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CNN
19 minutes ago
- Sport
- CNN
Lionel Messi: The player who's bigger than the club… and the FIFA Club World Cup tournament?
There's a well-worn cliché in soccer: No player is bigger than the club. At the newly expanded FIFA Club World Cup on Thursday in Atlanta, with the event still in its infancy, that old saying was tossed to the side and replaced by a question on the lips of the 31,783 in attendance – can a player be bigger than the tournament? The soccer star in question, of course, was a certain Lionel Andrés Messi, for whom the masses had made their pilgrimage to worship, as his Inter Miami took on Portuguese giant FC Porto in the second matchday of Group A. But until a magical Messi moment in the 54th minute, the match was in danger of becoming a mere sideshow to supporters expressing their admiration – actually, more like unbridled passion – for the 37-year-old who has long cemented his status as one of the greats of the sport. And let's face it: winning nearly everything of note for Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain – as well as his country of Argentina, who is the reigning World Cup champion – doesn't exactly hurt his case. Ahead of kickoff outside Mercedes-Benz Stadium, it was evident how the pull of Messi knows no limits – or rather miles. While there were supporters from Atlanta in attendance, CNN Sports spoke with families from Louisiana, Alabama, Charleston, Washington DC, and Buffalo, as well as Puerto Rico and Dublin, Ireland. They had made the journey for one reason, despite one fan doing his best to convince all in earshot, including himself, that 'we are here for the football!' Inside, when Messi was introduced 30 minutes ahead of kickoff, the roar from the fairly sparse crowd resembled an environment more in keeping with a sold out stadium. It went up a couple of notches when he walked out again to a fuller house, as the players made their individual entrances to the field, seemingly a nod towards the Americanization of the sport – as FIFA President Gianni Infantino told CNN Sports' Coy Wire recently, this tournament will deliver '63 Super Bowls in one month.' Upon kickoff, with seemingly every touch of the ball from the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner, the sounds from the stands ranged from 'ooh's' to whistles, with the 'Me-ssi!' chant the most popular. It was bordering on surprising that the crowd didn't serenade the Argentine with a chorus of 'Happy Birthday' given the Barça legend turns 38 on Tuesday. The match was a slow-burner, but exploded into life in the second half. Inter Miami found itself a goal down at the break, courtesy of an early penalty from Porto's Samu Aghehowa. After the spot kick was converted, Messi's reaction from near the center circle was to keep his hand firmly on his hip and not move a muscle for a good 10 seconds in a manner which suggested: 'This wasn't the plan.' Perhaps, then, it was Porto which didn't plan on Inter Miami's rapid response. Just two minutes into the second half, Telasco Segovia's smart finish flew past goalkeeper Cláudio Ramos to level the score, and seven minutes later, Messi stepped up. In every way. A free kick on the edge of the box, which the Argentine star won, brought the crowd to the edge of their seats. A sense of inevitability hung in the air as the maestro marked his territory and figured out the exact angle to place a whipped shot into the corner of the net. You almost had to feel for Ramos, who couldn't lay a glove on either strike. The goal was a thing of beauty, as we have been treated to so frequently over the years, with Portuguese defender José Fonte lauding Messi on the DAZN broadcast: 'Touched by God, isn't he? Incredible. What a player.' The stunner ended up not just being the match winner but resulted in the first time a team from the CONCACAF region has defeated a European side in a competitive fixture. It was Messi's 50th goal for the team as well. Not too shabby for a Thursday afternoon in the middle of June. A point in the final group game against Brazilian outfit Palmeiras next Monday will guarantee Inter Miami's place in the knockout phase. Cutting through the noise and one wonders what the powers at be in FIFA make of it all. The sport's governing body essentially fast-tracked Inter Miami into the 32-team tournament, not by virtue of winning the MLS Cup, but rather the regular season Supporters' Shield, which may have come with a trophy, but is ultimately a pathway into the postseason. Messi and Miami were shockingly bounced last year in a best-of-three playoff series by the team which can normally be found playing at this stunning 70,000-capacity stadium, Atlanta United, with the MLS Cup eventually hoisted aloft by LA Galaxy. But the Seattle Sounders and LAFC completed the contingent of the three MLS sides in the Club World Cup, leaving the Galaxy on the outside looking in, gazing enviously at the brightest star of them all. And with the Club World Cup finally finding its feet, thanks to Messi's left foot resulting in one of the tournament's first signature moments, the reality remains that he is what has drawn the crowds here on Thursday, and last Saturday to boot, with the opening game of the tournament attracting over 60,000 fans to Hard Rock Stadium in Messi's American base of Miami. Inter Miami is a relatively new MLS franchise, with co-owner David Beckham – who may have felt a modicum of sympathy for his former club, the LA Galaxy, not getting an invite to FIFA's party – the original reason for this franchise gaining relevance in 2018. Whether the Club World Cup – which is set to take place every four years, the same cycle as the slightly more established FIFA World Cup, which will be 96 years old next summer – can grow in stature remains to be seen. In the here and now, Messi and Messi alone is on the mind of everyone fortunate enough to witness him in action. And that extends to the players as well. When CNN Sports speaks with Messi's teammate Fafà Picault after the match, the three words the winger associates with the soccer superstar are 'leader, winner, and winner again,' before noting, 'Sometimes, it's not always said with words but just with signals and body actions, so we try to read off of that. Obviously, we have conversations behind doors, but there's a lot more than just talking that can show signs of leadership.' And on Thursday, Lionel Messi's actions spoke far louder than words.
