CELEBRITY
Shirtless Messi dances night away after keeping World Cup storyline alive
A shirtless Lionel Messi sang and danced with team mates beyond midnight into Sunday after leading Argentina to an emotionally-charged win over Mexico that revived his dream of a first World Cup title.
The dressing-room party scenes – Messi bouncing with both arms in the air, goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez dancing on a table – showed just how much this tournament means to Argentina and their captain in his fifth and final chance to lift the trophy.
Argentina have one of the most talented teams in Qatar, but they are under more pressure than most and are struggling to reproduce the free-flowing form of their three-year, 36-match unbeaten run before the tournament.
So it was understandable to see their release of tension after beating Mexico 2-0 to ignite their tournament after a shock opening defeat by Saudi Arabia. Though in truth they laboured in the first half against a mediocre Mexico team, they celebrated as if they had won the World Cup itself.
“It’s a weight off our shoulder,” said the 35-year-old Messi, for whom this tournament is now the be-all and end-all of his dazzling career for club and country.
After scoring the first goal against Mexico, his second of Argentina’s three at the tournament, Messi charged towards fans screaming in joy. Assistant coach Pablo Aimar, who was Messi’s boyhood idol, fought back tears on the bench.
‘MESSI AND MARADONA ARE ONE’
Argentines have sometimes struggled to warm to their little genius, in part because he has not delivered the biggest trophy of all, but also due to his shy and quiet demeanour compared to the flamboyant clowning of their beloved former golden boy Diego Maradona.
Such ambivalence now seems firmly in the past, however, as Messi has shown over-and-over how committed he is to the shirt, not least when he collapsed in tears last year after leading the team to the Copa America title to end a 28-year trophy drought.
At last, there are more flags and banners with his name and face than of the late great previous No. 10. Many in fact show the two together, arm-in-arm or Maradona looking beatifically down on Messi from heaven.
Should Messi go all the way, he will of course directly match Maradona, who led Argentina to a famous 1986 World Cup win including his famous “Hand of God” and best-ever tournament goals against England en route.
If he stumbles, however, he will stay in Maradona’s shadow but it seems he will anyway still be revered by Argentines, who have come to appreciate the passion and pain he has truly felt in the blue-and-white.
“Did you see how he ran to us and celebrated with us? This is our Messi. Now he is also our Maradona. They are one!” said Argentine fan Rodrigo Castro, 34, celebrating euphorically outside the Lusail Stadium into the early hours of Monday.
Coach Lionel Scaloni was happy to see his players enjoy the moment in the dressing room but knows the weight of expectations are shackling his players. Even Messi looked slow and made basic errors prior to scoring against Mexico and relaxing into the player everyone knows.
“It’s difficult to make people understand that tomorrow the sun will shine whether you lose or you win,” Scaloni said, trying to make sense of the constant circus around his team.
“Happiness lasts only for some minutes. We need to find that emotional balance, whether we win or lose.”
Once the emotions die down, Scaloni must prepare for Poland in Argentina’s final group game when only a win would guarantee them passage to the knockout round and one step closer to fulfilling Messi’s dream.
-Reuters
The legacy of Brazilian football legend Pelé has taken a new turn after Neymar Santos Sr, father of Brazil star Neymar Jr, confirmed the acquisition of the commercial rights to Pelé’s name and image through his agency, NR Sports.
Speaking at the Pelé Museum in Santos, Brazil, Neymar Sr said the deal marks a new chapter for one of the most iconic brands in global sport.
“We are proud. I think it’s a very strong brand. We want to strengthen its identity and adapt it to the current era,” he said, describing the project as deeply emotional and nationally significant.
Although financial details were not officially disclosed, Brazilian media estimate the acquisition at around $18 million. The rights had previously belonged to US-based company Sport 10, which many in Brazil accused of underdeveloping a national treasure.
A ‘Repatriation’ of Pelé’s Legacy
NR Sports described the agreement as a “repatriation” of Pelé’s brand—bringing back to Brazil “one of the greatest symbols in the history of world sport.”
Pelé’s daughter, Flavia, attended the announcement and welcomed the move, saying the family had tried—and failed—to reacquire the rights after Pelé’s death in 2022.
“There are no words to describe the emotion of bringing back a brand that embodies soul, humanity, and love. It’s priceless,” she told AFP.
