Lionel Messi said Inter Miami is going to be his "last club" and admitted that "there's not a lot of time left" in his career.
Messi, 36, joined Inter Miami last summer, bringing an end to his 20-year stint in Europe in which he played for Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain.
The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner has scored 14 goals in all competitions for an Inter Miami side that is top of the Eastern Conference this season.
Messi has been joined by his former Barcelona teammates Luis Suárez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba at Miami and told ESPN Argentina in an exclusive interview that he thinks "it's going to be my last club."
Messi is Barcelona's top scorer with 672 goals and scored 32 goals and registered 35 assists in his two seasons at PSG. In a storied career that has seen him win 40 trophies for club and country -- including four Champions Leagues and a Copa América title -- its crowning glory is the World Cup he won with Argentina in 2022.
Messi told ESPN for the interview broadcast Wednesday that the triumph in Qatar gave him new perspective on his career.
"I've done this all of my life; I love playing ball. I enjoy the practices and the day-to-day, the games. Yeah, there's a bit of fear that it's all ending. It's always there. It was a difficult step leaving Europe to come here [Miami]," he said.
"The fact we won the World Cup helped, it helped a lot, to see things in another way. But I try not to think about it. I try to enjoy it. I do that more now because I'm aware that there's not a lot of time left. So I have a good time with the club, being lucky having good teammates and friends at my side."
"I enjoy my time with the national team, where I also have good friends, too, and a lot. I enjoy those small details that I know I'll miss when I stop playing."
While injuries saw Messi miss Argentina's games against El Salvador and Costa Rica in March, he remains integral to the team's chances of retaining the Copa América later this summer and marked his return to the international stage in Argentina's win over Ecuador on Sunday.
"Argentina is always a favorite and a contender, at Copa America as well as in World Cups," Messi said. "We're more of a favorite now because of where we're coming from, having won the last Copa America, the Finalissima and the World Cup -- and because of the group of players we have.
"I've been training for a few days and what never fails to surprise me is how they practice, the guys' attitude, the desire to win, the hunger to keep winning. It's going to be a difficult Copa America, very balanced as it's always been, but we have a good chance to again be among the best."
Havana, Cuba CNN— A group of Russian naval ships, including a nuclear-powered submarine, will visit Cuba next week as part of “historically friendly relations,” Cuba’s government said Thursday
The Russian “frigate Gorshkov, the nuclear-powered submarine Kazan, the fleet oil tanker Pashin, and the rescue tug Nikolai Chiker” will visit the port of Havana between June 12 and 17, according to the Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces in a statement published by the Foreign Ministry.
Cuba says none of the ships carry nuclear weapons and insists their stopover does not represent a threat to the region.
“Visits by naval units from other countries are a historical practice of the revolutionary government with nations that maintain relations of friendship and collaboration,” the statement added.
Last July, the Russian Navy’s training class ship Perekop sailed into Havana for a four-day visit.
The latest visit appears to be the largest of its kind in years.
Cuba is increasingly reliant on Russian oil and aid as the communist-run country weathers its worst economic crisis in decades.
Cuba’s announcement comes days after US President Joe Biden gave Ukraine permission to carry out limited strikes inside Russian territory with American munitions. In response, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Western countries “supplying weapons to a conflict zone is always a bad thing.”
“Visits by naval units from other countries are a historical practice of the revolutionary government with nations that maintain relations of friendship and collaboration,” the statement added.
Moscow has not confirmed the information provided by Cuba. CNN has reached out to the Russian government for comment.
It’s not the first time Russian Navy ships have been sent to Cuba, a key ally to the former Soviet Union during the Cold War that briefly hosted nuclear missiles at Moscow’s behest during the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis.
Last July, the Russian Navy’s training class ship Perekop sailed into Havana for a four-day visit.
The latest visit appears to be the largest of its kind in years.
Cuba is increasingly reliant on Russian oil and aid as the communist-run country weathers its worst economic crisis in decades.
