Category: Games

Lionel Messi’s FIFA World Cup victory photo has received the most likes of any image posted by an athlete on Instagram.

In the photo, Messi is raising the World Cup trophy, celebrating Argentina’s glorious win over then-defending champions France.

It beat Cristiano Ronaldo’s post of the Portugal forward and Messi were playing chess, which tallied about 42 million likes on Instagram, the previous record.

Ronaldo, who also featured in Qatar 2022, posted it on Nov. 19, a day before the 2022 World Cup started.

However, it still fell short of the platform’s most-liked post, a photo of an egg that has garnered more than 56 million likes since it was posted in early 2019 by user world_record_egg. The photo of a brown egg on a white background remains unbeaten on Instagram.

Messi has 400 million followers on Instagram.

On Sunday, Messi-led Argentina beat France 4-2 on penalties to win the World Cup.

Source: Anadolu Agency

One of the game’s greats, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) Football Club forward Messi, 35, guided Argentina to the 2022 World Cup title after the South American team beat 2018 champions France 4-2 on penalties in Qatar on Sunday evening.

The score was 3-3 after the extra time as the penalty shootout decided the winning team.

Messi took his missing puzzle piece and also brought a World Cup to Argentina that the whole nation had been seeking for 36 years.

The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner has won every major trophy with Barcelona and PSG, as well as with the Argentine national team.

Messi, a longtime Barcelona forward between 2005 and 2021, won four UEFA Champions League titles, three FIFA Club World Cups, three UEFA Super Cups, 10 Spanish La Liga, eight Spanish Super Cups, and seven Spanish Cups with the Spanish football powerhouse.

Since 2021 he has played for PSG, where he helped them win the 2022 French Ligue 1 title and a French Super Cup.

Messi also helped Argentina win the Copa America trophy in 2021, his first major title with the Argentine national team.

The tournament is the top-tier football championship for national South American teams.

Recently Messi won the World Cup in Qatar, his missing puzzle piece, after his silver medal with Argentina in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Breaks records in Qatar

Argentina as a team had a successful tournament in Qatar, and Messi as an individual also spent an excellent World Cup this winter.

He became the player with the most World Cup appearances in history with 26 games, breaking former German midfielder Lothar Matthaus’ record of 25 games.

Messi appeared in the World Cups in 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, and 2022.

In Qatar, he also became the first player to score a goal in every stage of a World Cup – in the group and knockout stages including the final.

The experienced forward netted against Saudi Arabia and Mexico (in Group C), Australia (last 16), the Netherlands (quarterfinals), Croatia (semifinals), and France (final).

Messi did not score against Poland in a Group C match, the only game that he was unproductive.

He scored two goals against France to tally seven goals in a single tournament.

With seven goals in the Qatar 2022, Messi came second in the tournament’s top scorers list. Kylian Mbappe from France had eight goals to win the Golden Boot.

Separately Messi, an Argentina forward since 2005, beat his compatriot Gabriel Batistuta in all-time World Cup goals for his nation.

Former Fiorentina and Roma striker Batistuta retired in 2005.

Messi scored against Croatia in the 2022 semifinals to be Argentina’s all-time leading goal scorer with 11 goals in the World Cup, surpassing Batistuta.

Then Messi extended his record to 13 World Cup goals after scoring a brace against France on Sunday.

Brings World Cup to Argentina after 36 years

One of the leading football nations, Argentina is a World Cup frequenter but won the game’s ultimate prize twice before their victory in Qatar.

They claimed their first World Cup in 1978 and bagged the second trophy in 1986 when Argentine legend Diego Armando Maradona played a key role for his nation.

Messi, regarded as the successor of the deceased Maradona, displayed a terrific performance on the pitch in the Qatar 2022, as Argentina added to their trophy cabinet after 36 years.

Between 1986 and 2022, Argentina reached the final stage of the World Cup twice.

In the 1990 final in Rome, Argentina were beaten by West Germany 1-0 as Andreas Brehme scored the winning goal from a penalty near the end of the match.

In Brazil 2014, Argentina were the finalists.

Messi was on the squad during the 2014 tournament when the Argentine national team narrowly missed out on the title.

The Messi-led team suffered a 1-0 loss to Germany and came home with a silver.

German midfielder Mario Gotze scored the winner in extra time.

Source: Anadolu Agency

Epic Games, an American video game and software developer and publisher, has agreed to pay $520 million over purchasing and privacy violations, according to a statement Monday.

The company, which developed the popular online video game Fortnite, will pay a $275 million penalty for violating children’s privacy by collecting personal information about children under 13 and an additional $245 million in refunds for tricking users into making purchases, said the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

The $275 million penalty is the largest ever obtained for violating an FTC rule, while the $245 million to refund consumers for billing practices is the FTC’s biggest refund in a gaming case, it added.

The allegations included “deploying design tricks, known as dark patterns, to dupe millions of players into making unintentional purchases,” according to the statement.

