Piers Morgan has caused a stir with his reaction to Lionel Messi’s history-making hat-trick for Argentina against Algeria at the 2026 World Cup.

Messi, 39 next week, joined Germany legend Miroslav Klose on 16 World Cup goals as La Albiceleste began the defence of their title in impressive fashion.

It was Argentina’s talismanic captain who opened the scoring with a stunning effort past Algeria goalkeeper Luca Zidane – son of France great, Zinedine – in the 17th minute. The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, widely regarded as the best footballer in history, added two more goals in the second half before going off to a standing ovation shortly afterwards.

“To enjoy this with my family, with my teammates, the ones who are always there, is a really beautiful moment,” Messi, named Player of the Match, told reporters after the final whistle.

“The squad, it’s a very united, very strong group. I feel good; we were lucky enough to win a tough match. It’s important to start off with a win in the first game.

“I’m grateful to the fans, because once again they’ve shown that Argentina is crazy about this – we packed the stadium again.

“Everything I’m experiencing now is a bonus. I’ve been fortunate enough to achieve all my dreams – or even more than I ever dreamed of achieving – both professionally and personally.”

Piers’ Social Media Post About Messi

Claudia Greco via Reuters

Piers Morgan has made no secret of the fact he believes Cristiano Ronaldo, who he’s interviewed on several occasions in recent years and now considers a friend, is superior to Messi.

This is despite the fact that Piers himself once labelled Messi as the better player, insisting “any further debate is superfluous”.

However, that deleted tweet was posted long before Piers became pally with Cristiano. The British broadcaster now holds a very different view regarding football’s GOAT debate.

In fact, Messi failed to even make Morgan’s all-time World Cup XI, which he named last week.

While Piers conceded that Messi produced a “brilliant performance” on Tuesday – presumably through gritted teeth – the former tabloid newspaper editor added: “but he should have been sent off for this outrageous studs-up foul on Algeria’s Mandi. The fact he didn’t even get booked is ridiculous – could have broken the guy’s leg.”

Now, Piers isn’t alone in thinking that Messi was fortunate to avoid punishment. ESPN pundits Nedum Onuoha and Ale Moreno were in agreement that Argentina’s No. 10 should have been sent off and were confused why referee Szymon Marciniak wasn’t asked to review the incident by VAR.

However, many fans believe Morgan has used the incident as an excuse to downplay Messi’s latest masterclass.

“Man you are sick!” replied an Argentina fan on X (Twitter), while another football fan said: “Too early to start crying.”

A third supporter commented: “Get a grip, Piers. Appreciate greatness, you won’t die,” while a fourth added:

A fifth supporter wrote: “Oh Tears Morgan – you never fail to surprise me. Softest accidental foul you’ll ever see. The world should be thankful the referee and VAR saw it as such The fact you’d be ecstatic at seeing the greatest player to ever step on a pitch be sent off for that is a testament to how much of a worm you really are.” Ouch.

All eyes will now be on Piers’ footballing hero Ronaldo as Portugal take on DR Congo in their opening World Cup match on Wednesday.

Ilia Topuria’s agent has revealed exactly what ‘El Matador’ told him in the immediate aftermath of his brutal defeat to Justin Gaethje at UFC Freedom 250.

Topuria entered his undisputed UFC Lightweight Championship clash with Gaethje at the White House as a heavy favourite. The 29-year-old, who has held UFC gold in two divisions, was undefeated in all 17 of his previous MMA outings.

However, the adopted Spaniard was battered by Gaethje in the main event of the card at the White House, as ‘The Highlight’ entered a career-best performance to win a full UFC title for the first time in his career.

Ilia Topuria’s Loss to Justin Gaethje at UFC Freedom 250

Amber Searls via Imagn Images

The American enjoyed significant success early in the fight as he bloodied Topuria during the opening round. Ilia would later admit that he had lost all vision in his right eye by the end of the first session.

Despite enduring a nightmare beginning to the contest, Topuria battled back well in the second. He even looked to be on the verge of winning the fight when he dropped Gaethje with a perfectly-timed shot to the liver.

As Gaethje fell, Topuria followed his opponent to the ground, something he would later be told was a “big mistake” by Justin’s coach, Trevor Wittman.

Gaethje managed to avoid various submission attempts from Topuria and survive until the end of the round. Having made it to the third round, Justin began to turn the screw on a struggling Ilia.

The 37-year-old underdog sent Topuria sprawling to the canvas with a vicious knee to the midsection. It was a blow from which Ilia never truly recovered. With his opponent in a compromised state, Gaethje was able to hand a variety of hard strikes to Topuria’s face.

These led to his eyes swelling up considerably, with the ringside doctor advising the referee that the fight should have been called off at the end of the third. Wanting to give Topuria every chance to succeed, official Marc Goddard allowed the previously undefeated competitor to go out for the fourth round.

As hard as he tried, Topuria wasn’t able to turn the tide and returned to his corner at the end of the round as a beaten man. Unable to see out of either eye, Ilia told his corner to end the contest as he uttered two words while sitting slumped on his stool telling his team to end the fight.

