Lionel Messi equaled Portugal icon and contemporary Cristiano Ronaldo's record of most hat-tricks for a national team – to lead Argentina over Bolivia 6-0 in a World Cup qualifier on Tuesday.

Kylian Mbappé clinched his first hat-trick for Real Madrid in their 3-0 La Liga win away at Real Valladolid on Saturday, his first for the club since joining from Paris Saint-Germain PSG last summer.

This arguably is Mbappé's best hat-trick to date, and it perhaps felt significant that he managed this against a Barcelona side that contained his future teammate Lionel Messi. His first goal ...

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta was asked in 2024 to name his favorite footballer, and he chose Lionel Messi over the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Pele and Diego Maradona.

Arsenal are reportedly eyeing former Real Madrid midfielder Nico Paz, who's Lionel Messi's Argentina teammate. The 20-year-old moved from Castilla to Como last summer.

In addition to a friendly match, Messi is expected to spend 20 minutes on a public stage to interact with his fans in Kerala.