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Messi Presented with Inaugural MARCA America Award

Messi Presented with Inaugural MARCA America Award
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Messi Presented with Inaugural MARCA America Award

Messi Presented with Inaugural MARCA America Award

Inter Miami's Lionel Messi added another award to his collection on Thursday.

Messi became the first recipient of the MARCA America Award, presented by the Spain-based media company, The Associated Press reported. The award recognizes Messi’s championship-laden career — one with a record 46 trophies won for club or country, and at least 56 other awards on the individual level.
“It has been quite the journey,” the Argentine superstar said in Spanish during a moderated question-and-answer session at Chase Stadium, Inter Miami's home field. “We have experienced so many beautiful things but also complicated moments. In 20 years not everything is beautiful. You cannot win all the time."
For Messi, no title outshines the 2022 World Cup with Argentina that helped cement his legacy among the sport’s greatest players. However, the 37-year-old Messi has won plenty and still feels the drive to continue adding titles. Similar to his titles with Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain, Messi already has helped Inter Miami win hardware since he joined the MLS club in July 2023.
Although limited to 18 MLS matches this season because of an ankle injury and national team commitments, Messi has 17 goals and 15 assists to help lead Miami to the 2024 Supporters Shield. Miami will have home-field advantage throughout the MLS Cup playoffs which begin next week.
“I was able to achieve the biggest prize, which is the World Cup,” said Messi, who had three goals and two assists in a 6-0 Argentina romp past Bolivia in a World Cup qualifier on Tuesday. “It is the trophy all of us want when we start playing and I managed to fulfill my dream. We won many titles in Barcelona, Paris. Now we are here with the objective to fight hard for another title.”
Messi’s contract with Inter Miami runs through next season. And, after his recent goal-scoring performance on Tuesday, Messi could remain energized in his commitments with Argentina through the next World Cup cycle.
“I still have a deep love for this sport and I will continue to aspire to win more titles,” Messi said. “At this level, you have to enjoy things day by day.”
Inter Miami has one regular-season match left, coming at home Saturday against New England. If Inter Miami wins it would set the MLS single-season points mark with 72, one more than New England had in 2021.

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Hamilton Says He Forgot Who He Was but Has Re-Set for New Season

Ferrari's British driver Lewis Hamilton drives on the second day of the Formula One pre-season testing at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir on February 19, 2026. (AFP)
Ferrari's British driver Lewis Hamilton drives on the second day of the Formula One pre-season testing at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir on February 19, 2026. (AFP)
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Hamilton Says He Forgot Who He Was but Has Re-Set for New Season

Ferrari's British driver Lewis Hamilton drives on the second day of the Formula One pre-season testing at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir on February 19, 2026. (AFP)
Ferrari's British driver Lewis Hamilton drives on the second day of the Formula One pre-season testing at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir on February 19, 2026. (AFP)

Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton has ‌admitted he "forgot who I was" but is now excited for the new Formula One season and ready to go racing again.

In a defiant message posted on Instagram, the seven times world champion made clear he was fully motivated again after a disappointing first season with the Italian team.

"I love this job so much and I love working with my team and driving ‌for the fans," ‌said the 41-year-old Briton, who ‌joined ⁠Ferrari from Mercedes ⁠last year amid much initial fanfare.

"I'm incredibly lucky to be able to do what I do, and I'm excited for the season ahead.

"I'm re-set and refreshed. I'm not going anywhere, so stick with me. For a moment, I forgot ⁠who I was, but thanks to ‌you and your support ‌you're not going to see that mindset again. I ‌know what needs to be done. This ‌is going to be one hell of a season."

The most successful driver in Formula One history had the worst season of his career last year, failing ‌to get on the podium in 24 races and sounding increasingly gloomy.

Ferrari also ⁠failed ⁠to win a race in 2025 but have looked strong in testing in Bahrain this month, with Hamilton's teammate Charles Leclerc fastest in this week's final session before the cars are flown to Australia for the first race on March 8.

Andrea Stella, the boss of champions McLaren, told reporters on Friday that he saw Mercedes and Ferrari as the teams to beat.

"McLaren and Red Bull probably very similar, Ferrari and Mercedes a step ahead," he said.

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Juventus End Bad Week with 2-0 Loss Against Como

Juventus' players leave the pitch at the end of the Italian Serie A football match between Juventus and Como at the Allianz stadium in Turin on February 21, 2026. (AFP)
Juventus' players leave the pitch at the end of the Italian Serie A football match between Juventus and Como at the Allianz stadium in Turin on February 21, 2026. (AFP)
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Juventus End Bad Week with 2-0 Loss Against Como

Juventus' players leave the pitch at the end of the Italian Serie A football match between Juventus and Como at the Allianz stadium in Turin on February 21, 2026. (AFP)
Juventus' players leave the pitch at the end of the Italian Serie A football match between Juventus and Como at the Allianz stadium in Turin on February 21, 2026. (AFP)

Juventus blew their chance of climbing into the Champions League places in Serie A as they slumped to a 2-0 defeat at home to Como on Saturday.

