Lionel Messi
May 2026
Lionel Messi remains the highest-paid player in MLS history with a record-breaking salary. His $28.3 million earnings, boosted by commercial deals, far exceed other stars like Son Heung-min, highlighting a major gap in league compensation structure.
Lionel Scaloni
May 2026
Lionel Scaloni announced a 55-man provisional squad led by Lionel Messi, omitting high-profile names including Paulo Dybala. The list blends World Cup winners with emerging talent, reflecting a tactical shift, with final 26-man squad to be confirmed before the tournament.
Lionel Messi
May 2026
Lionel Messi became the fastest player in MLS history to reach 100 goal contributions after starring in Inter Miami’s 4-2 win over Toronto FC. Messi scored once, assisted twice, and created another goal, leading a dominant attacking display that overwhelmed Toronto despite defensive lapses.
Franco Colapinto
May 2026
Franco Colapinto fulfilled a lifelong dream by meeting Lionel Messi in Miami, sharing a private moment with his idol after previously gifting the football legend a signed race helmet. The meeting took place at Inter Miami’s training ground, allowing a quiet interaction away from media attention. The connection followed Colapinto’s earlier gesture and highlighted a mutual respect between two prominent Argentine athletes.
Lionel Messi
May 2026
Lionel Messi has officially begun his ownership journey at UE Cornella, addressing players and staff with a message outlining his vision and commitment to developing the club’s future. Messi delivered a personal video message and has taken a hands-on approach, closely following matches and engaging with the squad. His involvement has boosted morale and placed the club in the spotlight during a key promotion push.
Lionel Messi, Argentina Football Federation
April 2026
A Miami-based events company has filed suit against Lionel Messi and the Argentine federation over a missed friendly appearance against Venezuela. The company claims Messi was contractually expected to play at least 30 minutes unless injured. Messi sat out the Venezuela exhibition but played for Inter Miami the next day, then later featured for Argentina against Puerto Rico. The lawsuit centres on whether the appearance obligation in the event agreement was breached.
Bradley Wright-Phillips
April 2026
Former New York Red Bulls striker Bradley Wright-Phillips has warned Cristiano Ronaldo against ending his career in MLS, arguing that he may struggle to match Lionel Messi’s impact in the league and could damage his legacy by making the move. Wright-Phillips’ view is that Messi’s style and current influence at Inter Miami translate more naturally to MLS than Ronaldo’s might at this stage of his career. The warning is based on opinion rather than any confirmed Ronaldo move, but it adds to the ongoing discussion around his post-Saudi future.
Lionel Messi
April 2026
Kylian Mbappe said Lionel Messi’s finishing in PSG training was so precise that it shocked even elite forwards like himself and Neymar. He recalled a session where Messi scored nine times out of ten with the exact same type of finish, leaving both of them stunned. Mbappe explained that he and Neymar were usually among the strongest finishers in training, but Messi’s execution was on another level. He described the goals as simple passes into the net, repeated with metronomic accuracy rather than force, which made the display feel even more absurd.
Thomas Tuchel
April 2026
Thomas Tuchel rejected criticism that England rely too heavily on Harry Kane, arguing that every major national side depends on its best attacker. He compared Kane’s importance to the influence Lionel Messi has had for Argentina and Cristiano Ronaldo for Portugal. Kane missed the match with a minor issue, and England again lacked a cutting edge without him. Tuchel said the absence of key players was visible in both recent friendlies and insisted the solution is not to deny Kane’s value, but to improve the team’s attacking execution around him.