Putin warns Russia could arm enemies of Western nations supplying weapons to Ukraine Cuba’s announcement comes days after US President Joe Biden gave Ukraine permission to carry out limited strikes inside Russian territory with American munitions. In response, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Western countries “supplying weapons to a conflict zone is always a bad thing.”
“In the end, if we see that these countries become involved in a war against us, what they are doing makes them directly involved in a war against the Russian Federation, we reserve the right to act the same way,” Putin said on Wednesday.
Putin added that as a response, “we will improve our air defense systems to destroy the missiles.” He also asked why Russia would “not have the right to supply our weapons of the same class to those regions of the world where there will be strikes on the sensitive facilities of those countries that are doing this against Russia?”
‘No direct threat’
Russia’s military is expected to increase its naval and air activity near the United States this summer as part of routine maneuvers in the lead up to a global naval exercise in the fall, according to the US State Department and the Pentagon.
Alongside Russian ships this summer will also be one of the Russian Navy’s Severodvinsk II-class submarines, Dietz said. The port call for that submarine was approved “at least in part due to Havana’s displeasure” over the visit of a US nuclear submarine to the US’ Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba last year, he said.
Cuba has hosted Russian ships every year between 2013 and 2020, Dietz said, adding that the exercises “impose a significant cost on the Russian Navy, which faces challenges in maintaining readiness and conducting deployments with an aging fleet.
Given Russia’s long history of Cuban port calls, these are considered routine naval visits, especially in the context of increased US support to Ukraine and NATO exercises,” Dietz said.
onlinestaff247: This is the only time I would support Messi...He is definitely on point here.
Madrid is seriously rugged in Champions League, that's why they've been able to conquer Europe more than the other elite clubs.
However, my club, Manchester City plays better football than any other team in the world...Their tiki taka style is seriously great...The tiki taka was a birthright of Barcelona FC but they don't have the philosophy anymore since the elite players left.
if you ain't being sentimental, banter aside why would anyone hate Messi? I mean the little man just want to play soccer, he doesn't talk unnecessarily, that's why people listen to him when he speaks. He granted this interview few days ago, this is just a question he answered tho, there are lots of frontpage materials from his interview. Im busy ATM, might create more threads later. Expect for banter which is normal anyone that hates Messi on and off pitch isn't normal.
Of course, Madrid got lucky but football ain't about excuses we try again next season. We will win it next season that's the elite mentality. They already break the jinx last season, sky na limit. I'm a culers but anywhere Pep and Messi dey na my second club will defend em with passion. I'm sure you go don see my support for City here
Chris Brown, the renowned American singer also known as Christopher Maurice Brown, has stirred online buzz with recently released photos from his meet and greet sessions, reportedly priced at $1,111, captivating fans.
Following his Detroit concert, images from these events quickly went viral on social media platforms.
Various fan pages shared snapshots capturing intimate moments between Chris Brown and his supporters.
Some photos depict him kissing fans on the cheek, while others show him engaging closely with attendees.
Reports indicate that Chris Brown‘s meet-and-greet experiences, reportedly priced at $1,111, have become a major attraction for his dedicated fan base.
Fans have taken to social media platforms enthusiastically to share their personal encounters and express their excitement about meeting the ‘Sensational’ singer.
See some reactions below:
@_VishwajitPatil: “My girl looked at me sideways when I asked her to put something on the rent but gave Chris brown $1,111.”
@Laurencewill_: “Damn paying $1111 to get your ass grapped has to be an all time low.”
@_VishwajitPatil: “They paying a band to get groped by Chris Brown.”
@abhiyogi: “What kind of a dystopian world are we living in now.”
@SadeRepsEagles: “$1k for a man to do this? Men will literally do this for free.. he’s scamming yall 😂 Good shit Chris.”
13h: “Imagine your girlfriend paying $1,111 to go get groped by Rihanna’s ex.”
Messi recognizing Real Madrid as the best team in the world this season even as the biggest Barca fan should tell you how honest he is. No bias. No drama. No bragging. Humility multiplied by 1 billion. You can't even h&te him. Your conscience will almost choke your arse up.
