´We asked people to believe in us,´ says Messi after leading Argentina to another World Cup final

Lionel Messi revealed I don t know if it s my best World Cup after his inspirational performance against Croatia helped Argentina reach another final.

Messi opened the scoring from the penalty spot before providing a remarkable assist for Julian Alvarez s second goal at Lusail Stadium, where Lionel Scaloni s side will face France or Morocco in the showpiece on Sunday.

The Argentina captain has now found the net five times in Qatar – moving him level with Paris Saint-Germain team-mate Kylian Mbappe in the race for the Golden Boot.

The 35-year-old surpassed his tally of four when he guided his nation to the final in 2014, where he won the Golden Ball for the tournament s best player despite narrowly missing out on glory following a 1-0 defeat to Germany.

Zidane: France cannot deny Benzema Euro 2016 chance

Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane believes the French Football Federation (FFF) would be making a big mistake by allowing Karim Benzema s ban from international football to move into the European Championships in June.

Benzema was suspended from representing France at any level by the FFF until the legal investigation into his involvement in an alleged plot to blackmail international team-mate Mathieu Valbuena has been concluded.

France is the host of Euro 2016 and Zidane believes his country will be severely hurting its chance of a home triumph by not selecting Benzema.

France cannot afford to ignore a player of Benzema s calibre, Zidane told Le Foot.

When we look at his numbers and everything he does on the field, we cannot let a play of this level go…

Today is a sad day for me – David Silva waves goodbye to football

Former Manchester City playmaker David Silva has said his goodbyes to football as the World Cup winner and four-time Premier League champion announced his retirement.

The 37-year-old played 436 games across 10 seasons at the Etihad Stadium, helping to turn City into the best team in England and winning a total of 11 major honours with the club.

Silva started his career in the youth ranks at Valencia, making his senior debut in 2004 and spending six years in LaLiga before signing for City.

Muchas gracias…fútbol

— David Silva (@21LVA)

He was capped 125 times by Spain, scoring 35 goals and winning the 2010 World Cup, Euro 2008 and 2012.

“Today is a sad day for me,” he said in a message posted on his Twitter account.

“Toda…

Trent Alexander-Arnold paradox gives Klopp’s Liverpool their meaning

With 67 minutes gone at a breezy Etihad Stadium, on an afternoon that seesawed like a listing ship on a spring tide, Trent Alexander-Arnold could be seen twirling and jinking high up the pitch on the Liverpool right flank, a place he occupied for much of the afternoon.

Eventually his cross was cut out by a City foot. Kevin De Bruyne, who produced the perfect through pass for Raheem Sterling to skitter away upfield.

Manchester City 2-2 Liverpool: Premier League – as it happened!Read more

Sterling ran the length of Liverpool’s right flank, then stopped, twirled, stopped again, crowded out now by two red shirts. One of these was Alexander-Arnold himself, loping back in that dogged style, with the air even at top spe…