CELEBRITY
‘Welcome Leo’ – Messi meets teammates at first PSG training session
After a rapturous reception and raucous unveiling from the fans on Wednesday (Aug 11), Lionel Messi got to know his new teammates at Paris Saint-Germain’s Camp des Loges training facility on Thursday.
Much has been made of the Argentinian superstar lining up with Brazil’s Neymar and France striker Kylian Mbappe in what will be a fearsome attack for PSG in their quest to win a maiden Champions League.
World Cup winner Mbappe was one of the first to extend his welcome to Messi after his official arrival and the 22-year-old posted his best wishes to the newcomer on social media.
Mbappe has been linked with a move to Real Madrid with only a year left of his PSG contract.
“Welcome to Paris, Leo,” Mbappe wrote alongside photos with the pair hugging.
The 34-year-old former Barcelona player has been on downtime since winning the Copa America with Argentina in July, and started his first PSG run-out with simple physical exercises.
“I’ve been out of action for around a month and I need to get physically ready. I hope to be ready as soon as possible, because I can’t wait to play,” Messi said at his unveiling at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday.
He is unlikely to make his debut for PSG soon, and certainly not this weekend when Mauricio Pochettino’s team play Strasbourg in Ligue 1.
“I can’t tell you when my first game will be but I can tell you I’m dying to get started,” he said. “I want it to be soon.”
Messi only arrived in the French capital on Tuesday before penning a two-year contract with the option of a third season.
The club also revealed on Thursday that it had paid a signing-on bonus to the player in PSG’s own virtual currency which it calls $PSG Fan Tokens, originally sold at €2 (S$3.20) each and currently trading over €30 each.
“The coins are there to create a link between the fans and the club, and it’s the first time we have used them in this way,” the Parisians said in a statement without saying how many they had given to Messi.
PSG quickly emerged as the favourites to sign Messi following the shock of his departure last week from Barcelona and he arrives eyeing a fifth Champions League, with the most recent of his four victories with his old club coming in 2015.
PSG are reportedly paying €35 million (S$55.8 million) a year to Messi, who will wear the No. 30 jersey – with fans continuing to line up outside the club’s different shops in the capital to buy the shirt with his name and number on the back.
-AFP
Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo crossed one billion followers across his social media accounts, aided by his newly-launched YouTube channel that has attracted more than 60 million subscribers in just over three weeks.
Ronaldo, who scored his 900th career goal last week to help Portugal beat Croatia 2-1 in the Nations League, is the first human being to reach a billion followers on social media, global media reports said.
“We’ve made history, one billion followers! This is more than just a number, it’s a testament to our shared passion, drive, and love for the game and beyond,” Ronaldo posted on X.
“You’ve been with me every step of the way, through all the highs and the lows. This journey is our journey… thank you for believing in me, for your support, and for being part of my life.”
The former Manchester United and Real Madrid player reached the milestone with over 639 million followers on Instagram, 170 million on Facebook and 113 million on X.
The 39-year-old topped Forbes’ list of highest-paid athletes this year, with off-field earnings of $60 million, boosted by his large social media following.
Ronaldo’s club Al-Nassr will host Al-Ahli in the Saudi Pro League on Friday.
-Reuters
Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo launched his YouTube channel on Wednesday and hundreds of thousands of subscribers signed up within a couple of hours.
The 39-year-old five-times Ballon D’Or winner plays for Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr.
“The wait is over. My @YouTube channel is finally here! SIUUUbscribe and join me on this new journey,” Ronaldo posted on his social media accounts.
A couple of hours after posting his first video, 1.69M subscribers had joined he channel.
Ronaldo has 112.5 million followers on the X platform, 170 million on Facebook and 636 million on Instagram.
The former Real Madrid and Manchester United player is preparing for his team’s Saudi Pro League opener against Al-Raed on Thursday.
-Reuters
Inter Miami will be the last club Argentina captain Lionel Messi plays for, the 36-year-old forward said on Wednesday, adding he feels “a little bit scared” at the thought of the day he decides to retire.
Messi, a World Cup winner with Argentina in 2022, has a contract with the Major League Soccer side until 2025 following his arrival last summer after a spell with French champions Paris St Germain.
“Inter Miami will be my last club. I love playing football. I enjoy everything even more because I am aware that there is less and less left,” Messi told ESPN.
“I’m not ready to leave football. I’ve done this all my life, I love playing football, I enjoy training, the day-to-day, the matches… And yes, there’s always a little bit of fear that it’s all over.”
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi is preparing with his national team to defend their Copa America title, with the tournament kicking off on June 20 in the United States.
Argentina will take on Canada in the opening match before facing Group A rivals Chile on June 25 and Peru four days later.
-Reuters
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