FC Barcelona legend Lionel Messi talked in an interview with Infobae where he admitted that Real Madrid is the “best team in the world right now.”
“If we’re talking results, it’s Real Madrid. If we’re talking playing style, I personally like Guardiola’s Manchester City a lot and I believe that every team he coaches will be special. Playing style, Manchester City are the best. Results, it’s Real Madrid,” he explained.
Messi’s statement shouldn’t be surprising considering that Real Madrid conquered another Liga-Champions League double this year. Of course he went out of his way to suggest that Manchester City play better football than Real Madrid, but that’s expected knowing that he still has a good relationship with Pep Guardiola.
Real Madrid have indeed been the world’s best team this year and one madridista should definitely win the upcoming Ballon D’Or, so Messi is right.
Galaticos444: Instead of him to meet with Carlo Ancelotti he's meeting with Pep .lucas doncic is a Madrid fan so I'm supporting Dallas
Carlo Ancelotti:
"Pep is a fantastic manager. I have a good relationship with him. Not a lot in games but we see each other sometimes at conferences. We have a lot of respect. At certain points, he is a genius because he is always trying to do something special on the pitch."
Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla met with a special guest Wednesday before the 2024 NBA Finals -- Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola.
Mazzulla, a noted soccer fan, visited Guardiola at Manchester City's football academy in February. He told The Athletic a week later that he studies the English club and Guardiola, calling the City boss "the best coach at any level, in any sport."
The two were spotted chatting at TD Garden ahead of Game 1 on Thursday.
Guardiola is one of soccer's most decorated managers, having served as the head man at multiple top clubs, including Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Manchester City.
He's won six Premier League titles (including four straight), four UEFA Super Cups and three UEFA Champions League titles. In 2009, at 37 years old, he led Barcelona to a Champions League final triumph, becoming the youngest manager to ever win the Champions League.
The former midfielder also won the treble (domestic league, domestic cup and European Cup/Champions League in the same season) twice as a manager -- the only one to ever do so.
Mazzulla is looking for his first title as an NBA head coach, with Game 1 tipping off.
Dennisochampa: The only form of true justice will be to sentence all of them to life imprisonment without the possibility of a parole....... This will also serve as a warning to people who take laws into their hands....
too much Hollywood movies, you don ever hear the word "Parole" in Naija b4
dem dey correct you, yet you still dey cap, I'm being mischievous? Are you for real? Did I write the report myself? the source na Liverpool FC, it's obvious you're using nairaland free mode, you can't click the link. You better find something worthy to do with your life, both Standard Charter wey dey sponsor terrorists and Liverpool FC no sabi your existence...ozuor!!! No go warm eba chop
A long-standing beef between neighboring families exploded when a man was shot dead by his neighbor during a fight over a water sprinkler at a luxurious condominium in Costa Rica.
Otoniel Orozco, a 53-year-old father-of-five from Nicaragua, was shot at least 14 times by Eduardo Ramírez, 43, in front of their homes on Monday morning.
Tensions flared after Ramírez's wife stepped out of her residence to turn the sprinkler on that was on her property and challenged Orozo to turn it off.
The woman told Orozco, 'Here I am waiting for you to come and turn off the sprinkler, you fool.'
Orozco's wife subsequently stepped out of the apartment and told Ramírez's spouse, 'You also bother a lot,' and accused of envying her family
Nicaragua native and father-of-five Otoniel Orozco (left) was shot dead by his neighbor Eduardo Ramírez (bottom right) moments after the two families argued over a sprinkler that was located on Ramírez's property in Escazú, Costa Ruci on Mondays
Otoniel Orozco (left) was caught on camera punching his neighbor, Eduardo Ramírez (bottom right), in front of their homes in Costa Rica on Monday morning before Ramírez pulled out a gun and shot Orozco multiple times and killed him
Orozco and his wife can be seen approaching the couple as they kept arguing over the sprinkler.
