Messi and Swiatek among the nominees for the 2023 Laureus Awards

Argentina captain Lionel Messi is fit again and will start their World Cup qualifier at home to Brazil on Tuesday, coach Lionel Scaloni told reporters on Monday (November 15). Scaloni made similar comments ahead of Argentina’s last game, a 1-0 win against Uruguay on Friday, although Messi only appeared for the final 14 minutes of the match. Argentina are second in South America’s 10-team qualifying group, six points behind Brazil, who are the only team from the region to have secured their place at Qatar 2022 so far.

Argentina's Lionel Messi won the Ballon d'Or award for the best player in the world for a record-stretching seventh time on Monday (November 29), beating Robert Lewandowski and Jorginho to lift soccer's most prestigious trophy yet again. The forward added to his 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015 and 2019 trophies after winning the Copa America for the first time with his country last July. Messi, who joined Paris St Germain on a free transfer from Barcelona during the close season after finishing as La Liga's top scorer with the Spanish club, collected 613 points, with Bayern Munich's Lewandowski, named best striker on Monday, getting 580.

The soccer star is self-isolating after a positive coronavirus test. His fellow PSG players Juan Bernat, Sergio Rico and Nathan Bitumazala have also tested positive for the virus.

Lionel Messi’s agents have denied reports he has an agreement to become player-owner of Inter Miami CF. Messi has long been linked with a move to the MLS side once he decides to leave his current side, PSG.

On Saturday world number one Swiatek confirmed her dominance of women's tennis by sweeping aside American teenager Coco Gauff 6-1 6-3 to claim her second French Open title in three years. The 21-year-old Pole's blend of power, poise and precision on the clay was too much to handle for the 18-year-old Gauff, who never recovered from a shaky start in her maiden Grand Slam final.

Barcelona president Joan Laporta has hinted that Lionel Messi may make a sensational return to Camp Nou. In an interview with ESPN, Laporta said he hoped that Messi would return to the club.

Uruguayan soccer star Luis Suarez was unveiled as a Nacional club player on Sunday, a return to his footballing roots. Former Liverpool and Barcelona forward Suarez rejoined the Montevideo-based team on a free transfer, returning to the club where he started his professional career in 2005.

Here are a few reasons to pick up a copy of The Guardian on Saturday.

Argentina and Messi land in Qatar ahead of the World Cup

Soccer-Saudis stun Messi's Argentina with 2-1 comeback win.

A viral photo on Twitter allegedly shows two images of Lionel Messi's injured ankle, 24 hours before Argentina's World Cup debut in Qatar. One of the ankles in the photo belongs to Messi, while the other one doesn't. In other news, did football fans find a clever technique for smuggling alcohol into football stadiums in Qatar? We tell you more in this edition of Truth or Fake.

Argentina have eased the pressure from their shock opening World Cup defeat at the hands of Saudi Arabia by beating Mexico on Saturday and can now approach their final group game against Poland with peace of mind, captain Lionel Messi said.