KOLKATA: A giant statue of football superstar Lionel Messi erected in India to mark his visit last year is &ldquo;swaying in the wind&rdquo; and will be removed, a lawmaker told AFP on Wednesday. Workers have scrambled up the 21-meter (70-foot) golden-colored statue in the eastern city of Kolkata in West Bengal, throwing ropes around its shoulders to secure it. The sculpture showing the 38-year-old Argentina and Inter Miami star raising the World Cup trophy was unveiled during Messi&rsquo;s so-called GOAT Tour of India in December. But West Bengal state legislator Sharadwat Mukherjee said it was no longer safe. &ldquo;The statue of the Argentine football legend in the city of Kolkata was found unsafe by engineers of the West Bengal government,&rdquo; he said.&ldquo;We have noticed that the statue is swaying in the wind.&rdquo; Workers on Wednesday used ropes to attempt to secure the statue, which looms over a busy road. Mukherjee said it was not clear when it would be brought down. &ldquo;Removal has proved easier said than done,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;We are planning to remove the statue at the earliest opportunity.&rdquo; He did not say whether the statue would be re-erected at another site. Argentina is set to begin its World Cup campaign on June 16 against Algeria in Kansas City. Messi has not formally confirmed his plans to play in the World Cup, but is widely expected to return for what would be a record-matching sixth appearance at the tournament. He remains the side&rsquo;s talisman for the defense of the title they won in Qatar four years ago. India &mdash; a nation of 1.4 billion &mdash; is a cricket powerhouse, but struggles on the football pitch and is 142nd on the FIFA rankings. Football, however, is the country&rsquo;s second favorite sport, according to research by data company Nielsen released on Wednesday.

India

Kolkata’s towering Lionel Messi statue, unveiled after his India visit, is set to be removed after engineers declared it unsafe. The 70-foot structure has reportedly begun swaying in strong winds, prompting urgent safety measures and planned dismantling by authorities.

