🚨💙❤️ Hansi Flick: “People who say we don’t compete in big games? We know our quality and how good we can be” 💪🏽
“Every defeat, whether against Madrid or Paris, a game we didn’t play that badly. With Real, the result could’ve been different too” 👀
“I trust and believe in my team 100% and in our ideas. If we play like we did today in the second half, everything will be fine” #FCB ⭐️
🚨🇺🇸 OFFICIAL: Lionel Messi wins the MLS Golden Boot 2026 and becomes the first player ever to win it back to back.
👟✨ 2025 — 29 goals in 28 games
👟✨ 2026 — 26 goals in 31 games
🚨Lamine Yamal on the letter Lionel Messi sent him after losing the Ballon d’Or to Harry Kane.
🗣️Reporter: Lamine, we heard Messi sent you a personal letter after the ceremony. What did he say to you?
🎙️Lamine Yamal: Honestly, that letter meant more to me than people can imagine.
After losing, I tried to act like everything was fine. I congratulated Harry because he deserved his moment, but deep down, I was disappointed. I had dreamed of winning that award, and for a moment, I felt like I had let everyone down.
Then Messi's letter arrived.
Imagine being a young boy who grew up watching Lionel Messi, and one day, after the most disappointing night of your career, you receive a personal message from him. I sat there reading it, trying to process everything.
He told me not to let one ceremony define my career. He reminded me that he didn't win his first Ballon d'Or until he was 22, and he eventually went on to win eight.
He basically told me that I was still at the beginning of my journey, and there was no reason to allow one disappointment to make me question my future.
But one part of his letter really touched me. He told me:
"Lamine, never allow the desire to become the best player in the world to make you forget why you started playing football. Enjoy the game, keep learning, and let time tell your story. You don't have to prove everything today."
I read those words several times.
Coming from Messi, they meant everything. This is the man I watched growing up, the man who made me fall in love with football. He didn't tell me I deserved to win, and he didn't disrespect Harry Kane. He simply reminded me that my story is far from over.
That was when I realised something. I had spent so much time thinking about winning the Ballon d'Or that I was forgetting how special it was just to be living my dream.
I may have lost the award, but receiving that letter from Lionel Messi was something I'll carry with me for the rest of my life.
And one day, if a young player comes to me feeling the way I felt that night, I hope I can give him the same encouragement Messi gave me.
Because legends aren't only remembered for the trophies they win. Sometimes, they're remembered for the people they inspire when they have nothing to gain.
🚨🎙️ Frenkie de Jong reveals what Luis Enrique told him after the game against PSG:
Reporter: We saw you sharing a moment with Luis Enrique after the game. Was he also giving you instructions like he did with Raphinha?
Frenkie de Jong: (laughs) No, not instructions. We were exchanging greetings after the game when he came up to me and said, “Man, we were so lucky Flick didn’t bring you on tonight!”
I laughed and asked him, “Why? You have one of the best midfields in the world!” (laughs)
He said that after Pedri came off, he kept hoping Flick wouldn’t bring me on because, after what Pedri had already done to his midfield, the last thing he wanted was to face another midfielder like me with his players getting tired.
He explained that the way I protect the ball, keep it close to my feet and carry it forward makes it difficult for opponents to press me. He said those are the kinds of qualities that can change a game, especially when the opposition starts losing energy.
Then he said something I honestly didn’t expect. He told me I remind him of Xavi when he was coaching Barcelona.
That meant a lot to me because we all know what Xavi was as a midfielder. For a manager like Luis Enrique, who worked with him and understands football at that level, to recognise some of those qualities in my game is a huge compliment.
But I couldn’t stop laughing at the fact that he was hoping I wouldn’t come on. (laughs) I guess sometimes the best compliment you can receive is hearing how much an opponent doesn’t want to face you.
🚨 Rodri: “Real Madrid have only won 2 of the last 7 Clásicos, so they'll be hungry for revenge”.
“We expect Real Madrid to come at us with everything”, told DAZN.
🔵🔴 Hansi Flick: “Xavi Espart was great, fantastic! It looks like he has been playing for 3 or 4 seasons with this team”.
“How he defended, how he scored... he's doing a fantastic job. He is amazing”.
🚨🌕 OFFICIAL: All Time Ballon d’Or nominees have been announced. ⤵️
🇪🇸 Alfredo Di Stefano
🇦🇷 Lionel Messi
🇵🇹 Cristiano Ronaldo
🇳🇱 Marco Van Basten
🇳🇱 Johann Cruyff
🇩🇪 Karl-Heinz Rummenigge
🇫🇷 Michel Platini
🇧🇷 Ronaldo
🏴 Kevin Keegan
🇩🇪 Franz Beckenbauer
Who’s your winner?
🚨🚨| JUST IN: LaLiga’s broadcast chief admitted that showing Arda Güler’s controversial elbow on Peque was considered but REJECTED, with the production team focusing on the goal instead.
Sergio Carranza, who made the decision, previously worked at Real Madrid TV for 5½ years.
🔵🔴 Hansi Flick: “I’m really enjoying the journey we’re on at Barcelona”.
“The work and mentality we’re showing make me proud of this team. What the players have been doing over the last few weeks is incredible”.
🚨 Erik ten Hag on Cristiano Ronaldo in training: “He ran neither in possession nor out of possession. The reason was because he didn’t prepare himself”.
“Every top team has to embrace the top player, but the top player has to work for the team…”, told @TheAthleticFC.
🚨🎙| Erik ten Hag on Cristiano Ronaldo in training:
“He ran neither in possession nor out of possession.”
“Every top team has to embrace the top player, but the top player has to work for the team."
(@TheAthleticFC)
🚨 Barça president Laporta: “We're not worried about Lamine Yamal's future. He's a culé and a La Masia player, he feels very loved here and he's developing here”.
“Barça pay their players well. It's about feeling comfortable and being grateful”, told L’Équipe.