โHe is the Michael Jordan of football. In football, there is no one to compare to him.
โHeโs been the best for the last 20 years. Even now, after all this time, he goes and out and shows us that.
โI donโt believe we will ever see a footballer like him again.โ
In the first of three columns for The Athletic, Xavi praises the โincomparable, almost inhumanโ Lionel Messi.
FREE TO READ ๐ https://t.co/08ORJQFjHc
โ "Contributing nothing... you're hurting the team!"
๐ค "You can't be allowed to get away with it!"
Tony Cascarino insists Portugal have zero hope of winning the World Cup if they keep starting Cristiano Ronaldo! ๐
๐จ Lionel Messi is expected to make an appearance in a Barcelona shirt ๐ข๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ฆ๐ง ๐ง๐๐ ๐ before retiring with Inter Miami.
Inter Miami are in talks to face Barcelona in the Joan Gamper Trophy, with plans being discussed for the Argentine to feature in the match.
Messi could play one half for each club if the fixture is agreed, creating a symbolic farewell appearance for Barcelona.
(Source: @elnacionalcat)
Iran coach Amir Ghalenoei has claimed he has been shunned by the other 47 managers at the World Cup.
He also said his squad had suffered further disruption after Fifaโs attempts to fix their latest travel chaos failed.
Read more about the challenges facing Iran's squad โคต๏ธ
https://t.co/Wsc2JPvpUG
๐จ Bayern Munich are planning to offer Michael Olise a new contract with a big wage increase amid growing interest from Real Madrid and Liverpool.
Bayern have no intention of selling the French winger and want to secure his long-term future after his impressive rise into one of the world's best players in Germany. ๐ซ๐ท
(Source: Mirror)
After Fifa, and the big two of Ronaldo and Messi, David Beckham is arguably the biggest football brand at this World Cup.
@SamWallaceTel charts how this once very good, but not great, footballer has managed to pull it off โคต๏ธ
https://t.co/bn0vZ6SE2m
Fifa has banned a group of England fans from taking their local clubโs version of the St Georgeโs flag to a World Cup match because it contains a submarine.
The Barrow AFC supporters were denied permission to fly the flag because it โincludes imagery of weapons or militaryโ โคต๏ธ
https://t.co/2NxVkCfa80
18 - Lamine Yamal is only the second player aged 18 or younger to open the scoring in a FIFA World Cup match - the other was a 17-year-old Pelรฉ for Brazil v Wales in 1958.
Emulating.
๐จ ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐๐๐ก๐: A 64-team World Cup is moving further away from becoming a reality.
The proposal put forward by CONMEBOL appears to be losing momentum, with Gianni Infantino not showing much enthusiasm for the idea internally. FIFA's president is understood to have reservations about expanding the tournament beyond its already enlarged format.
UEFA remain firmly against the proposal, while the AFC are also said to have significant doubts, leaving the chances of a further expansion looking increasingly slim at this stage. ๐
(Source: @RMCsport)
๐จ ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐๐๐ก๐: Lucas Bergvall has informed Tottenham that he wants to leave the club this summer in search of a new challenge.
The 20-year-old midfielder is attracting interest from clubs in the Premier League and across Europe, with Spurs aware of his desire for a fresh start despite being under contract until 2031. ๐ธ๐ช
(Source: @David_Ornstein)
No club has had a bigger hand in the goals at the 2026 World Cup than Liverpool.
Their players have combined for 12 goal involvements so far (4 goals, 8 assists) - comfortably the most of any club in the world, with Bayern Munich and Real Madrid next best on 8.
๐จ Real Madrid are preparing to make their move for Michael Olise.
The Spanish giants are expected to submit their opening offer for the Bayern winger within the next 2-3 weeks as they step up plans to sign him this summer. ๐๐ซ๐ท
(Source: @latigoserrano)