think this year we can do special things.' The fast start stands in contrast to Vancouver's more recent history. Last season, the Whitecaps finished eighth in the standings and routed the Portland Timbers 5-0 in a wild-card game. But they fell to LAFC in the first round of the playoffs. The Whitecaps have qualified for the playoffs in three of the past five years but haven't advanced out of the first round in that span. Since the team joined the league in 2011, the furthest they've gone in the playoffs is the quarterfinals, in 2015 and 2017. Coach Vanni Sartini was fired in late November after three seasons at the helm, and Vancouver didn't name his replacement — Danish coach Jesper Sorensen — until mid-January. Adding to the offseason upheaval was the announcement the Whitecaps were for sale. Greg Kerfoot has been owner of the club since 2002, when it was part of the North American Soccer League. Steve Luczo, Jeff Mallett and former NBA star Steve Nash joined Kerfoot in 2008, and the Whitecaps became part of MLS in 2011. A new owner has not emerged, and there are concerns among the fanbase that the team could be moved. But in the meantime, the Whitecaps keep winning. Vancouver's rise has grabbed attention because of the 5-1 aggregate victory over Inter Miami that sent the Whitecaps through to the Champions Cup final at Cruz Azul on June 1. Much has been made about the star-studded Miami team's failure — but Vancouver demonstrated its newfound resurgence with its 3-1 second-leg victory on Miami's home turf. White and Pedro Vite scored goals just two minutes apart to open the second half before Sebastian Berhalter added a third in the 71st minute. Cruz Azul downed Tigres 2-1 on aggregate in the other semifinal to win a spot in the final. Should the Whitecaps defeat the Liga MX club, they would qualify for a spot in the 2029 Club World Cup and this summer's Intercontinental Cup. There's also the MLS season. The Whitecaps host Real Salt Lake on Saturday. 'The sky's the limit to what we can achieve this year,' White said. 'Hopefully, we stay healthy, stay humble, know where we come from, believe in ourselves and continue to push hard.'
