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Lionel Messi has equalled another Cristiano Ronaldo record after latest football clinic

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While Europe slept on Tuesday night, Lionel Messi laid on a football clinic during Argentina’s 6-0 win over Bolivia in their latest World Cup qualifier.

There were concerns that Messi’s international career was drawing to an end after an injury prematurely ended his involvement in the Copa America final in July.

But the 37-year-old looked bright and sprightly against the trembling Bolivians, opening the scoring after a mistake by a Bolivian defender allowed him to run freely and finish unchallenged in front of goalkeeper Billy Viscarra.

Meat and drink for the greatest player of his generation.

After opening his account, Messi turned creator for Lautaro Martinez and Julian Alvarez with sumptuous assists as the world champions romped clear in Buenos Aries.

Messi’s show had two great finishes from the edge of the area, the first in the 84th and the second in the 86th minute. That’s a hat-trick and two assists, for the arithmetically challenged among us. Insane.

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After the game, the 2022 World Cup winner said he is trying to savour every moment with the national team and acknowledged the end of his playing days is near.

“It is very nice to play here feeling the affection of the Argentina fans,” Messi said after the game. “It makes me emotional to listen how they shout my name. We all enjoy this connection with the fans and we love playing at home.”

When asked about his future and whether he’d help Argentina defend their title at the 2026 World Cup, Messi was cautious and honest with his answer.

“I didn’t set any date or deadline about my future,” Messi said. “I’m just enjoying all this. I am more emotional than ever and taking all the love from the people because I know these can be my last games.”

Messi, who missed Argentina’s qualifiers in September with an ankle injury, played from start to finish against Bolivia and added to his personal history book in the process.

It was the first time Messi recorded multiple goals and assists in a single game for the national team, and the hat trick — taking him to 112 international goals — was his 10th for Argentina, tying him with the record of a certain Cristiano Ronaldo.

“It’s a joy to be present and appreciate this moment. Being surrounded by younger teammates, given my age, makes me feel like a kid again,” Messi said afterwards.

“I find myself doing silly things because I feel so comfortable. As long as I maintain that feeling and can continue contributing to the team, I plan to be here enjoying [the national team].”

Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni shared the joy of watching his team’s superstar and reiterated what he has said all along when asked about how long Messi would continue to play with the national team.

“The only thing I ask of him is to keep playing as long as he can,” Scaloni said. “It’s a joy to watch him on the soccer field. He never ceases to amaze us.”

Scaloni articulated the thoughts of millions. Messi is coming to the end of his career and our response should simply be to sit back and enjoy his sorcery while we still can.

By Michael Lee

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EPL: Fulham must move on from defeat to Manchester City — Iwobi

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Alex Iwobi says Fulham must stay positive despite their 5-4 defeat to Manchester City at Craven Cottage on Tuesday.

Marco Silva’s side put up a spirited display in the encounter, and were unlucky not to get at least one point.

Iwobi started the fight back by scoring the second goal for Fulham early in the second half.

The versatile midfielder’s compatriot, Samuel Chukwueze then rose from the bench to score two more goals for the Cottagers.

Manchester City, however, held on to go home with maximum points.

Iwobi stated that they deserved more from the game.

“I feel disappointed because we didn’t get anything out of the fighting spirit that we showed, but I think we have to take the positivity from the game,” Iwobi told the club’s official website.

Fulham will be away to Crystal Palace in their next Premier League game on Sunday.

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EPL: Guardiola names team that impresses him everyday

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Manchester City boss, Pep Guardiola has named the Premier League club that has impressed him so much this season.

The Spaniard said that Enzo Maresca’s side have really impressed him with the improvement they make everyday.

Speaking after Manchester City beat Fulham 5-4 in the Premier League on Tuesday night, Guardiola pointed out that a team must remain consistent to win the title.

Pep Guardiola’s side closed the gap at the top of the Premier League to just two points behind Arsenal with the victory over Fulham, but the Gunners could maintain their five points lead with a win over Brentford on Wednesday night.

“Chelsea impresses me more and more every day with Enzo [Maresca], but it’s long,” he told reporters after the win.

“Premier League is so long, many things will happen. We won six Premier Leagues, four or five when we in December, January or February we were behind.

“The team who wins the Premier League is the team who grows during the months and this is what we try to do. No injuries, it’s so long.

“But at the same time, if we push, we will be better and push ourselves and control the situations better, the emotions and we will see what happens.”

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Outrage As ‘Biological Male’ Wins World’s Strongest Woman Event in Texas (Photos)

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The 2025 World’s Strongest Woman final has sparked outrage after an alleged transgender athlete won gold.

American Jammie Booker, who is accused of being a biological male, beat Great Britain’s Andrea Thompson to victory at the event in Arlington, Texas.

According to Mail Online, Thompson walked off the podium, appearing to say ‘this is bulls***,’ while Booker celebrated. The Brit has since been crowned the ‘true World’s Strongest Woman’ by her coach and some of her peers.

Rebecca Roberts, a three-time winner of World’s Strongest Woman, has sensationally claimed that no one – not even the organizers – knew about Booker’s background.

Details on the American are not clear, but the publication sighted a YouTube video – uploaded to what appears to be Booker’s YouTube channel in September 2017, with Booker saying: ‘Everyone is dying to tell their own story and I am obviously no exception to that.

‘I’m 21-year-old trans woman with a history of abuse, struggling to stay true to herself while under the rule of her religious parents.’

On Monday night, Roberts posted a picture on Instagram that read ‘Protect Women’s Sports.’ She wrote alongside the picture: ‘I hold no hate toward transgender people. Everyone deserves dignity, respect, and the freedom to live their truth.

But I cannot stay silent about something that threatens the fairness and future of women’s strength sports. Transgender women, people born male, should not be competing in the women’s category.

This isn’t about identity. It isn’t about politics. It’s about the undeniable physical differences that exist in strength-based sports… differences that don’t disappear, and that matter more here than almost anywhere else. Women’s categories were created for a reason, and if we lose that, we lose the foundation of our sport.

‘What happened this weekend wasn’t transparent. None of us knew. Not even the organisers knew. And when fairness is taken by surprise, trust in the sport begins to crack.

‘My message is simple. Trans people belong in sport, but women’s divisions must remain biologically born female-only.

‘I love this sport. I have given my life to it. And I won’t ignore something that could quietly change it forever. Congratulations to @andreathompson_strongwoman… the true World’s Strongest Woman 2025’

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