Giant Messi statue in India to be removed over safety concerns

PARIS: Lionel Messi&#39;s career seemed complete after he led Argentina to victory at the 2022 World Cup, but the motivation to keep playing is still there for him and his great rival Cristiano Ronaldo as the duo prepare to make history at this year&#39;s tournament in North America.&nbsp;This will be the last dance for Messi and Ronaldo, who will become the first players to appear in six different World Cups, two decades on from their fresh-faced debuts at the finals.&nbsp;They have since become icons far beyond the football pitch, two of the most recognisable people on the planet as they head into middle age and contemplate retirement.&nbsp;Messi appeared to suggest that there would not be much point in carrying on after he skippered Argentina to victory in Qatar.&nbsp;&quot;Obviously I wanted to finish my career with this. I can&#39;t ask for any more,&quot; he said after dragging Lionel Scaloni&#39;s side to victory over France on penalties in that World Cup final in Doha.&nbsp;&quot;My career is coming to an end because these are my final years. What more could there be after this?&quot;&nbsp;Plenty more, it turns out.&nbsp;Messi was in the middle of an underwhelming spell at Paris Saint-Germain then, and six months later he departed for Major League Soccer.&nbsp;There he is excelling with Inter Miami, with whom he won the MLS Cup last year.&nbsp;He might no longer be playing at the very highest level every week, but he remains crucial for Argentina.&nbsp;The Barcelona legend captained his country to victory at the Copa America in the US in 2024, and was the top scorer in South American World Cup qualifying.&nbsp;&quot;I love playing football, and I&#39;m going to do it until I can&#39;t anymore,&quot; he said recently.&nbsp;At one stage there were some doubts as to whether he would play at another World Cup, a tournament he first graced in 2006, when aged 18 he scored in a 6-0 demolition of Serbia and Montenegro in Gelsenkirchen.&nbsp;200 caps, goals record in sight&quot;I will do everything to make sure he is there,&quot; insisted Scaloni, with Messi now just two games away from reaching 200 caps.&nbsp;He is set to add to his record of 26 appearances in World Cup matches, including their run to the 2014 final in Brazil.&nbsp;Messi has 13 World Cup goals, meaning Miroslav Klose&#39;s record of 16 is within striking distance, especially as Argentina&#39;s group opponents do not appear the toughest.&nbsp;They will begin against Algeria and Austria before tackling Jordan in Dallas, three days after Messi&#39;s 39th birthday.&nbsp;He has a couple of years on Ronaldo, but the 41-year-old Portuguese talisman was determined to carry his international career on in the hope of landing the ultimate prize.&nbsp;Ronaldo was a teenager when he lost the Euro 2004 final with Portugal on home soil, but he made up for that by captaining them to victory at Euro 2016.&nbsp;Yet the World Cup has proven harder, at least after Portugal got to the 2006 semi-finals.&nbsp;Portugal have won only one World Cup knockout match since, when they hammered Switzerland 6-1 in 2022 with Ronaldo dropped to the bench.&nbsp;&nbsp;&#39;Exemplary commitment&#39;Roberto Martinez became coach after that and restored Ronaldo as the first-choice striker, which he remains despite not scoring at Euro 2024 when Portugal lost in the last eight.&nbsp;He is the most-capped men&#39;s player of all time with 226 international appearances, and the former Real Madrid and Manchester United superstar is now set to win the Saudi title with Al Nassr.&nbsp;Ronaldo confirmed recently this would be his last World Cup, insisting: &quot;I&#39;m going to be 41 years old and I think it will be the moment.&quot;&nbsp;Portugal, who go into a group with Colombia, Uzbekistan and DR Congo, are genuine contenders to win it even if there are doubts as to whether Ronaldo is holding back a talented squad.&nbsp;Personally, Ronaldo will be seeking to add to his eight World Cup goals, and finally get a first in the knockout stages.&nbsp;&quot;He is more than just a football player, but for the national team that is all he is,&quot; said Martinez in an interview with Portuguese broadcaster RTP.&nbsp;&quot;He is the captain and he shows exemplary commitment to his country. He is incredible.&quot;&nbsp;Lifting the World Cup at 41 would be quite the way for Ronaldo to finish &ndash;- and if both Portugal and Argentina top their groups, he and Messi would be on course to meet in the quarter-finals in Kansas City on July 11.

Football

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are set for their sixth and final World Cup appearance in 2026, aiming to make history. Both legends remain key for Argentina and Portugal, with a potential quarter-final showdown possible in Kansas City.

The last dance: Messi and Ronaldo get ready for sixth and final World Cup

TORONTO: Lionel Messi scored one goal and set up two more as Inter Miami got back to winning ways with a 4-2 defeat of Toronto FC in Major League Soccer on Saturday.&nbsp;Miami, beaten 4-3 at home by Orlando in last week&rsquo;s Florida derby, bounced back from that disappointment with an emphatic win on the road in Canada.&nbsp;Messi, who in just over a month&rsquo;s time is expected to lead Argentina&rsquo;s defense of their World Cup crown, delivered a typically dazzling performance in a victory that moves Inter back to within a point of Eastern Conference leaders Nashville.&nbsp;Messi&rsquo;s Argentina teammate Rodrigo De Paul fired Miami into the lead just before half-time, volleying in from the edge of the area on the rebound after his free kick struck the Toronto wall and fell invitingly into his path.&nbsp;Miami doubled their lead on 56 minutes, with Messi picking out former Barcelona teammate Luis Suarez with a first-time pass for the Uruguayan to calmly finish for 2-0.&nbsp;Messi was the creator again for Miami&rsquo;s third goal on 73 minutes, teeing up substitute Sergio Reguilon for his first career MLS goal.&nbsp;Fittingly Messi then added his name to the scoresheet two minutes later, releasing De Paul down the right to leave the Toronto defense scrambling into position.&nbsp;De Paul&rsquo;s low cross found Messi in the penalty area and the 38-year-old duly steered a side-footed finish into the bottom corner past Toronto goalkeeper Luka Gavran.&nbsp;Toronto flirted with an improbable comeback when Colombian substitute Emilio Aristizabal grabbed a brace with goals in the 82nd and 90th minutes, but Inter rode out 11 minutes of stoppage time to claim their sixth win of the season.

