Al_Leeds

[Exclusive Messi @ExclusiveMessi]

🚨 #BREAKING WORLD RECORD:

Lionel Messi is the FIRST & ONLY player in HISTORY to score 800 non-penalty goals!

THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME 🐐

[Messi out of Context @OutMessi_]

Tomense un momento para leer la declaración del DT de Argelia, rendido a los pies de Messi, pero con conceptos que no suelen escucharse.

🗣️ Vladimir Petković:

“Llegamos a este partido con un plan, con disciplina y con convicción... pero a veces el fútbol te pone enfrente a un jugador capaz de destruir la mejor preparación con un solo toque de pelota.”

“Lo que produjo Lionel Messi esta noche no fue solamente una gran actuación; fue una clase de fútbol dictada por una de las mentes y talentos más grandes que haya visto este deporte.”

“Les decís a tus jugadores que se mantengan compactos, concentrados, que no le den espacios... y aun así encuentra la forma de crear magia donde no debería existir.”

“Lo más frustrante es que podés hacer muchas cosas bien en defensa y aun así terminar sufriendo, porque ve pases, movimientos y oportunidades que nadie más en la cancha es capaz de ver.”

“A los 38 años, la mayoría de los futbolistas hablan de retirarse, administrar minutos o bajar el ritmo. Messi sigue definiendo partidos de Mundial, rompiendo récords y haciendo que defensores de élite parezcan impotentes.”

“Miré a mi banco después de su tercer gol y había una sensación de incredulidad en todos. No porque estuviéramos perdiendo, sino porque estábamos presenciando algo especial que quizás no vuelva a repetirse.”

“La gente hablará del hat-trick, de los récords y de las estadísticas, pero lo que más me impresionó fue la autoridad. Controló el partido como si el juego se moviera a la velocidad que él decidía.”

“Me tocó enfrentar a grandes jugadores a lo largo de mi carrera, pero esta noche fue diferente. Esta noche se sintió como si la historia del fútbol se hubiera detenido durante noventa minutos para recordarle al mundo exactamente quién es Lionel Messi.”

[Adam Crafton @AdamCrafton_]

When will one of the TV ex player pundits call out the blindingly obvious and just say Portugal shouldn’t have a 41 year old walking around up front.

[M☠️ @thehouseoffootb]

🚨🗣️ Zlatan Ibrahimović on the Messi vs Ronaldo GOAT debate:

“Every week, every month, every year, somebody asks me the same question.”

🗣️ “‘Zlatan, who is the GOAT? Messi or Ronaldo?’”

🗣️ “Honestly? I get tired of hearing it.”

🗣️ “Not because they aren't great players. They are.”

🗣️ “But because people talk about football as if it is a video game.”

🗣️ “One player scores a goal and suddenly he's the GOAT.”

🗣️ “The other wins a trophy and suddenly the debate is over.”

🗣️ “Football is bigger than that.”

🗣️ “Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the greatest athletes football has ever seen.”

🗣️ “The goals. The mentality. The discipline. The longevity.”

🗣️ “Nobody can take that away from him.”

🗣️ “Over 900 career goals.”

🗣️ “League titles in different countries.”

🗣️ “Champions Leagues.”

🗣️ “Records everywhere.”

🗣️ “Cristiano created a legacy that may never be repeated.”

🗣️ “But then there is Lionel Messi.”

🗣️ “And this is where people get angry with me.”

🗣️ “Because for me, Messi is not normal.”

🗣️ “Cristiano mastered football.”

🗣️ “Messi became football.”

🗣️ “When I watch Messi, I don't see a player following the game.”

🗣️ “I see a player creating the game.”

🗣️ “The goals.”

🗣️ “The assists.”

🗣️ “The dribbling.”

🗣️ “The vision.”

🗣️ “The intelligence.”

🗣️ “The World Cup.”

🗣️ “Everything.”

🗣️ “People ask me how I compare them.”

🗣️ “Sometimes I don't understand the comparison.”

🗣️ “It's like comparing a lion to a shark.”

🗣️ “Both are killers.”

🗣️ “But they hunt differently.”

🗣️ “Cristiano is the greatest goalscorer I have ever seen.”

🗣️ “Messi is the greatest footballer I have ever seen.”

🗣️ “There is a difference.”

🗣️ “And before Ronaldo fans get angry, listen carefully.”

🗣️ “Being second to Messi is not an insult.”

🗣️ “Most players would dream of being second.”

🗣️ “Cristiano is a legend.”

🗣️ “A football icon.”

🗣️ “A player who changed history.”

🗣️ “But if you lock me in a room and force me to choose one player...”

🗣️ “One player for one match.”

🗣️ “One player for my life.”

🗣️ “One player to represent football itself.”

🗣️ “I choose Messi.”

🗣️ “Every time.”

🗣️ “Because goals can be broken.”

🗣️ “Records can be broken.”

🗣️ “Trophies can be matched.”

🗣️ “But what Messi does with a football?”

🗣️ “That cannot be taught.”

🗣️ “That cannot be trained.”

🗣️ “That is a gift from God.”

🐐🇦🇷⚽

🗣️ “Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the greatest players in history.”

🗣️ “Lionel Messi is history.”

[LM10 Brasil @MessiLeoBrasil_]

Cristiano Ronaldo NÃO consegue mais manter o alto nível pela seleção, sendo titular atrapalha mais que ajuda.

Em 2022 vimos isso acontecer, imagina agora em 2026 com 41 anos

Descanse no banco cara, afinal é apenas um torneio de 7 jogos 😭

[The Athletic | Football @TheAthleticFC]

'I don’t know if people are surprised by Cristiano Ronaldo's struggle so far, but it is absolutely nothing new.

