Lionel Messi

The Morning Sports Briefing: Keep ahead of the game with The Irish Times sports team

This was his cup; there has never been a story like this, a competition so centred around one man

France suddenly sprang into life in the second-half to create an extraordinary contest

Final for the ages is crowning glory that puts Messi on a par with Maradona’s effort in 1986

Co Mayo town, home to the founder of the Argentinian navy, celebrates historic win

Kylian Mbappé's scores stunning hat-trick to twice bring defending champions back into game

Follow all the action as France look to win back-to-back crowns while Messi looks for a maiden world title

And Gianni Infantino must have been reading some strange stuff before the World Cup

Lionel Scaloni looks likely to opt for a 4-4-2 system as he tries to subdue Kylian Mbappé and serve Lionel Messi

Qatar 2022′s early kick-offs swell live stream tallies as ‘superstar’ factor also yields strong audiences for RTÉ2

Everyone ‘knew’ this would be Lionel Messi’s last World Cup, the feeling that you might never see him again clinging to every game

Croatia latest to the sword as forward smashes European side to smithereens in semi-final

Not happy just to have scored a penalty the Argentina captain went on a stunning run in the 69th minute

Duffer has tended to love the more beautiful game, so his admiration for rowdy behaviour surprised even himself. ‘You could argue this is what a year in League of Ireland has done to me’

Forwards make the difference as it’s the end of the line for Luka Modric’s Croatia

Shearer’s ‘comforting words to Kane; Eto’o’s Morocco prediction; Van Gaal bows out on high

The superstar has become a liability to Portugal, but there are still two scenarios in which his country should call on him

South Americans were 2-0 and coasting before two Wout Weghorst goals sent the game to extra-time and penalties

Brady lays into ‘large cod’ Neymar after Brazilians learn harsh lesson at the Education City Stadium

Australia put to the sword by the genius Messi in his 1,000th game

Socceroos almost sneak a draw at the end in absorbing second half in Qatar

‘When the burgers and first bucket of cold beers landed, Spain led Japan 1-0 and Germany had Costa Rica on a string’

Messi sees penalty saved but Alexis Mac Allister and Julian Alvarez on target to set up meeting with Australia

Two great goal scorers will bear most of the hopes when Argentina and Poland meet in a decisive match in Group C.

Ken Early: Neutrals are rooting for Argentina and it's not entirely due to the Messi factor

Messi's moment of magic provides a `great liberation' as Argentina get their World Cup bid back on track

Bad-tempered clash lacked any rhythm until a few moments of magic from Messi and Fernandez

Enzo Fernandez seals the win as Argentina live to fight another day

For Diego Maradona the football was a ‘paint brush’, but to Messi it is a ‘high-precision tool’

Hervé Renard’s fighters remind us that when you run and run and run, football will always give you a chance

Two second half goals in the space of five minutes lead to one of the biggest upsets in tournament history

If Messi’s last dance were to take Argentina to the title it would be a story beautiful enough to bring out the inner eight-year-old in all of us

Argentina headline the group as Lionel Messi looks for an elusive winner’s medal

The Argentinian was unveiled as the latest tourism ambassador for Saudi Arabia

Tenth French title for the Parisiens but celebrations are muted after European failure

Eleven moving as one, he gave the people of Burnley a team they could be proud of

The Real Madrid superstar did against Chelsea what he has always done – made the complicated look simple

Alex Ferguson said the defender could eventually become ‘our best-ever player’

PSG star agrees ‘ambassador’ deal while AS Monaco enters partnership to develop NFTs

They shouldn’t be looking to sell but ask themselves if cost of keeping him is worth it