The unveiling was accompanied by an emotional tribute at the Pelé Museum, which erected a massive green screen with Pelé’s iconic logo. A video shared on Pelé’s and NR Sports’ official accounts celebrated the “universal language” of Brazilian football, showing some of the King’s most memorable goals from his World Cup triumphs in 1958, 1962, and 1970.
Neymar Jr: ‘Pelé Was Born to Change Everything’
Neymar Jr, who recently returned to Pelé’s former club Santos and has surpassed the King as Brazil’s all-time top scorer, featured in a promotional video congratulating his father’s company.
“Some are born to play, others are born to change the game. Pelé was born to change everything,” the 33-year-old forward said. “Pelé never stopped being one of us, and now he is officially part of Brazil, again and forever.”
A New Era for an Underused Global Brand
For years, Pelé’s image rights were more prominently exploited abroad than at home—a situation that drew criticism from the family and Brazilian football circles. The new deal is expected to revitalise the Pelé brand through modern marketing, partnerships, and heritage initiatives anchored in Brazil.
“This is the beginning of a motivating project for us. We are very moved,” Neymar Sr added.
Pelé, who died in December 2022 at age 82, remains an enduring symbol in Santos, São Paulo state, where he played from 1956 to 1974 and where thousands still visit his mausoleum.
With the rights now back in Brazilian hands, NR Sports says the goal is clear: preserve, expand, and enrich the legacy of the King of Football for generations to come.
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Lionel Messi expressed his wish to one day return to Barcelona’s Camp Nou on Monday, having made a brief visit to see the newly revamped stadium where he spent 21 years of his illustrious career.
The 38-year-old Argentine World Cup winner, who joined Barca’s youth academy at age 13 and went on to become the club’s all-time top scorer with 672 goals in 778 appearances, left the Catalan side in 2021 when they could not make it financially viable to keep him.
Having won 10 LaLiga titles, four Champions League crowns and three Club World Cups with Barca, Messi now plays for Inter Miami after two years with Paris St Germain.
Barca reopened the Camp Nou on Friday, 895 days after its closure, unveiling a revamped stadium by staging an open training session attended by 21,795 fans.
“Last night, I returned to a place that I miss with all my heart. A place where I was immensely happy, where you made me feel a thousand times like the happiest person in the world,” the eight-times Ballon d’Or winner wrote on Instagram on Monday.
“I hope that one day I can return, and not just to say goodbye as a player, as I never got to do.”
Messi extended his contract with Inter Miami in October, and has previously said that the Major League Soccer club would likely be his last.
“You’re always welcome at your home, Leo,” Barca posted on X.
-Reuters
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Argentina has paid a powerful tribute to its greatest football icon, Diego Armando Maradona, by unveiling a special commemorative silver coin celebrating both the late legend’s 65th birthday and the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The coin, released on October 30 — the date that would have marked Maradona’s 65th birthday — honours his unforgettable solo goal against England in the 1986 World Cup, often described as “the goal of the century.”
The Central Bank of Argentina announced that the limited-edition coin features a football motif on one side, while the reverse captures Maradona’s legendary dribble from his own half, past five English defenders, before coolly slotting the ball home in Mexico City.
That match, etched in global memory, also produced another of football’s most talked-about moments — the “Hand of God” goal, scored just minutes earlier. Together, those two goals defined not only a game but an era, as Maradona led Argentina to World Cup glory in 1986, their second in history.
“This coin immortalizes a symbol of Argentine pride — a goal that transcended sport to become a moment of national identity,” said the Central Bank in a statement.
The release is also timed to build excitement ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada — marking 40 years since Maradona’s most celebrated tournament.
Maradona, who passed away in 2020, remains one of football’s most revered figures. His blend of artistry, audacity, and passion continues to inspire generations of players and fans alike.
Across Argentina, tributes poured in from fans, clubs, and former teammates, with many visiting murals, statues, and shrines dedicated to the No.10. In Buenos Aires, street musicians played “Live is Life” — the anthem that once accompanied Maradona’s famous pre-match warm-up routine at Napoli — as a reminder of his enduring magic.
For Argentina, this special-edition coin is more than a collector’s item; it is a national homage to an eternal legend, a man whose left foot and spirit still define the heartbeat of Argentine football.
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