A win would have lifted Juve above fourth-placed Napoli but, Juventus, thrashed 5-2 at Galatasaray in the first leg of the Champions League play-offs in midweek, they had no answer to the ambition of Como who moved one point behind them in sixth.

The visitors, who drew with AC Milan on Wednesday, were in front after just 11 minutes when Juve gave the ball away in midfield.

Anastasios Douvikas collected and played in Mergim Vojvoda on the right.

The Kosovar cut inside before unleashing a left-footed shot from 18 meters out. Michele Di Gregorio got a hand on it but couldn't prevent it hitting the back of the Juve net.

The second came just after the hour when Como counter-attacked from a poorly taken Juventus corner.

Maximo Perrone carried the ball all the way up the pitch before spotting Lucas Da Cunha on the right making a run into the box.

The captain drilled a low cross to Maxence Caqueret on the edge of the six-yard box who tapped into an empty net.

Victory at Lecce later on Saturday would give leaders Inter Milan a 10-point lead over AC Milan, who host Parma on Sunday.

Sports

Lionel Messi's Inter Miami Reloads for a Run at a Second Straight MLS Title

Argentine soccer player Lionel Messi waves to supporters before a friendly soccer match between Inter Miami and Atlético Nacional at the Atanasio Girardot Stadium in Medellín, Colombia, 31 January 2026. EPA/Carlos Ortega
Argentine soccer player Lionel Messi waves to supporters before a friendly soccer match between Inter Miami and Atlético Nacional at the Atanasio Girardot Stadium in Medellín, Colombia, 31 January 2026. EPA/Carlos Ortega
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Lionel Messi's Inter Miami Reloads for a Run at a Second Straight MLS Title

Argentine soccer player Lionel Messi waves to supporters before a friendly soccer match between Inter Miami and Atlético Nacional at the Atanasio Girardot Stadium in Medellín, Colombia, 31 January 2026. EPA/Carlos Ortega
Argentine soccer player Lionel Messi waves to supporters before a friendly soccer match between Inter Miami and Atlético Nacional at the Atanasio Girardot Stadium in Medellín, Colombia, 31 January 2026. EPA/Carlos Ortega

Less than three months removed from its first MLS Cup championship, Lionel Messi's Inter Miami shows no signs of a letdown.

The Herons have assembled one of the strongest rosters in Major League Soccer history heading into a season that begins this weekend and bookends around the biggest event of them all, the World Cup hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.

The ageless Messi — he turns 39 in June — is coming off his second straight MVP award, the first player in MLS history to accomplish that feat. He just keeps adding to a legacy that already ensures he'll be remembered as one of the greatest ever to play the beautiful game, The Associated Press said.

“He’s a quiet guy, but on the pitch he transforms into an animal,” teammate Yannick Bright told Italy’s La Gazzetta dello Sport. “After all he’s won, he never wants to lose, not even in training.”

Messi is hardly going it alone in Miami, which pulled off an impressive reload after bringing a title to South Florida.

MLS goalkeeper of the year Dayne St. Clair was lured away from Minnesota United, addressing the club's biggest area of concern. Germán Berterame arrived from Liga MX’s Monterrey to fill a designated player spot, giving the Herons another dynamic threat up front. Newcomers Micael, Sergio Reguilón and David Ayala should help the club cope with the departures of Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba.

Miami begins its title defense Saturday night with a prime-time matchup against Los Angeles FC at the iconic Coliseum, which is expected to draw a crowd of more than 60,000.

Messi dealt with a muscle issue during the preseason, which put his availability for the opener in question. But he returned to full training this week and is expected to play.

Adding to the excitement in Miami, the Herons will hold the first game at their new Freedom Park stadium on April 4. The 25,000-seat facility completes a more than decade-long quest to build a soccer-specific stadium within the city.

Miami's possible challengers The Vancouver Whitecaps, who were bolstered by the summer signing of longtime German star Thomas Müller, reached the final of both the MLS Cup and CONCACAF Champions Cup in 2025.

They came up short in both games, losing 3-1 to Messi's squad for the league title and 5-0 to Mexico's Cruz Azul for the continental championship. With Müller set for his first full season in MLS, the Whitecaps are eager to bring home a trophy.

Los Angeles FC could the strongest club this side of South Florida, with Son Heung-Min also set for full campaign after his midseason arrival from Tottenham Hotspur provided a dynamic pairing with Denis Bouanga.

“I let Messi win this year,” Son joked during a December visit to Tottenham, "but next year ... we’ll be at the top.”

Also keep an eye on the Philadelphia Union, which claimed the Supporters' Shield for the league's best record during the regular season, and Minnesota United FC with its newest addition, Colombian icon James Rodríguez on a short-term deal.

World Cup break

The league's 30 clubs will have to navigate a seven-week shutdown while the expanded World Cup is held in North America.

MLS stadiums in Atlanta, New England, Seattle, Vancouver and Toronto will host World Cup matches, and many of the league's training facilities will be utilized by nations from around the globe.

The unique schedule has led to some strange quirks in the schedule, such as Atlanta United going more than three months between home games at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

When MLS resumes play in mid-July, it will be interesting to see which teams do the best job of handling the long layoff.