Lionel Messi has broken his silence following the death of his father with an emotional statement in which he has hinted that he could retire from football soon.
Messi‘s father Jorge died last week at the age of 68 following a long illness, passing away in a hospital in his hometown of Rosario, Argentina.
He had fallen ill before the start of the World Cup, but, as Messi states in his emotional tribute to his father, had convinced one of the world’s greatest ever players to play in the tournament.
“Dad, I still can’t believe you’re gone. I can’t believe I won’t see you anymore, that we won’t talk anymore. I know you were suffering and that’s the best thing, but you left too soon. We still had so much left to enjoy together.
“You always asked me to play in the last World Cup and days before it started, that’s when you got worse. It was the first time you weren’t going to be in a tournament, but mum told me you were going to be fine and that you would be okay to travel. I told you we would get to the final and you could see a game.
“I came to you because I couldn’t talk about everything that happened. You couldn’t enjoy anything. We weren’t champions, but you never knew how we enjoyed every game. Once again, you were right: you had to be there and play.
“I tell you this because it was the only thing we couldn’t talk about, because everything else you already know. We talked every day and saw each other when we could because of my commitments.
“I don’t know what I’m going to do without you, I don’t know how to go on. I just played soccer and now I have a lot of doubts that I’ll keep doing it for a long time more. You were by my side from the beginning, so close to the end. Why didn’t you hold on a little longer and we could have finished together?
“I know your happiness was seeing your family, your wife, your kids, and above all, without the others finding out, seeing me play…
“It was always like that since I was little. You took me to all the training sessions as soon as you got home from work. I took many of you to mom’s place because you were working.
“Obviously, you didn’t miss any of the games. How you suffered seeing me and how you enjoyed it, even though you never gave me many compliments.
“You were dad, friend, and representative. You were always the person you had to be in every moment and you never made a mistake. Beyond some reproaches or fights, you were always right. In the end, it all came down to what you said.
“I will miss you a lot, but you will always be present, and especially in the education of my children, because I teach and educate them as you did with me.
“Rest in peace and take care of us from above as you did here. Thank you for everything.
An NFL scout has issued a damning assessment of Travis Kelce ahead of the new season.
The Kansas City Chiefs will be aiming to win the Super Bowl for the first time since 2024 following a disastrous campaign last season.
The Chiefs finished 6-11, third in the AFC West and missed out on the playoffs for the first time in the Patrick Mahomes era.
It could be another difficult season given star quarterback Mahomes isn’t fully fit, having undergone knee surgery, emphasising concerns about Kelce, who is entering the 14th season of his legendary NFL career.
But one NFL advance scout doesn’t have high hopes for the 11-time Pro Bowl winner.
Travis Kelce is ‘Done’, According to NFL Scout
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One NFL advance scout believes Kelce is ‘done’, as quoted by Jason La Canfora in a report published on Tuesday.
“Kelce is done,” said La Canfora. “That’s over. What you saw last year – that’s what he is.”
NFL insider La Canfora added that Kelce, who got married to pop star Taylor Swift on July 3 at the iconic Madison Square Garden in New York City, is past his prime and potentially finished as a difference-maker.
NFL analyst Brian Baldinger also weighed in and offered a similar assessment on the Chiefs’ passing game as a whole.
“I don’t think they’re a great offence, Jason, I really don’t,” he told La Canfora, who replied: “They don’t look like it to me. They haven’t done enough.”
Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid Backs Travis Kelce
Travis Kelce and Andy Reid celebrate Super BowlCredit: Michael Chow / USA TODAY NETWORK
Chiefs coach Andy Reid shared his thoughts on Kelce ahead of the new season and jumped to the defence of the 36-year-old, addressing claims that the star player has returned to training camp sporting a dad bod after tying the know with Swift last month.
“He came back in good shape,” he told NFL Network. “I know everybody’s out there saying he’s got the dad body and all this stuff, but he looks the same to me that he’s always looked, and just playing like crazy. So he’s doing a nice job with everything.”
Reid also hailed Kelce’s drive on the pitch and claimed he has been ‘playing like crazy’ during early training camp sessions.
“He’s focused in and ready to go,” he added. “When you have somebody that’s been here 14 years and wants to be out there every snap… where he’s gonna play hard and aggressive, that’s contagious.”
Despite the Chiefs having a down year and missing the playoffs, Kelce, who contemplated retirement in the offseason, delivered a productive campaign, having played in all 17 games, recording 76 catches for 851 yards and five touchdowns.
Tottenham Hotspur defender Djed Spence has agreed personal terms with Inter Milan after the Serie A side made a formal bid, according to Fabrizio Romano.
Spurs have had a very busy summer transfer window, including the arrivals of defenders Andy Robertson, Marcos Senesi, and Jan Paul van Hecke, while first-choice right-back Pedro Porro has also signed a new long-term contract with the club.
Spence is understood to be available for a transfer despite a sensational World Cup campaign with England, with Destiny Udogie, Robertson, and Porro all ahead of him in the pecking order, and Inter have now made a move to take him back to Italy.
Inter Table Formal Bid for Spence
IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters/Brett Davis
According to Fabrizio Romano on X, Inter Milan have tabled a formal €30m (£25.6m) offer for the 25-year-old full-back, as they look to bring in a new option for manager Christian Chivu.
Spurs are understood to be demanding at least €35m (£30m) plus add-ons for the former Nottingham Forest and Middlesbrough star, and talks are ongoing between the clubs to find an agreement. But in a fresh update, it has also been revealed that Spence has agreed to contract terms with Inter, and a deal now looks closer than ever before to being completed.
“When I first saw him, when he first came in… he was a bit like when Kolo Toure came to Arsenal,” he said.
“He was like the schoolboy in the playground, just followed the ball everywhere, and Djed was getting like caught out of position quite a bit, but now he’s like (much better).
“The more he’s playing in that position (left-back) he’s getting used to it, and his pace is frightening – he had a one-v-one with somebody and like totally outpaced them, easy.”
With limited games this season, it makes sense that he may play less and find himself on the sidelines. But it’s quite surprising to see that De Zerbi is willing to let him go, and Spurs are willing to let him go so cheaply since he has a contract until 2029.
It will be a blow for Spurs to lose a player of that quality, but a deal now seems to be on the verge of being done.
