Lionel Messi did not arrive at greatness easily. He worked his way there.Born on June 24, 1987, in Rosario, Argentina, Messi was smaller than most kids his age. Doctors diagnosed him with a growth hormone deficiency early on. Treatment was expensive. For a while, football didn’t look like a realistic future.
Barcelona changed that. At 13, Messi moved to Spain with his family after the club agreed to take care of his medical costs. He entered La Masia quietly. No hype. No noise. Just football.
Years later, he would leave the club as its greatest-ever player. At Barcelona, Messi scored goals in ways that felt almost casual. He didn’t rely on strength or size. He relied on timing, balance, and instinct. Season after season, he delivered. League titles followed. Champions League nights followed. So did Ballon d’Or trophies. Many of them.
For a long time, Argentina was the missing piece. Finals were lost. Pressure kept building. Critics grew louder. Messi never spoke much. He kept playing. That was his response.The breakthrough finally came in 2021 with the Copa América. The relief was obvious.
A year later, in Qatar, he completed the story. The 2022 World Cup wasn’t just about goals. It was about leadership, control, and presence. Messi looked at ease in moments where others would panic.In 2023, he joined Inter Miami. The impact was instant. Stadiums filled. Eyes followed.Messi’s legacy isn’t loud. It never was. It’s built on showing up, every season, and letting the football speak.
Opposition leaders in New Delhi faced detention for a second consecutive day during street protests demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Former India cricket captain and football fan Sourav Ganguly said that Lionel Messi's legacy will be one that is hard to match as the Argentina star announced his retirement from international football. Ganguly also commented on the upcoming India vs Brazil friendly in Kolkata.
This edition covers the escalating military confrontation between the United States and Iran, following an alleged US strike on a residence in southern Iran during a wedding gathering. It examines the co-production agreement between Tata Advanced Systems and the Raytheon-Lockheed Martin joint venture to assemble Javelin anti-tank guided missiles in India, analyzing the strategic balance between foreign assembly, indigenous systems like the DRDO MPATGM, and evolving drone warfare economics. The broadcast also assesses the growing political influence of Pakistan Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi alongside army chief Asim Munir amid calls for systemic restructuring and new provinces. Additionally, it details the arrival of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in Pattaya, Thailand, for crew shore leave after spending 250 days deployed at sea, concluding with a culinary tribute in Argentina celebrating soccer star Lionel Messi.
An Argentine restaurant has paid tribute to soccer star Lionel Messi with a specially crafted milanesa. Chef Damian Zanotti of the Buenos Aires restaurant El Antojo created the breaded schnitzel shaped and decorated to resemble the face of the country's football icon. The chef used a photograph of Messi as a reference while shaping the meat, applying an egg wash, and coating it with breadcrumbs to complete the edible portrait.
While emotions ran high after the FIFA World Cup final, one post-match moment stood out above the chaos. As several Argentina and Spain players were involved in heated confrontations following the final whistle, including one Argentine player being sent off, Spain's teenage star Lamine Yamal shared a warm embrace with Lionel Messi. The heartfelt exchange, captured on camera, quickly went viral on social media, with many fans describing it as a symbolic passing of the torch from one generation to the next. Yamal was also seen consoling the Argentine captain in the aftermath of the dramatic contest, offering a striking contrast to the tensions unfolding elsewhere on the pitch. For many viewers, the brief interaction became one of the defining images of the final, highlighting mutual respect and sportsmanship despite the fierce rivalry.
Indian football legend Bhaichung Bhutia said he was "sad to see Messi cry" after Argentina's World Cup final defeat to Spain, adding that the tournament could mark the end of Lionel Messi's international career. In an exclusive conversation with Rajdeep Sardesai, Bhutia reflected on Messi's legacy, Argentina's campaign, Spain's World Cup triumph and what the Argentine great has meant to football across generations.
Ten years after announcing his Argentina retirement at MetLife, Lionel Messi returned to the same stadium for another final and another heartbreak.
India Today's Consulting Editor Rajdeep Sardesai joins football experts Karim Bencherifa, Ranjeet Bajaj, Siddhant Aney and host Nikhil Naz for a special FIFA World Cup final preview. Can Lionel Messi inspire Argentina to glory, or will Spain's young stars complete their fairytale run? The panel discusses it all in this roundtable session.
Lionel Messi spent more than two decades in Barcelona, building one of football’s greatest club careers. Now, Spain stand between Argentina and back-to-back World Cup titles.
An Iranian missile strike on UAE vessels in the Strait of Hormuz killed Indian seafarer Rohan Kumar and injured nine others, prompting India's Ministry of External Affairs to summon the Iranian Deputy Chief of Mission.
FIFA World Cup fever has spread across the country as the tournament reaches the semifinal stage. In West Bengal's Durgapur, a local sweet maker and diehard Lionel Messi fan has crafted a lifelike, life-size statue of the Argentine legend.
In this episode of Democratic Newsroom, the focus is on the controversies surrounding the recent FIFA World Cup match between Argentina and Egypt and Donald Trump's intervention to review a red card decision against US striker Folarin Balogun.
The top focus of this episode of To The Point is the big controversy that erupted over Argentina's 3-2 win over Egypt in the FIFA World Cup Round of 16.
In some relief for aam aadmi, the central government on Wednesday slashed the price of commercial LPG cylinders by Rs 183 after a series of hikes due to the West Asia crisis.
Speaking to India Today's Harshit Ahuja, former India captain Bhaichung Bhutia picked his favourites for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, while stressing that choosing a single frontrunner is far from straightforward. The football legend said as many as seven or eight teams are genuine contenders and capable of lifting the sport's most prestigious trophy.
This is a story that starts in Ranchi… with long nights, strict parents, and a kid learning to control fear before finding his voice on the field.
This special report provides a comprehensive analysis of the critical challenges and opportunities facing India in 2026, covering the political, economic, and environmental sectors.
On this Special Report, the focus is on the critical environmental challenges facing India as it enters 2026. The report highlights the growing conflict between political interests and ecological preservation, questioning if clean air and water will remain elusive dreams. It details alarming incidents from late 2025, including a deadly fire at a Goa nightclub built in a no-development zone and severe pollution in Delhi that marred a visit by football legend Lionel Messi. The programme also covers the public outcry over mining in the Aravalli Hills and the subsequent Supreme Court intervention. As the speaker notes, 'India lacks a cohesive and empowered green policy that its politicians adhere to.' The report concludes with a call for a unified political will to tackle climate change and ensure a sustainable future.
In this special segment, the panel discusses the severe air pollution crisis in Delhi-NCR, highlighted by the recent 'AQI' chants during Lionel Messi's visit. The discussion explores the political blame game between the BJP and AAP, with references to Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta. Speakers debate the conflict between environmental protection and development, citing the degradation of the Yamuna river and deforestation in Goa and Himachal Pradesh. The conversation also addresses the health impacts of pollution, including the cognitive decline in children due to high PM 2.5 levels. The programme calls for a sustained, year-round strategy rather than knee-jerk reactions like GRAP.
Fans were disappointed to see Indian football icon Sunil Chhetri wearing a jersey with Messi’s face during his Mumbai visit.
