Lionel Messi Transfer

An Argentina soccer friendly in China next month was cancelled on Friday in more fallout from Lionel Messi failing to play in a club exhibition match in Hong Kong. World Cup champion Argentina, captained by Messi, last month scheduled a tour of China during the international break from March 18-26. Games were lined up against Nigeria in Hangzhou and Ivory Coast in Beijing. Both opponents are coincidentally meeting in the Africa Cup of Nations final this weekend. But Messi, on tour with his Inter Miami club, outraged fans in Hong Kong when he didn't play against a local selection last Sunday and remained on the bench. Messi said he had a groin injury. But his excuse didn't wash in Hong Kong after he played for 30 minutes on Wednesday in Tokyo against Vissel Kobe. On Friday, the sports bureau in Hangzhou canceled the Argentina-Nigeria friendly. "Because of the reasons known to all, we've learned from supervising authorities that the conditions are immature for the match to go forwa

Lionel Messi's annualized compensation from his Major League Soccer contract with Inter Miami is just over $20.4 million, the MLS Players Association said. Messi earns more than the entire payroll of all but three other MLS teams and twice as much as every player combined on Orlando City. The 36-year-old star has a $12 million base salary and total guaranteed compensation of $20,446,667, the players association said in its 2023 salary update. Those figures cover what Messi receives from his MLS deal, which runs through the 2025 season, including any marketing bonus and agent's fees. They do not account for any additional agreements with the team or its affiliates, or for any performance bonuses. He has the highest total compensation in MLS, followed by Toronto's Lorenzo Insigne at $15.4 million, Chicago's Xherdan Shaqiri at $8,153,000, the LA Galaxy's Javier Hernndez at $7,443,750, Toronto's Federico Bernardeschi at $6,295,381 and Austin's Sebastin Driussi at $6,022,500. Miami top

Taxiarchis Fountas scored a goal and followed with an assist on Nigel Robertha's equalizer to help D.C. United earn a 2-2 draw with Inter Miami on Saturday night after a scoreless first half. Inter Miami has now gone a club-record 10 straight matches without a victory. Robertha's first goal of the season came in the 77th minute when he used assists from Ruan and Fountas to pull DC United (8-9-6) even. Inter Miami (5-13-3) had taken a 2-1 lead in the 68th minute on an unassisted goal by defender Noah Allen. It was the first goal of the 19-year-old defender's career. Allen has made eight starts and 15 appearances in two seasons with the club. Neither team found the net until Benjamin Cremaschi took a pass from Robert Taylor in the 59th minute and scored his first career goal to give Inter Miami a 1-0 lead. The 18-year-old midfielder has made 13 starts and 17 appearances in his rookie campaign. Fountas knotted the score in the 65th minute. Cristian Djome and Yamil Asad had assists on

When Lionel Messi was jeered by Paris Saint-Germain fans during last Sunday's home defeat to Lyon, their relationship looked like it had reached a breaking point. Messi joined PSG on a two-year deal after leaving Barcelona against his will in 2021, with an option for an extra year if both parties agreed. But talks have reportedly broken down and Messi's departure this summer looks increasingly inevitable. There were high hopes he could lead PSG to an elusive Champions League title, but instead the Qatari-backed club went out in the round of 16 in consecutive seasons. He was among the players jeered last season after PSG was knocked out by Real Madrid, and although Messi's form was outstanding in the first half of this campaign, it dipped significantly after he led Argentina to the World Cup title in Qatar. PSG coach Christophe Galtier defended Messi by saying it was others who should raise their game. "You can't expect Leo to do everything," Galtier said after the Lyon game. "The

Lionel Messi's incredible 17-season career at Barcelona appears to have come to an end.

Barcelona's poor finances have become the stumbling block to getting Lionel Messi to sign another contract, according to club president Joan Laporta.

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