Lionel Messi

Messi heading to the USA

The former Barcelona forward is set to reject a more lucrative offer from Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal.

The Miami deal includes collaboration from brands like Adidas and Apple.

Messi, 35, won the Ballon d'Or award for the world's best player seven times and is expected to win it later this year after his World Cup success.

This is the first time Barcelona icon Messi has played outside Europe.

He wanted to remain in Europe for another season but, after no satisfactory offers were received, he had the straight choice between Inter Miami or Al-Hilal.

Messi and Argentina win Laureus Awards

Messi captained Argentina, scored seven times and won the Golden Ball as his country won the 2022 World Cup in Qatar in December.

He is the first athlete to win the team and individual awards in the same year.

Sportswoman of the year went to Jamaican sprinter Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce.

She won the women's 100m world title at the World Athletics Championships in Oregon in July, becoming the first person to win five golds in an individual track event at the championships.

Messi wins second FIFA player of the year award

The 35-year-old forward scored two goals in the final against France, with the South Americans emerging triumphant on penalties following a 3-3 draw after extra time in Qatar.

"It's amazing. It was a tremendous year and it is an honour for me to be here tonight and win this award", said Messi, who sat next to France forward and Paris St Germain team mate Kylian Mbappe throughout the ceremony at Paris's Salle Pleyel.

Lionel Messi: Argentina forward wins Best Fifa men's player of the year award

The seven-time Ballon d'Or winner beat French forwards Kylian Mbappe and Karim Benzema to the award.

Messi, 35, helped Argentina win the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, scoring 27 goals in 49 games for club and country in 2021-22.

Barcelona's Alexia Putellas was named women's player of the year.

At the ceremony in Paris, Lionel Scaloni, who led Argentina to their third World Cup title, was named men's coach of the year.

Messi to make January return to Paris St Germain

The Argentine forward, seven-times Ballon D'Or winner, scored two goals to lead his country to victory over France on penalties in the World Cup final nine days ago.

Reuters reports the 35-year-old Messi will miss PSG's home league game against Strasbourg on Wednesday and the trip to Lens on Sunday.

"He (Messi) had to return to Argentina for the celebrations, the receptions and we decided that he was going to be off until the 1st of January," Galtier told reporters.

Messi scoops Golden Ball, Golden Boot for Mbappe

This is the second time Messi has been named the best player of the tournament, having also won it in 2014.

Kylian Mbappe who is only the second player to score a hat-trick in a World Cup final, topped the scoring sheet with eight goals, earning the Golden Boot Award.

Argentina goalkeeper, Emiliano Martinez scooped the Golden Glove award.

Martinez was instrumental in the final penalty shoot-out denying Kingsley Coman of France, making a difference on the score sheet.

21-year-old Argentinian midfielder Enzo Fernandez was given the FIFA Young Player Award.

Qatar 2022 on the brink of becoming Lionel Messi's World Cup

Just like Diego Maradona stamped himself indelibly on Argentina's 1986 win in Mexico and Brazil striker Ronaldo wrote a redemption story in Yokohama in their 2002 triumph, this will be known as Messi's World Cup if he inspires victory against either France or Morocco in the final.

Argentina's campaign in Qatar opened with the ignominy of what is still this World Cup's biggest shock, when they lost to Saudi Arabia.

Lionel Messi wins award as best player in world football for seventh time

Messi, 34, helped his country win the Copa America, his first international honour, and has scored 40 goals in 2021 - 28 for Barcelona, four for Paris St-Germain and eight for Argentina.

Bayern Munich and Poland striker Robert Lewandowski came second, Chelsea and Italy midfielder Jorginho was third and Real Madrid's French striker Karim Benzema finished fourth.

The Ballon d'Or is voted for by 180 journalists from around the world, although there was no award in 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Argentine 'would love' to return to Barcelona as a sporting director

Messi, 34, made an emotional exit from the Nou Camp in August after more than 20 years, joining Paris St-Germain.

While he is not thinking about retirement yet, he "would love to be a sporting director at some point".

He added: "I don't know if it will be in Barcelona or if it will be something else. If there's the chance, I would like to go back and contribute."

In an interview with Spanish newspaper Sport, the six-time Ballon d'Or winner said: "I always said that I would love to be able to help the club.

Messi replaced on home debut

Summer signing Messi hit the angle of post and bar with a free-kick in the first half and forced a save from Anthony Lopes but was below his best.

With the score at 1-1, he was replaced by right-back Achraf Hakimi and did not look happy at coming off.

Messi was given a round of applause, but not a standing ovation by his fans.

The 34-year-old, who left Barcelona this summer, did not stop but briefly said something to boss Mauricio Pochettino while walking past him to the bench.