Lionel Messi scored once and assisted twice as Inter Miami CF bounced back from last week’s defeat with a 4-2 away win over Toronto FC in Major League Soccer.

Messi on target as Miami swat Toronto

MIAMI: Lionel Messi says Argentina fans are right to dream of a second straight World Cup crown, but warns other contenders, including France and Spain, &quot;are in better shape&quot;.&nbsp;&quot;There are a lot of guys who are dealing with injuries or a lack of match fitness, but the truth is that when the group is together it has been proven that it competes and always wants to win,&quot; Messi said of Argentina in an interview with host Pollo Alvarez published on YouTube.&nbsp;However, the eight-time Ballon d&#39;Or winner, who has made Inter Miami the must-see team in Major League Soccer, said the competition will be stiff.&nbsp;&quot;As of today, France are in great shape again. They have a ton of top-level players,&quot; he said of the team that Argentina beat in the 2022 final in Qatar.&nbsp;He also tipped Spain and Brazil, called Portugal &quot;very competitive&quot; and noted that traditional European powers Germany and England are always dangerous.&nbsp;Messi, who will turn 39 in June, has yet to officially confirm his participation in the tournament, which will be held from June 11-July 19 in the United States, Mexico and Canada.&nbsp;Nevertheless, the former Barcelona star stressed that he has not set any time limits on his career as his competitive hunger remains.&nbsp;&quot;I love playing football, and I&#39;m going to do it until I can&#39;t anymore,&quot; said Messi, who earned MLS Most Valuable Player honors last season as he sparked Miami to the title and led the league in goals.&nbsp;&quot;I&#39;m competitive,&quot; he said. &quot;I like to win at everything ... I don&#39;t even let my son win at video games.&quot;

Lionel Messi says Argentina can defend their World Cup title but warns France, Spain, Brazil, Portugal, Germany and England are strong contenders, while he remains motivated and undecided about playing.

Messi says Argentina up against 'other favorites' in World Cup repeat bid

<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 600; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: capitalize; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: nowrap; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; float: none; display: inline !important;" id="isPasted">FORT LAUDERDALE:&nbsp;Lionel Messi has bought Catalan club Cornella and become the team&#39;s new owner, the Spanish fifth-tier side announced on Thursday. The eight-time Ballon d&#39;Or winner is still playing in the United States for Inter Miami and is expected to play a key role in Argentina&#39;s World Cup title defence this year. &quot;This move reinforces Messi&#39;s close ties to Barcelona and his commitment to the development of sport and local talent in Catalonia,&quot; the club said in a statement confirming the former Barcelona star&#39;s acquisition. Several top players have come through the ranks at Cornella, based in the Barcelona suburbs, including Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya and Messi&#39;s former Barca teammate Jordi Alba. Cornella have suffered back-to-back relegations in the past two seasons. &quot;Leo Messi&#39;s arrival marks the beginning of a new chapter in the club&#39;s history, aimed at driving both sporting and institutional growth, strengthening its foundations, and continuing to invest in talent,&quot; Cornella added. &quot;The project is guided by a long-term vision and a strategic plan that combines ambition, sustainability, and a strong connection to its local roots.&quot; Messi came through Barcelona&#39;s academy before spending 17 seasons in the Catalan giants&#39; first team, becoming their all-time leading scorer with 672 goals. The 38-year-old has previously said he would return to live in Catalonia after he retires from football. He is set to play in his sixth World Cup when Argentina start their title defence at the tournament in the USA, Mexico and Canada against Algeria in Kansas on June 16. Messi&#39;s great rival Cristiano Ronaldo bought a 25-percent stake in another Spanish club, second-tier Almeria, two months ago.

