Dhaka's celebrated actress, Tasnia Farin, experienced the thrill of watching a football match from the gallery for the very first time. She attended Copa America 2024 held at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, USA, on Wednesday morning, as per Bangladesh time.

This year, the Argentina captain gets to celebrate his birthday with the national team in the middle of the Copa America, ahead of their Tuesday Group A fixture against Chile in New Jersey.

The 108-year-old competition is being held in the United States with the host nation among six teams from the CONCACAF region joining the 10 South American nations looking for a place in the July 14 final in Miami.

"It doesn't make much sense to think about when they're gone. Let's enjoy them now, we'll see what happens later. Messi is fine, he's happy. I'm with renewed ideas and strength. It's a nice challenge to defend the title," Scaloni said.

Messi's star turn raised the profile for MLS in the United States.

Despite the return of Lionel Messi to the starting line-up, after he missed the 0-0 draw at Orlando on Wednesday, Miami struggled to create chances against a very well organized D.C. defense.

Everything Miami was creating was coming through Messi, who flashed a snapshot wide before moments later whipping in a cross for a Gomez header which was saved by Panicco's feet.

Mexican side Monterrey sent Lionel Messi and Inter Miami crashing out of the CONCACAF Champions Cup on Wednesday after completing a 5-2 aggregate victory in their quarter-final clash.

Messi, the beloved Border collie who stole hearts in the Oscar-nominated film "Anatomy of a Fall", will not be gracing the red carpet at the upcoming Academy Awards ceremony. Despite capturing the attention of Hollywood's elite at the recent nominees' luncheon, the four-legged sensation will be notably absent from Sunday's star-studded event.

Messi's goal came in the second minute of second-half stoppage time and kept Inter Miami unbeaten (1-0-1, 4 points).

In a video posted on China's Weibo social media platform, Messi rejected chatter that his no-show was "for political reasons" and said if this had been the case, "I would not have traveled" to Hong Kong in the first place.

The World Cup winner joined Inter from Paris Saint Germain in mid-July, the biggest name ever to move to MLS and his signing caused a massive spurt in interest in American soccer.

Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez channelled his inner Lionel Messi when he scored his side’s third goal in a classy 3-1 win in a fourth-round FA Cup tie against Aston Villa at Villa Park on Thursday. 

It came days after his absence on the pitch in a recent Hong Kong friendly had angered fans there.

Organisers of a Hong Kong football match which drew boos after star man Lionel Messi failed to play said Monday they deeply regretted the no-show, and would withdraw a bid for a HK$16 million ($2 million) government grant.

Lionel Messi and David Beckham were booed on Sunday after the Argentina superstar sat out Inter Miami's pre-season friendly in Hong Kong.

Tens of thousands of football fans turned out to see Lionel Messi train with his Inter Miami teammates in Hong Kong on Saturday, as "Messi mania" took hold of the city.

Star French striker Kylian Mbappe can win the Ballon d'Or in "any team", Ronaldinho told AFP Sunday, but the Brazilian would like him to win it with Paris Saint-Germain, "a big club".

In a recent interview in his home country of Argentina pertaining to his availability for the 2026 World Cup, soccer superstar Lionel Messi called Major League Soccer -- his current home -- "a minor league."

Tempers had flared in the Maracana stands moments before kick-off, with Brazilian police using batons.