Both women then came face-to-face before Orozco punched Ramírez, who responded by pulling a gun from under his shirt and shooting his neighbor.
He continued to fire his weapon while Orozco was lying on the ground. Ramírez's wife stepped in and grabbed him by the neck and pulled him away as Orozco's wife screamed in horror.
Ramírez's father told Costa Rican online news portal La Teja that the disagreement between both families stemmed from a construction that ruined the walls of his son's home.
'This situation is from four years ago, in which the deceased man began to build some bedrooms where he did not have to build them, then my son told him: 'Look, Don Otoniel, you are breaking my walls, my property,' Ramírez's father said. 'And the man went on a rampage and started treating him like a son of a *****. The problem began there.'
He added that the families had argued during the early morning hours after the Orozcos repeatedly opened and shut the sliding windows on their balcony, which woke up his baby grandson.
'My son was beaten and as this problem accumulated, what happened happened, unfortunately,' Ramírez's father said.
Orozco's sister-in-law, Dayli Avendaño, told CR Hoy news outlet, that Ramírez had threatened the family on multiple occasions and that the police never responded to their reports.
'He always spied on my brother-in-law getting up and going out to the garage so he would start bothering him, he would insult him, he would start shutting the door at him,' she said. 'He would threaten my sister, he would start harassing the children, bothering them, provoking in 1,000 ways so that Otoniel will react.
Ramírez is being investigated for aggravated homicide and was placed in pre-trial detention for three months.
Liverpool's main sponsor Standard Chartered has been accused of helping to fund terrorist groups by carrying out billions of dollars worth of transactions.
The UK bank first struck a deal with the club in 2010 and has since featured on the front of match shirts. That partnership was renewed until the 2026/27 season back in 2022 with Liverpool and Standard Chartered working together to support a series of community investment programs.
The claims, which originated from a former Standard Chartered bank executive and another whistleblower, have now been supported in a court filing by an independent expert. He alleges that the leaked documents show that the bank conducted transactions over five years in breach of sanctions against Iran.
Standard Chartered, which has headquarters in London, has twice admitted to breaching sanctions against Iran and other countries and has paid fines of over $1.7bn (£1.3bn/€1.6m).
The bank also avoided prosecution for money laundering in 2012. Lord Cameron's government intervened on its behalf on that occasion.
The whistleblowers whose information sparked that investigation later brought a case against the investigating US authorities, but that was dismissed in 2019. However, an independent expert now claims that the documents turned over show $9.6bn (£7.5bn/€8.8bn) worth of transactions with individuals and companies designated by the US government as 'terror groups'. The BBC reports they include Hamas, Al-Qaeda and the Taliban.
In a statement to the BBC, Standard Chartered said it 'disputes' the claims from the expert and insists the former allegations had been 'thoroughly discredited' by authorities.
After agreeing Liverpool's new deal with Standard Chartered in 2022, chief executive officer Billy Hogan said: "We have been on an incredible journey together and Standard Chartered’s support has been a key driver in our most recent successes, both on and off the pitch, with their loyalty and commitment to Liverpool Football Club.
“Our partnership has been able to thrive because of our shared values and we look forward to continuing to work together to help and support our communities and supporters around the world.”
Man City taking legal action against Premier League, The Times reports, over league's rules regarding valuations of sponsorships; under regulations introduced in 2021 all deals with companies associated with clubs' owners must be independently assessed to be of 'fair market value
Manchester City are taking legal action against the Premier League, The Times has exclusively revealed.
The newspaper reports City are attempting to end the Premier League's Associated Party Transaction (ATP) rules.
Those rules regard commercial and sponsorship deals with companies owned or associated with the same club's owners.
As things stand, those rules dictate such transactions have to be independently assessed to be of fair market value.
The Times reports that City believe the rules are "unlawful" and they want to seek damages for revenue lost by preventions made by those rules.
The newspaper's reporter, Matt Lawton, quotes a 165-page legal document in which City argue they are the victims of "discrimination".
The rule was brought in in December 2021 as Newcastle was bought by the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund.