Lionel Messi has bought Catalan club Cornella and become the team's new owner, the Spanish fifth-tier side announced on Thursday

Messi new owner of Spanish fifth-tier club Cornella

BUENOS AIRES: Lionel Messi scored one goal and set up another as Argentina thrashed Zambia 5-0 on Tuesday in the South Americans&#39; final game on home soil before launching the defense of their World Cup crown.&nbsp;Messi, restored to the starting line-up by coach Lionel Scaloni after Argentina&#39;s lackluster win over Mauritania last Friday, made an instant impact in Tuesday&#39;s friendly at La Bombonera in Buenos Aires.&nbsp;The 38-year-old superstar set up the opening goal for Julian Alvarez before bagging his 116th goal for Argentina with an individual strike just before half-time.&nbsp;Tuesday&#39;s game marked a World Cup send-off for the reigning world champions, who will face Algeria, Austria and Jordan in Group J of the finals in June.&nbsp;Argentina will also play a friendly against Serbia in June, and are seeking to arrange another warm-up fixture before the tournament.&nbsp;Messi is firmly expected to captain Argentina into what will be a record sixth World Cup finals as the South American giants target back-to-back titles.&nbsp;The Inter Miami playmaker once again demonstrated his enduring influence on the Albiceleste with a typically decisive contribution in a comfortable win.&nbsp;Alvarez fired Argentina into the lead after just four minutes when Messi effortlessly controlled a lofted pass on the edge of the area and then threaded a pass into the feet of the Atletico Madrid striker to score.&nbsp;Messi doubled Argentina&#39;s lead with the 902nd goal of his career two minutes before half-time, working a clever one-two with Liverpool midfielder Alexis Mac Allister before tucking a low finish past Zambia goalkeeper Willard Mwanza.&nbsp;Messi could have added to his goals tally just after half-time when Argentina were awarded a penalty following Albert Kangwanda&#39;s foul on Thiago Almada.&nbsp;But rather than take the spot kick himself, Messi handed the ball to veteran defender Nicolas Otamendi, and the 38-year-old made no mistake from the spot for a 3-0 lead.&nbsp;An own goal from Dominic Chanda in the 68th minute put Argentina 4-0 up, before rising star Valentin Barco completed the scoring in stoppage time to make it 5-0.&nbsp;

Lionel Messi scored and assisted as Argentina beat Zambia 5-0 in a World Cup warm-up, with goals from Alvarez, Otamendi, Barco and an own goal completing victory.

Messi on target as Argentina down Zambia in World Cup send-off

BUENOS AIRES: Lionel Messi will start for Argentina in a friendly against Zambia on Tuesday in what is the reigning world champions&#39; final game on home soil before they defend their World Cup crown.&nbsp;Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said Messi, who began on the bench for Friday&#39;s lacklustre 2-1 win over Mauritania, will spearhead what is expected to be a full-strength side against Zambia.&nbsp;&quot;Messi will be in the starting lineup tomorrow,&quot; Scaloni said.&nbsp;Messi, 38, has not formally confirmed he plans to play in the World Cup but played a full part in Argentina&#39;s qualification campaign for the finals.&nbsp;Scaloni indicated that he expects Messi to be part of his squad for what would be the eight-time Ballon D&#39;Or winners&#39; sixth World Cup appearance.&nbsp;&quot;The important thing is that he comes and enjoys being at a World Cup &mdash; which, theoretically, will be his last,&quot; Scaloni said of Messi.&nbsp;&quot;We want him to enjoy it, because later on, you really miss playing in events like these.&quot;&nbsp;Scaloni said Messi on Tuesday will be surrounded by the established core of the team which topped South American qualifying and that will start the World Cup among the favorites for the title.&nbsp;&quot;Most of the players we know well will be playing. This will be the final test,&quot; Scaloni said.&nbsp;&quot;Later, we&#39;ll make some changes to take a look at some of the younger guys, but the idea is to field our most familiar lineup,&quot; he said, emphasizing that Friday&#39;s scrappy win over Mauritania was not representative of his squad.&nbsp;&quot;I am convinced that the team&#39;s performance level is not what we saw the other day,&quot; Scaloni said. &quot;If we see that the team isn&#39;t quite there, we&#39;ll look for other options. But they deserve a vote of confidence.&quot;&nbsp;Scaloni has already submitted a preliminary 55-player list to the Argentina Football Association, with the final 26-man squad to be confirmed at the end of May.&nbsp;&quot;I have the list pretty well figured out, but if performance levels aren&#39;t up to par, we&#39;ll take measures to ensure we bring the absolute best squad possible; we are striving for something as close to perfection as we can get,&quot; he said.&nbsp;&quot;The players who have been with us for a while hold a slight advantage simply because we know them well; however, they have to maintain that advantage -- and everyone knows what happened the other day (against Mauritania) cannot be repeated.&quot;