'Ronaldo made so little impact at Euro 2024 (no goals in five games) and even at the 2022 World Cup, where he scored one goal (a penalty against Ghana) in five appearances.

'The difference at the Euros was that he was at least getting chances. So far this afternoon he has barely had a sniff.' - @OliverKay

Portugal vs DR Congo live blog: https://t.co/HCVMLcoBfR

[Joe Pompliano @JoePompliano]

They aren’t even hiding what these hydration breaks are about. It’s 75 degrees under a roof at SoFi, the announcer says “that’s the end of the first quarter,” and then it’s straight to commercials. The game is gone.

[Leeds Rhinos @leedsrhinos]

Sir Kevin Sinfield. Captain. Legend. Knight.
Legendary Leeds Rhinos captain Kevin Sinfield has been knighted in the King's Birthday honours for his incredible contribution to rugby and charity. Check out his career highlights.
More https://t.co/wvJuAsRlBB

[Leeds Rhinos @leedsrhinos]

🔊 Turn it up loud, wake the entire house, arise Sir Kevin Sinfield
More https://t.co/wvJuAsRlBB

[Stunner @invertCucurella]

🚨BREAKING: Didier Drogba says if the USA didn't want other Countries citizens in the US they shouldn't have bid for the Fifa world cup 2026 and says denial of Iran supporters and Somali referee Omar Artan is totally unacceptable, Football should be separated from politics

"When a country bids to host the biggest football tournament on the planet, it knows exactly what comes with it. Players, referees, officials and supporters from every corner of the world are part of the package."

"I look at the situation involving Somali referee Omar Artan and I feel disappointed for him. FIFA selected him because he earned that opportunity on merit, yet he was unable to participate after being denied entry."

"Then you hear about Iran's football federation claiming that its supporter ticket allocation was withdrawn just days before the tournament. If true, that leaves ordinary fans paying the price for issues that have nothing to do with football."

"The people suffering are not politicians. They're supporters who save money for years hoping to follow their national team at a World Cup."

"Football has always been one of the few things capable of bringing different cultures together. The moment politics starts deciding who gets to be part of that experience, everyone loses."

"I played in World Cups and international tournaments. The beauty of those events is seeing supporters from dozens of countries sharing the same streets, the same stadiums and the same passion."

"No fan should be judged because of their nationality, and no referee should miss the biggest moment of his career because of political circumstances beyond his control."

"FIFA, governments and football authorities need to find solutions because the headlines right now are about visas, travel restrictions and disputes instead of the football itself."

"The World Cup should belong to the world. That's what makes it special. The game must always come first, and politics should never be allowed to overshadow football's greatest celebration."

[Miguel Delaney @MiguelDelaney]

The visa story is the most telling controversy this World Cup has had

Fifa is going against its own rules and precedent

Should it even be held in a state that clearly doesn't see it as a World Cup

What was the point of Infantino's cravenness to Trump?
https://t.co/87oIeNMo4B

[Stunner @invertCucurella]

🚨EXCLUSIVE: Thierry Henry says the world cup in the USA is looking like a mess, Iran says FIFA has withdrawn its World Cup ticket allocation, Somali referee Omar Artan was who was appointed by FIFA to ref in the 2026 World Cup denied entry, expensive ticket and says politcs had no business in football

"The more I look at this World Cup, the more it feels like football is fighting battles that have nothing to do with football. That's what worries me."

"We're talking about the biggest sporting event on the planet, yet the conversation isn't only about players, tactics, or the countries that qualified. It's about travel issues, ticket disputes, and politics."

"Look at the situation involving Iran. Reports say the country's ticket allocation for supporters was withdrawn just days before the tournament. Whether you're Iranian or not, fans should be part of the World Cup experience."

"Then you have the Omar Artan story. FIFA selected him because they believed he was one of the best referees in the world. He earned that opportunity on merit."

"Yet he was denied entry into the United States despite reportedly holding a valid visa. Suddenly the story stopped being about football and became about something else entirely."

"I feel for him because becoming the first Somali referee at a World Cup should have been a celebration for African football, not a controversy."

"Then there are the supporters. Many people have complained about the cost of attending matches, accommodation, and travel. The World Cup should be accessible to ordinary football fans, not only the wealthiest ones."

"Football has always been at its best when it unites people from different cultures, religions, and political backgrounds. That's the beauty of the game."

"The danger is when political disputes begin influencing who can attend, who can officiate, and how supporters experience the tournament. That is a road football should avoid."

"I still believe the World Cup will produce incredible moments, but FIFA must make sure that football remains the main story. Politics has enough stages already; the football pitch shouldn't be one of them."

[HLTCO @HLTCO]

Absolutely bang on the money from Ian Wright.

[Ethan Ampadu @ethanamp26]

25/26 🤍💙💛
At least until the world stops going round… 👀🖊️
#MOT

[Patrick @Pogblah]

The Killers spent more time in PSG's half than Arsenal did in over 130mins

[bray @maybebrayyy]

Morgan Gibbs-White has scored TEN goals and produced three assists since Noni Madueke last registered a Premier League goal contribution of any sort.

#NFFC

[Max Scott @maxbscott]

Forget about Phil Foden and Cole Palmer.. they’ve been miles off it.. Morgan Gibbs White not being picked is a travesty.

No other English player in the Premier League has scored more goals

He’s one of two English players nominated for PL players of the season.

That decision flies in the face of meritocracy.

He’s worked so hard to reach this level, he’s carried Forest on his back to premier league survival.

A sad day for one of the nicest, most hard-working players you’ll see in the game.

[Leeds United @LUFC]

🫡 Our captain!