Lionel Messi

Vinicius Junior surpassed a Lionel Messi assist record in the UEFA Champions League during Real Madrid’s loss to Bayern Munich, although Cristiano Ronaldo still leads the all-time list. Real Madrid were eliminated from the 2025–26 UEFA Champions League after falling to Bayern Munich on Wednesday in Germany. However, the match allowed Vinicius Junior to surpass a Lionel Messi mark and move closer to Cristiano Ronaldo. Vini produced a brilliant play and assisted Kylian Mbappe on Real Madrid’s third goal in the closing minutes of the first half, which temporarily put the Spanish side level in the tie. With that contribution, the Brazilian winger reached 13 assists in the knockout stages of the European competition. In doing so, Vinicius moved past Lionel Messi for second place in the all-time rankings in that category. The Argentine forward had recorded 12 assists in Champions League knockout matches during his time with Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain. Cristiano Ronaldo remains at the top of the list, having recorded a total of 15 assists in the tournament’s knockout stages across his spells with Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus. No other player has come close to those numbers, but Vinicius, at just 25 years old, needs only three more to claim the all-time record. IT'S MBAPPE'S TURN! 😱 OH MY GOODNESS, WHAT A MATCH! #UCL pic.twitter.com/g0RYwP92aF — DAZN Football (@DAZNFootball) April 15, 2026 Vinicius also draws level with Neymar That assist to Mbappe at the Allianz Arena also helped Vinicius climb the all-time Champions League assist rankings, including both the knockout rounds and the group stage. Vini is now tied with Neymar for fourth place on the list with 33 assists, and he has strong prospects of closing in on the top spots in the near future. Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, as expected, are also in the top three, with the Portuguese star leading the way. However, there is another somewhat unexpected name included: Angel Di Maria, who played alongside both legends at Real Madrid and PSG, respectively. All-time Champions League assist leaders: 1- Cristiano Ronaldo (42) 2- Angel Di Maria (41) 3- Lionel Messi (40) 4- Neymar (33) 4- Vinicius (33) 6- Kevin De Bruyne (31) 6- Ryan Giggs (31) 8- Xavi Hernandez (30) 8- Thomas Muller (30) 10- Karim Benzema (29) 10- Andres Iniesta (29)

The Argentina and Inter Miami forward has bought Cornella, who play in the same city as his former club Barcelona.

UE Cornella have announced that Lionel Messi has become the club’s new owner. Lionel Messi continues to take steps toward remaining involved in soccer once his professional playing career comes to an end. His latest move in that direction is the acquisition of a fifth-division club in Spain, Unio Esportiva Cornella, the third club he is involved in. “The Argentine footballer and eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, Leo Messi, has finalized the acquisition of UE Cornella,” the club announced in a statement published Thursday on their official website. “With this operation, Messi strengthens his close ties to Barcelona and his commitment to the development of sport and local talent in Catalunya.” UE Cornella are a club founded in 1951 and based in the autonomous community of Catalunya, around 50 miles from Barcelona. They currently compete in the Tercera RFEF (Spain’s fifth division) and sit third in Group V, five points behind leaders Manresa. “The arrival of Leo Messi opens a new chapter in the club’s history, with the aim of driving its sporting and institutional growth, strengthening its structure, and continuing to invest in talent. The project includes a long-term vision, with a strategic plan that combines ambition, sustainability, and local identity,” the statement added. Lionel Messi of Inter Miami How many clubs is Lionel Messi involved in? While continuing his professional career — since 2023 with Inter Miami — Lionel Messi has also begun exploring a role that was previously unfamiliar to him: club ownership and management. On more than one occasion, he has said this side of soccer appeals to him more than coaching, as he looks ahead to life after retirement. Last year, he joined his friend and teammate Luis Suarez in a project of this kind in Uruguay, becoming co-founders and co-owners of Deportivo LSM. The club debuted in the country’s fourth division and, in its first season — 2025 — earned promotion, beginning what looks like a promising path forward. In addition, the Messi family also founded a club in Argentina: Leones de Rosario FC, based in Leo’s hometown. The project began in 2015 with a focus on developing young talent, but this year took its first professional step by joining Primera C, Argentina’s fourth division. Messi and Ronaldo follow similar paths The news of Lionel Messi’s acquisition of UE Cornella comes just months after Cristiano Ronaldo made a similar move. The 41-year-old forward has owned a 25% stake in Almeria since February of this year, another club competing in the lower tiers of Spanish soccer. Almeria, unlike UE Cornella, are a more established club with greater tradition: they have spent a total of seven seasons in La Liga, most recently in 2024. Messi’s new club, meanwhile, have yet to play in Spain’s top division.