Lionel Messi will start for Argentina in a friendly against Zambia, their final home match before the World Cup. Coach Scaloni plans a full-strength lineup, emphasizing squad performance and preparing for Messi’s likely sixth World Cup.

Messi to start for Argentina in World Cup send-off: Scaloni

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Football fans around the world voiced sharp criticism of the management of Lionel Messi&rsquo;s tour in India, highlighting chaotic arrangements and the forward&rsquo;s apparent discomfort during public appearances. Fans reacted angrily on social media after video clips showed Messi being surrounded and hugged by a local Indian politician, leaving the superstar looking visibly uneasy.&nbsp;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 708px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1999930651462824174&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=2be54c40ba3fcd94a01692bbc121079296bf6530&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>Lionel Messi&#39;s tour, December 13-15,&nbsp;India kicked off chaotically as fans threw objects, ripped up seats and invaded the pitch at Kolkata&#39;s Salt Lake stadium. According to Reuters, Satadru Dutta, the event&#39;s chief organizer, has been detained by police, said Rajeev Kumar, director general of West Bengal police. Many fans around the world expressed disappointment, describing the event as poorly organized and &ldquo;chaotic,&rdquo; while the politician&rsquo;s presence and interference overshadowed Messi&rsquo;s engagement with the public.&nbsp;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 625px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1999871162835427746&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=2be54c40ba3fcd94a01692bbc121079296bf6530&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>In the event, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis honored Bollywood actors Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff during the ceremony, while Messi and Argentina midfielder Rodrigo De Paul were seen standing to the side.&nbsp;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-2" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 673px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-2&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2000384977075306917&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=2be54c40ba3fcd94a01692bbc121079296bf6530&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>The incident has sparked a wider debate among international football communities about event organization and fan experience, saying the tour failed to deliver a proper fan experience despite high expectations. Messi, however, was quoted by Al Jazeera as saying: &ldquo;It was beautiful to receive all the love and support. I knew it was there, but to receive it first-hand was, well, amazing,&rdquo; adding that he will &ldquo;definitely be back.&rdquo;

Football fans worldwide criticized the management of Lionel Messi’s India tour after chaotic scenes at Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium and videos showing him uncomfortable, saying the event was poorly organized and failed to deliver a proper fan experience.

Football fans slam India over Messi tour mismanagement

MIAMI: Lionel Messi won his second consecutive Major League Soccer Most Valuable Player award on Tuesday after propelling Inter Miami to the MLS title and leading the league in goals.&nbsp;Messi became the first player to win back-to-back MLS MVP awards and only the second player in the league to capture two MVP awards after Preki in 1997 and 2003.&nbsp;&quot;I&#39;m happy to receive this award and be the first in the history of this league to win it in two consecutive years,&quot; Messi said. &quot;I&#39;m very thankful.&quot;&nbsp;The 38-year-old forward, who led Argentina to the 2022 World Cup crown, scored 29 goals in the regular season -- the fourth-most in any MLS campaign -- and set up 19 others to claim the MLS Golden Boot.&nbsp;&quot;I&#39;m thankful for this recognition,&quot; Messi said. &quot;It&#39;s always nice to receive individual awards but I want to share it with my teammates. I was also fortunate to win the MLS Golden Boot thanks to the help of my teammates.&quot;&nbsp;Messi, who signed a three-year contract extension with Miami in October, also became only the second player to lead the league in regular-season goals and assists, joining Toronto&#39;s Sebastian Giovinco in 2015.&nbsp;Messi also netted six goals and created nine others in this year&#39;s MLS playoffs, which concluded last weekend with Inter Miami beating Vancouver 3-1 for its first MLS Cup title, Messi delivering two key assists in the triumph to claim MLS Cup MVP honors.&nbsp;It&#39;s the latest award in a trophy haul for the South American maestro that includes a record eight Ballon d&#39;Or titles, three FIFA Men&#39;s Best Player awards, and two FIFA World Cup Golden Balls.&nbsp;Messi was a runaway season MVP award winner with 70.43 per cent of total voting compared to 11.15 per cent for runner-up Anders Dreyer of San Diego FC. Messi took 83.05 per cent of media votes, 73.08 per cent of club votes, and 55.17 per cent of player votes.&nbsp;He became the first MLS player with 10 multi-goal games in a season, breaking the old mark of eight shared by Stern John in 1998, Mamadou Diallo in 2000, and Zlatan Ibrahimovic in 2019.&nbsp;In 2024, Messi won the MLS MVP award with 20 goals and 16 assists over 19 matches.&nbsp;Messi joined Inter Miami in July 2023 and helped the Herons hoist the Leagues Cup, a tournament for MLS and Mexican League clubs, that year and take the 2024 MLS Supporters&#39; Shield with a league-best 74 points in the regular season.

