News

Messi: I deserve chance to say goodbye to Barça

Why Lionel Messi’s Nickname is La Pulga - Details Emerge

Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi feels he deserves a chance to say a proper goodbye to his former club Barcelona and would relish a farewell game at the Camp Nou.

Since leaving for Paris Saint-Germain as a free agent in August 2021 because of the financial crisis at Barça, there has been talk of a tribute match to honour the Argentina captain.

Owing to Covid restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic, Messi’s last game for Barcelona came in a 2-1 loss to Celta Vigo at an empty Camp Nou in May 2021.

“I would love to be able to say goodbye to people in another way,” Messi, 36, told a news conference in Paris after winning the Ballon d’Or on Monday

“I think there was a strange feeling when I left. It’s not good with everything we shared and lived together. I deserve to be able to say goodbye to people. Barcelona is my home, I love the club and the people. If it [tribute game] happens, I would be happy to be there…”

Messi won the Ballon D’Or for a record eighth time at a ceremony in Paris on Monday. Getty
Messi, Barça’s all-time top scorer, spent 20 years with the Spanish outfit and won 35 trophies during his time there.

Barça sporting director Deco recently said that Messi will “definitely play” a farewell game at Barcelona while club president Joan Laporta has previously mentioned that it would be fitting for that to coincide with the official opening of the revamped Spotify Camp Nou stadium, planned for the 2025-26 campaign.

The managing owner of Inter Miami, Jorge Mas, believes it’s important for Messi to say goodbye to Barça fans.

“I gave [Messi] my commitment that I will do everything possible in the coming years so that he has the opportunity to say goodbye to his fans in Barcelona,” Mas said.

Messi had considered a return to Barça before joining Inter Miami after his contract with PSG expired in June.

While he expects to live in Barcelona again one day, playing for Barça is not something he is thinking about.

“I follow Barcelona as I always did,” Messi said. “Football takes many turns and anything can happen, but it’s not something that catches my attention today.

“I could come back. I’m going to live in Barcelona, it’s the club that saw me grow, that gave me everything, that I gave everything to, which I love. I can collaborate from somewhere and give the best for the club. But it is not something I think about today. I don’t know if what I have left is a lot or a little, but I want to enjoy it. I will be close and I will always go to be linked to that club.”

The 2022 World Cup winner is contracted to Inter Miami until December 2025.

“I don’t know if I have a lot or a little left, but after the career I’ve had, the only thing I have left is to continue enjoying it,” he said.

“As long as I am physically well, I will continue competing, hopefully it will be a long time.”

On Monday, Messi won the Ballon D’Or for a record eight time at a ceremony in Paris after leading Argentina to the World Cup last year.

“I’m grateful for the career I’ve had, the moments I’ve experienced, and obviously in the last few years having won the Copa America and above all the World Cup because it finished off a lot of things,” Messi said in an interview to ESPN after the ceremony.

“First the dream of any player of being a world champion, then having fought for so long and having missed out, that it finally came and in that way… And above all because it’s what I was missing. I had it all and I was missing the most important thing, with what it means for a player to be a world champion, for us in Argentina after such a long time.

“It’s all very special.”

Ligue 1

NBA Star Durant Invests In PSG

Basketball star Kevin Durant has taken a minority stake in Paris Saint-Germain, the European champions announced Friday, without saying how many shares the power forward had acquired

Kevin Durant, who won gold in the Paris 2024 basketball, has taken a stake in the city’s best-known football club Paris Saint-Germain

The club said in a statement that owners Qatar Sports Investment (QSI) had “signed an investment and strategic partnership agreement with Kevin Durant, one of the most decorated US basketball players of all time and a leading investor in sports and entertainment properties.”

It said Durant would acquire the stake “via his media and investment arm Boardroom”.

The club said QSI would cooperate with Boardroom “on a wide-series of commercial, investment, and content initiatives” including merchandise, media content US and international strategy and “potential Basketball/Multi-Sport expansion.”

“With Kevin, we look forward to developing ambitious initiatives that will drive the continued global growth of Paris Saint-Germain and QSI,” said Nasser Al-Khelaifi, Chairman of QSI.

Durant, 36, is a power forward with the Phoenix Suns. He won two NBA titles with the Golden State Warriors and has four Olympic gold medals, the last from the 2024 Paris Games.

He said in the PSG statement that PSG and Paris were “a Club and a city that is so close to my heart. This club has big plans ahead, and I can’t wait to be a part of the next phase of growth.”

France24.com

News

AFC Completes 5th Coach Education Conference

The AFC has concluded its three-day Coach Education Conference in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, it’s 5thedition, that covered a range of topics aimed at advancing coach education programmes across the confederation.

Titled ‘Shaping the Future of Coach Education’, AFC Technical Director Andy Roxburgh’s keynote address focussed on developing ‘Tomorrow’s Coaches’.

The second day led with a presentation on the membership requirements of the UEFA Coaching Convention, covering aspects such as organising national courses and increasing the percentage of female tutors in the MAs’ coach education landscape.

Debate covered the specific needs of MAs, and the importance of reality-based learning, different styles of leadership, and adapting to technological advancements.

A panel featuring Qatar Football Association (QFA)’s Fahad Abdullah Al Zarraa, Aspire Academy’s Maria Ruiz de Ona, AFC Grassroots and Youth Football Development Consultant Robin Russell, and Education 4 Peace Foundation Founder Mark Milton, highlighted the importance of prosocial responsibility in football.

Participants also received insights into tactical trends and standout individual performances from the AFC U20 Asian Cup China 2025, the Champions League Elite, and the Women’s Champions League.

The final day featured presentations by the Saudi Arabian Football Federation Technical Director Nasser Larguet, and the Football Association of Ireland Head of Coach Education Niall O’Regan, who shared insights into their coach education programmes.

“The AFC Coach Education Conference has not only enabled us to exchange ideas but also hear of success stories which undeniably motivate MAs in improving their existing programmes,” said Faye Chambers, Coach Education Instructor at Football Australia .

“Moreover, a lot of work is being done to empower more women coach educators through exclusive courses, and the impact can clearly be seen, as over the years, more and more women are taking up leadership roles in football, which is a clear indication of the progress being made on the Continent.”

Insideworldfootball.com

News

Somalia Set For Historic Beach Soccer Debut

The Somali Football Federation (SFF) has launched training programs for beach soccer coaches and referees under its REACH Initiative, aimed at getting the ball rolling in all corners of the country which is now preparing for its first ever beach soccer tournament.

The minister for youth and sport, Mohamed Abdulkadir Ali, and Somali Football Federation president, Ali Abdi Mohamed, jointly inaugurated the start of the SFF’s first beach soccer development programme on June 18.

Sixteen coaches and 16 referees from the federation’s beach soccer department are benefiting from the 6-day training courses which are being conducted by Salim Jamal Muwonge (coaching instructor) and Bayige Ivan Kintu (refereeing instructor). Both are from Uganda.

“The launch of such training programs shows a historic moment in our country’s footballing sector particularly it is a significant development in the beach soccer department” minister Abdulkadir Ali, said. The minister pointed out that his government is committed to helping SFF in terms of infrastructure development. “The government is working on the establishment of a beach soccer facility.”

Somali Football Federation president, Ali Abdi Mohamed, said that the revival of futsal competitions after years of absence and the start of women’s football in the country were some of the greatest things his administration achieved after his election as president, two years ago.

“Again we stood to get beach soccer going in the country for the first time and the launch of the training programs today is our first step towards that,” said Abdi Mohamed.

Insideworldfootball.com