What Ilia Topuria Said to His Agent After Devastating UFC White House Setback

Amber Searls via Imagn Images

In the aftermath of his defeat, there has been much speculation about Topuria’s future, especially in view of the damage he took during the fight.

Among those to have their say was Ilia’s agent, Jose Maria Diaz, who released a statement following the bout in which he admitted he was “heartbroken”:

“I’ve been processing everything that happened and I really still don’t understand. I’m not going to lie, I am heartbroken.”

Diaz went on to reveal exactly what Topuria said to him straight after the fight. While most beaten fighters would have been complaining about bad luck during the bout or demanding a rematch, Ilia had a different concern as he shared just nine words with his representative, asking:

“Did the fans enjoy the fight? Great fight, right?”

The dramatic scrap received glowing reviews from all who watched it. UFC CEO Dana White was also hugely impressed, awarding Topuria $425,000 for his part in the Fight of the Night, in addition to his contractual pay.

Ilia will need time to heal from his injuries before deciding on his next move, although Gaethje has already seemingly ruled out a rematch between the pair.

Yan Diomande has made waves this season after a stellar campaign for Bundesliga outfit RB Leipzig.

After netting three goals in 18 minutes against Eintracht Frankfurt in December, Diomande became the second-youngest player to score a hat-trick in the Bundesliga.

With 22 goal contributions across 36 appearances in all competitions, Leipzig will face a stern challenge if they are to keep their star youngster away from the clutches of Europe’s elite.

Liverpool have been strongly linked with a summer swoop, while other top European clubs, including Arsenal, are also believed to be keen on recruiting the highly regarded youngster.

Yan Diomande’s Position & Style of Play

A right-footed winger, comfortable playing off of either flank, Diomande was a thorn in the side of almost every Bundesliga fullback during the 2025/26 season. Explosive, strong and agile, the Ivory Coast international, who has already become a key figure for his nation, does not rely on flashy skills or unnecessary flair, but instead uses his strengths to his advantage.

Whilst his right foot may be his ‘stronger foot’, the fact that seven of his 12 Bundesliga goals have come from his left would suggest that both feet are equally effective at finding the back of the net. Given that he is able to play with both feet, the classic defensive advice of “show him down the line” is not necessarily efficacious, with his deliveries into the box just as terrifying as the prospect of him shaping up for a shot on goal.

And whilst his finishing may not be at the level of some of the game’s most elite forwards, the natural quality and instinct that Diomande has demonstrated in the 2025/26 season, along with the variety of his finishes, offers a solid platform from which he can build on.

Take his hat-trick against Frankfurt, for example. His first was an instinctive, right-footed finish, high into the roof of the net. His second came as a delicate, left-footed shot from the edge of the box found the bottom corner. A perfect through-ball from Nicolas Seiwald set up Diomande’s hat-trick, as the winger rounded the keeper and slotted home his third goal in 18 minutes. With such a varied range of finishes, his unpredictability makes defending against him a real challenge.

Yan Diomande’s Stats (Bundesliga 2025/26)

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Just a quick glance at the stats is enough for anyone to tell that Diomande has the potential to be a superstar. In 2025/26, he won more duels and completed more successful dribbles than any other winger in the Bundesliga, whilst also making a high number of ball recoveries, particularly in the final third, forcing high turnovers in much more advanced areas of the pitch.

In terms of goal-scoring wingers, only Bayern Munich’s Luis Diaz and Michael Olise netted more than Diomande in the German top division this season, which is not at all surprising given that the 34-time league winners netted 122 goals in the campaign.

But it’s not just Diomande’s eye for goal that sets him apart from other players in his position, his 10.12 expected assists this season places him in the 97th percentile, whilst only five per cent of Bundesliga wingers have recorded more than the Ivorian’s 896 successful passes this season.

Yan Diomande Dribbling Skills in Focus

Yan Diomande’s biggest asset is his creative dribbling ability. His effectiveness with both feet allows him to manipulate his way around defenders with ease, and his close-control ensures he escapes with the ball, even in the tightest of areas.

Speaking on his tricky winger, Leipzig head coach Ole Werner said:

His most common and most effective maneuver is his half-turn. Oftentimes, in matches, Diomande will look to receive the ball facing sideways, or even with his back to goal, and will use his strength the muscle defenders away, allowing the ball to roll past his body, before using his lightning-fast acceleration to drive into the space vacated by the defender. Other times, he will gently knock the ball around the onrushing fullback, creating a yard of space from which he can attack the box.

His six-foot frame also makes him a nightmare to compete against. His centre of gravity makes him difficult to knock off balance whilst still being big enough to compete physically with stronger defenders.

Who is Yan Diomande similar to?

As an explosive winger with impressive dribbling skills, Diomande has drawn comparisons to Sadio Mane, who has exhibited similar attributes throughout his career. He is quite like his RB Leipzig team-mate Antonio Nusa in terms of directness, while others he has been compared with include James Maddison, Pedro and Inaki Williams.