The National
30 minutes ago
- Sport
- The National
Best photos of June 20: From mass yoga in India to a bionic arm in China
The Uefa Nations League, introduced last year, has reached its final stage, to be played over five days in northern Portugal. The format of its closing tournament is compact, spread over two semi-finals, with the first, Portugal versus Switzerland in Porto on Wednesday evening, and the second, England against the Netherlands, in Guimaraes, on Thursday. The winners of each semi will then meet at Porto's Dragao stadium on Sunday, with the losing semi-finalists contesting a third-place play-off in Guimaraes earlier that day.
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Love Island: All Stars couple SPLIT four months after reaching the show's final over huge rows filming TOWIE
Love Island: All Stars couple Sammy Root and Elma Pazar have split, MailOnline can reveal. The TOWIE pair, who reached the ITV2 final in February, recently called it quits, leaving just one romance formed on the latest All Stars still going strong. MailOnline understands that Sammy and Elma ended their four-month relationship over rows which took place in Portugal during filming of the latest TOWIE series. Their flirtation began on the ITVBe show but Elma, 32, insisted ahead of returning to Love Island in January that a romance between her and Sammy, 24, would be off the cards after she admitted to falling into the 'habit of going back to the same people.' Despite their eight-year age difference, the couple reconnected on All Stars and reached the final, missing out on the £50,000 prize fund to Gabby Allen and Casey O'Gorman, who also split earlier this year. Following recent breakups from Harriett Blackmore and Ronnie Vint, as well as Ekin-Su and Curtis Pritchard, the last remaining couple from this year's All Stars series is Grace Jackson and Luca Bish. MailOnline understands that Sammy and Elma ended their four-month relationship over rows which took place in Portugal during filming of the latest TOWIE series
The Sun
an hour ago
- Sport
- The Sun
Fulham looking to bring back Joao Palhinha just 12 months after £48m Bayern transfer but face major issue
FULHAM are eyeing a sensational swoop to bring Joao Palhinha back to the Cottage — just a year after he joined Bayern Munich for £48million. The Portuguese midfielder, 29, endured a nightmare debut season in Germany and could now be handed a Premier League lifeline. 7 7 Palhinha's move to Bayern was meant to be the next big step in his career, but instead he's barely had a look-in under Vincent Kompany. The ex-Fulham ace started just SEVEN Bundesliga games all season and failed to register a single goal or assist in 17 appearances across all competitions. An injury saw him sidelined for over two months and his confidence has taken a hit. Now the Bundesliga champs are ready to cash in if the right offer comes along. Palhinha still wants to fight for his spot in Munich but Fulham are among a clutch of Prem clubs sniffing around. Mail Online report that an initial loan deal is being discussed but his hefty wages, though could throw a spanner in the works. Palhinha joined the Cottagers in 2022 and quickly became a fan favourite with his tough tackling in midfield. deadline day move to Bayern collapsed in the summer of 2023, before the Germans finally got their man 12 months later. 7 Palhinha was part of Portugal's Nations League-winning squad earlier this month but played just one minute across the semi and final. Fulham have yet to make any major moves in the market but are clearing the decks. They have 13 players including Willian and Carlos Vinicius, heading for the exit door when their contracts expire at the end of June. Under Marco Silva- Fulham have become a stable Premier League side finishing 11th last season and 10th season before that. 7 7
New York Times
an hour ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Benfica vs Auckland City live updates: Club World Cup 2025 predictions, team news, latest score
Good day and welcome to the latest match of our FIFA Club World Cup coverage as we move on to the second round of group games and a match-up between Benfica and Auckland City. There's an early leader in Group C as German giants Bayern Munich topped the table after the first round of games with a bruising 10-0 win over one of today's sides, Auckland City. They prop up the table while Benfica nestle in the middle after a dramatic 2-2 draw with Boca Juniors. Could we see more of that drama today? We have full build-up and match updates on the way for you, as well as all the insight you could wish for from our team of correspondents on the ground. Don't go anywhere — we've got you covered from here.
