Neymar admits Lionel Messi has given him advice as his career develops

Rio de Janeiro residents react after several Brazilian media report that football star Neymar is organising a huge New Year's Eve party at his luxury beachside mansion near the city amid the coronavirus pandemic, a claim his lawyers have denied.

Flair players such as Neymar need more protection from referees so they can continue to excite fans, Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman said on Monday ahead of the Champions League clash with Paris St Germain on Tuesday which Neymar will miss due to injury.

Wall-scaling artists have painted a mural of Lionel Messi in the Argentinian town where he was born 34 years ago. The mural covers one end of a four-story apartment building in the La Bajada neighborhood of Rosario where the star lived as a child, and faces the primary school he attended.

Neymar says he and Lionel Messi are "rivals" now, as Brazil and Argentina prepare for Saturday's Copa America final. Like Brazil's Pele and Diego Maradona of Argentina before them, neither Messi nor Neymar has ever won the Copa. That statistic will change for one of them in the dream final at Rio de Janeiro's iconic Maracana stadium.

Barcelona, Spain - August 05, 2021 - FC Barcelona officially announced that Lionel Messi would not be returning to the club.

Barcelona players train without Lionel Messi, after the club ruefully accepted it cannot afford the star player who joined Barcelona aged 13 and went on to lift 10 league crowns and four Champions Leagues. The team will face Juventus on Sunday for the Gamper Trophy pre-season game.

Lionel Messi says he is "extremely happy" after signing a two-year contract with Paris Saint-Germain, as he speaks during a press conference for his official presentation at Parc des Princes.

Lionel Messi says he is "dreaming" of winning a fifth Champions League after signing a two-year contract with Paris Saint-Germain. Hundreds of fans gather outside the Parc des Princes with supporters queueing near the club shop on the Champs Elyseees to buy Messi shirts.

The world's street elite competed at a skatepark in front of the Eiffel Tower at the Place du Trocadero on Wednesday (August 18). The skateboarders showcased their skills in front of a crowd of around 3,500 including Paris St Germain and Brazil forward, Neymar who was cheering on his friend and compatriot, Leticia Bufoni who won the women's competition. Japan's Aori Nishimura finished second with Charlotte Hym of France in third. All three competed at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

"I'm really happy that he joined the club (...) he's really humble as a person and also on the pitch, he tries to help the team and tries to help you as a player," says PSG midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum about Lionel Messi. The Argentian star could make his hotly anticipated debut for Paris Saint-Germain against Reims in Champagne on Sunday.

Brazil star Neymar greets fans in Barranquilla just before the World Cup qualifier against Colombia. Neymar said Sunday that the 2022 World Cup will be his last as he "doesn't have the strength to put up with more football".

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