Guillermo Hoyos spoke for the first time as Inter Miami head coach and addressed his relationship with Lionel Messi. This week, Inter Miami were shaken by Javier Mascherano’s surprising decision to step down, citing personal reasons. Guillermo Hoyos was appointed on an interim basis to replace him and has now opened up about his connection with Lionel Messi. “Being on the field with the greatest player in history is extraordinary,” Hoyos said in his first press conference as head coach of the Herons, as shared by reporter Jose Armando on his official X account. Regarding the nature of his relationship with Messi, the coach was clear: “There’s a friendship we’ve built over the years, like with many other players in different countries… Friendship is non-negotiable.” However, Hoyos made it clear that this bond of trust also comes with boundaries. “That doesn’t mean we’re around him every day. You have to respect everything — his privacy, for example — be prudent, and quietly continue building this approach,” Guillermo said. “All of this is new.” Head Coach Guillermo Hoyos of Inter Miami CF talks to his players during a training session. How did Messi and Hoyos meet? Lionel Messi and Guillermo Hoyos first crossed paths when the forward was still a teenager and had just arrived at Barcelona. At the time, Guillermo was working within the club’s academy and quickly took on a role in helping his compatriot adjust to a new country and club. “He helped me a lot from the moment I arrived at Barca. He was always there for me… He taught me things and helped me get to where I am,” Messi said previously about Hoyos’ role in his development at Barcelona, according to Ole. More than 20 years later, the two reunited at Inter Miami in different roles: Messi as the team’s superstar and Hoyos as sporting director. However, Mascherano’s sudden departure forced the club to turn to him to fill the vacancy, at least on an interim basis. Hoyos highlights Inter Miami’s structure In the same press conference, Guillermo Hoyos addressed his current situation after moving from sporting director to interim head coach. “I’m at the club’s service, and that’s why I’m in this position today. A couple of days ago, I was in a different role,” he said. “I’m here to help in any way the club needs.” Finally, Hoyos expressed strong optimism about Inter Miami’s potential. “It’s one of the 10 best clubs in the world, not just in MLS,” the coach said. “Because it has a structure. And especially with the stadium they’ve inaugurated, which is something extraordinary. It’s a club with tremendous potential.”

VID Music Group last month filed claims of fraud and breach of contract against Messi and the Argentine Football Association.

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Lionel Messi is at the center of a $7M breach of contract lawsuit against the Argentina FA following the star's absence from last year's friendly against Venezuela in the U.S. Lionel Messi finds himself at the center of a new controversy surrounding the Argentina Football Association (AFA), this time involving a high-stakes legal dispute over the October international window. After the Inter Miami star failed to appear in a friendly against Venezuela, the AFA is now reportedly facing a $7 million lawsuit for breach of contract regarding matches scheduled on U.S. soil. The dispute stems from an agreement with VID, a Miami-based events company, which allegedly paid $7 million in August for the exclusive rights to Argentina’s October friendlies. The world champions were originally slated to face Venezuela on October 10 and Puerto Rico on October 14. However, the international break clashed with a pivotal stretch of the MLS season. With Inter Miami chasing the 2025 Supporters’ Shield, a match against Atlanta United was rescheduled for October 11. Despite being officially “ruled out due to injury” for the national team’s clash with Venezuela, Messi started for the Herons against Atlanta just one day later, netting a brace and adding an assist in a dominant performance. While Messi eventually joined the national team to play the full 90 minutes in a 6-0 rout of Puerto Rico at Chase Stadium, the damage was already done. His absence from the Venezuela fixture, where he was spotted watching from a VIP suite with his family, reportedly led to disastrous financial consequences for VID, triggering the multi-million dollar legal action. Lionel Messi of Argentina and his family attend the International Friendly against Venezuela. AFA and the infringements of the original deal According to local reports, the AFA and Messi are facing 10 different charges in the suit. A key stipulation in the contract, as reported by The Athletic, required Messi to play at least 30 minutes in both matches unless sidelined by a legitimate injury or illness, citing his massive commercial draw as the primary value of the deal. The lack of star power for the Venezuela game resulted in a box-office catastrophe. Hard Rock Stadium saw a dismal turnout of approximately 15,000 fans, representing just 23% of the venue’s total capacity. Furthermore, the relocation of the Puerto Rico match from Chicago to Miami reportedly dealt another financial blow to VID. The company claims it lost over $1.3 million in promotion and logistics costs for the original Chicago venue. Following the move to Chase Stadium, the promoters allege the AFA breached its contract by failing to refund a portion of the upfront payments as agreed upon. In an attempt to salvage the partnership, reports suggest the AFA initially promised future U.S. matchups in June 2026 to compensate for the losses. However, those promises appear to have fallen through, and a third-party agent involved in the negotiations has also been accused of fraud. The current counts against the AFA include negligent misrepresentation and multiple breaches of the $7 million contract. While the total damages sought by VID have not been fully disclosed, the company maintains that the fallout from the October window resulted in millions of dollars in lost revenue.

Barcelona legend Lionel Messi has perhaps hinted at a return to living in Spain down the line, with the purchase of a 5th division Spanish club close to Barcelona. The Inter Miami and Argentina star is yet to call time on his playing career, but has admitted that he is in the twilight of his […] The post Lionel Messi purchases Spanish club close to Barcelona appeared first on Football España.

Barcelona great Lionel Messi has bought Spanish fifth-division team Cornellà, the club announced on Thursday.

Lionel Messi is the owner of a fifth-division soccer club in Spain after the Argentine superstar acquired Barcelona-based UE Cornellà.

Argentina World Cup winner Lionel Messi becomes the new owner of Catalan club Cornella.

Lionel Messi is now the owner of a club in Barcelona, the city where he made his name

Messi will have full control of the club, based just five miles from Camp Nou, as he looks to life after football.

The fifth-tier side play their games next to Espanyol's RCDE Stadium in Barcelona

April 16 - Lionel Messi has acquired Spanish fifth-tier team UE Cornella, the Catalonia-based club announced on Thursday.

Lionel Messi buys fifth-division Spanish club Cornellà espn.in

Lionel Messi has been announced as the new owner of Spanish club UE Cornella. The Argentinian football icon, widely regarded as the greatest player ever, has completed his acquisition of a side loc…

Lionel Messi has strengthened his ties with Catalonia by buying UE Cornella

David Beckham's influence is seemingly rubbing off on Lionel Messi, as the Inter Miami star sets himself up for life after football by buying a club of his own

Messi said it without saying it. Leer