The legal dispute will be settled during a two-week arbitration hearing beginning on Monday June 10.
Sky Sports News has contacted the Premier League and Manchester City for comment.
This could have big ramifications for future competitive balance of Premier League' Sky Sports News chief reporter Kaveh Solhekol:
"What is being reported is unprecedented. We've got a situation where a Premier League club, Manchester City, the champions of the Premier League, are basically suing the Premier League.
"What City are going to argue at this arbitration hearing, which will start on Monday, is that some of the league's financial rules are unlawful and they are incompatible with UK competition law. The rules they are talking about are the Associated Party Transaction rules.
"These were brought in in 2021 and they are designed to make sure that if a club signs a commercial deal with a company that is linked to its owners that it has to be a fair value, and that is checked to make sure that it is of fair value.
"So, if you are the owner of a Premier League club and you have another company, say an airline or an energy company, and you want to get that company to sponsor your club - because that is a good way of bringing revenue into your club - that deal has to be checked by independent auditors to make sure it is of fair value.
"You cannot just make up a number and say the deal is worth £100m, £200m or £300m as a way of bringing money into your club. It has to be of fair value.
"But City are going to argue that these rules are unlawful and obviously, this could have big, serious ramifications for the future competitive balance of the Premier League."
How is this linked to Man City's existing 115 charges from the Premier League? Manchester City were first charged in February 2023 with breaking financial fair play rules around 100 times over a nine-year period, which starts in 2009 and goes on until 2018.
Allegedly, they did not fully disclose the financial remunerations that were made to one of their managers over a four-year period. The suggestion is that there was a secret contract so one of the managers was getting paid much more than officially stated.
The Premier League also allege Man City didn't comply with UEFA's financial fair play rules over a five-year period. They also allege that Man City have not fully co-operated with the Premier League's investigation.
The Times report claims the hearing into City's alleged 115 breaches will be heard in November. Read more about the charges in full here.
Sky Sports News chief reporter Kaveh Solhekol said: "The charges and this case are two separate things.
"The 115 charges have been brought by the Premier League against Man City for allegations that they have broken the league's financial rules over 12 or 13 years.
"The hearing into those charges is set for November but obviously, a lot of those charges are also to do with sponsorship deals, deals that were done with companies that are connected to the owners of Manchester City.
"So, if Man City win this case, which starts next week, that would blow a big hole in the Premier League's case at the hearing in November about the 115 charges because Man City would have argued successfully next week that some of these rules are unlawful and incompatible with UK competition law."
says the son of a miserable man, who's having a miserable life. No ones coming to save you, hunger go blind your eyesYou validate my sentiments that most of y'all penadogs are going thru a lot in real life, na why una dey pass aggression on Messi matter, imagine person wey no sabi generation existence, no be madness be that
Damian911: Bro if not stupidity how can someone be Haaland and KDB in one and one ordinary Mbapp is GOAT?? Person dey top for scoring chart still dey top again for assists and person wey dey only score is the GOAT can't you see that's insane?? Person dey play CF, AM, LW, RW and performs excellently in all these positions with G/A na one wey dey play only CF be goat? That's insane! Despite starting early and playing CF most of his career with lesser injuries Ronaldo still has lesser goals in terms of ratio than Messi that's the height of the madness. Goals+Assist Leo is ahead of that fraud
They are delusional bro, clout will go and na legacy go remain. Numbers don't lie. Leo has always been ahead of that desert scammer.
ThierryJay: This is going to be the GOAT of drinks. Another banger released from the stables of the Greatest to ever do it on the pitch.
Even Pendu sef no go wan miss out. Na to disguise go buy and drink am for night. Who knows after being energized by Mas+, he might finally get to win a trophy in the desert instead of the unending bucket load of tears.
Sports › Lionel Messi Reveals Inter Miami Will Be His 'last Club' by Almiron(op): 2:48pm On Jun 13, 2024
.lucas doncic is a Madrid fan so I'm supporting Dallas