Lionel Messi won his second consecutive MLS MVP award after leading Inter Miami to the MLS title, scoring 29 goals, providing 19 assists, and excelling in the playoffs, also earning the MLS Golden Boot.

Miami's Messi wins second consecutive MLS MVP award

FORT LAUDERDALE: Lionel Messi inspired Inter Miami to their first ever MLS Cup title on Saturday, playing a starring role in a 3-1 victory over the Vancouver Whitecaps in Florida.&nbsp;Argentina superstar Messi provided assists for two goals and helped create another to spark wild celebrations before a rapturous home crowd at the Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale.&nbsp;&quot;This is the moment that I&#39;ve been waiting for, and that we as a team have been waiting for,&quot; Messi, named MLS Cup Most Valuable Player, said afterwards.&nbsp;Miami took the lead after an early Edier Ocampo own goal, but were left reeling by Ali Ahmed&#39;s second-half equalizer for Vancouver.&nbsp;But Messi then laid on an assist for Argentina international team-mate Rodrigo De Paul to put Miami 2-1 up before supplying the pass for Tadeo Allende&#39;s injury-time goal that sealed victory.&nbsp;Miami&#39;s first Major League Soccer crown provided glittering vindication for co-owner David Beckham, the former England and Manchester United star who had long dreamed of bringing success to Miami.&nbsp;&quot;There was a lot of sleepless nights, but I always believed,&quot; Beckham said afterwards. &quot;I always believed in bringing the team here, and when I found the right partners I knew anything was possible.&nbsp;&quot;We always promised our fans that we would bring success, and bring the best players, and today we&#39;ve achieved that.&quot;&nbsp;Vancouver, spearheaded by German legend Thomas Mueller, had looked the likelier victor after recovering from Ocampo&#39;s eighth-minute own goal to level through Ali Ahmed in the 60th minute.&nbsp;The Whitecaps almost took the lead moments after the equalizer, with Emmanuel Sabbi&#39;s shot crashing off both posts in the 62nd minute as Miami escaped.

Lionel Messi led Inter Miami to their first MLS Cup title with a 3-1 win over Vancouver, providing two assists. Rodrigo De Paul and Tadeo Allende scored, fulfilling co-owner David Beckham’s vision for the club.

Articles tagged with "Lionel Messi"

Giant Messi statue in India to be removed over safety concerns

The last dance: Messi and Ronaldo get ready for sixth and final World Cup

Messi on target as Miami swat Toronto

Messi says Argentina up against 'other favorites' in World Cup repeat bid

Messi new owner of Spanish fifth-tier club Cornella

Messi on target as Argentina down Zambia in World Cup send-off

Messi to start for Argentina in World Cup send-off: Scaloni

Football fans slam India over Messi tour mismanagement

Miami's Messi wins second consecutive MLS MVP award

Messi dazzles as Miami beat Vancouver to win MLS title

Giant Messi statue in India to be removed over safety concerns