Epic Games, in addition, will be required to adopt strong privacy default settings for children and teens, ensuring that voice and text communications are turned off by default, it added.

“As our complaints note, Epic used privacy-invasive default settings and deceptive interfaces that tricked Fortnite users, including teenagers and children,” FTC Chair Lina M. Khan said in the statement.

Although Fortnite is generally free to download and play, it charges users for in-game items such as costumes and dance moves, according to the FTC. The game has more than 400 million users worldwide.

Source: Anadolu Agency

Prosecco DOC Imoco Volley Conegliano defeated Turkish side VakifBank Sports Club 3-1 on Sunday to win the FIVB Volleyball Women’s Club World Championship 2022.

The Italian club clinched the 138-minute final with sets of 25-18, 23-25, 25-21, 25-21 in the Turkish Mediterranean city of Antalya.

Turkish side Eczacibasi Dynavit defeated Brazil’s Gerdau Minas 3-1 to claim the bronze medal.

Türkiye’s Youth and Sports Minister Mehmet Muharrem Kasapoglu congratulated both Turkish sides on their performance in the competition.

Source: Anadolu Agency

Speaking to Argentine television Tyc Sports after winning the World Cup, Messi shared his joy.

“Obviously, I wanted to end my career with this. I can’t ask for anything anymore. Thank God he gave me everything. Ending my career like this, it’s impressive.”

The 35-year-old added that he wants to continue to play for the national team.

“I love football, what I do. I enjoy being on the national team with the group and I want to continue playing a few more games as a world champion.”

Messi-led Argentina bagged their third FIFA World Cup title by defeating France on penalties in the final on Sunday.

Source: Anadolu Agency

Following the final whistle, the capital Buenos Aires was filled with jubilant fans of all ages donning the national team’s jersey, carrying flags, wearing face paint and banging drums loudly as they descended on the city center, bringing traffic to a standstill.

Fans came from across different neighborhoods to line the area around the city’s iconic Obelisk — a traditional spot where the nation’s football fans gather to mark their team’s sporting success.

A massive flag in tribute to football legend Diego Maradona was unfurled at the Obelisk as supporters vied for the best vantage spots, climbing bus shelters and traffic lights, while others watched on from their balconies.

Joyous fans in high spirits chanted a number of popular songs in tribute to the team and to star player Lionel Messi.

Street vendors could be seen selling a range of items such as vuvuzelas, hats and jerseys while cars beeped their horns in celebration as they attempted to get through the sea of fans lining the streets.

At 4.30 p.m., thousands of light blue and white balloons were released into the sky to mark the achievements of La Albiceleste, as the team is referred to in Argentina.

Later in the evening at 8 p.m., the Obelisk paid tribute to Argentina’s national team, displaying a number of images and phrases including “We are the champions.”

Neighborhoods across Buenos Aires also burst into life as fans celebrated, jumping with joy, embracing one another and singing in high spirits on the streets.

President Alberto Fernandez thanked the players and technical staff on Twitter, describing them as an “example that we should not give up.”

A range of leaders from Russia, Cuba, Panama, Bolivia, Ecuador, Chile, India, Brazil and France paid tribute to Argentina’s success.

On Sunday, Argentina won 4-2 on penalties against France after the match finished 3-3 in extra time.

The result marked Argentina’s first World Cup victory since 1986, when Maradona helped inspire the team and led them to glory in Mexico.

Source: Anadolu Agency

“Today, football continues to tell its story, as always, in an enthralling way,” the 82-year-old wrote on Instagram. “Messi winning his first World Cup, as his trajectory deserved.”

“Congratulations Argentina! Certainly Diego is smiling now,” he added, referring to the late Argentine football legend and his once greatest rival, Diego Armando Maradona.

Pele also praised Mbappe.

“My dear friend, Mbappe, scoring four goals in a final. What a gift it was to watch this spectacle to the future of our sport,” he wrote.

He also reserved special praise for Morocco, which became the first African nation to reach a World Cup semifinal.

“And I couldn’t fail to congratulate Morocco for the incredible campaign. It’s great to see Africa shine,” Pele said.

On Sunday, Argentina bagged their third FIFA World Cup title by beating France 4-2 on penalties, after 120 minutes ended with a 3-3 draw.

Pele, who helped Brazil win three World Cups in 1958, 1962, and 1970, is Brazil’s leading scorer with 77 goals in 92 matches for his country and is regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time.

Source: Anadolu Agency

Mbappe was the quintessential wunderkind of the French World Cup squad in 2018 – a team that featured stars in their primes like Paul Pogba, Alexandre Lacazette, Antoine Griezmann, and Thomas Lemar.

He netted his first World cup goal in a 1-0 group stage win over Peru on June 21, 2018, making him, at age 19, the youngest French scorer in World Cup history.

Nine days later, Mbappe scored twice in a 4-3 win over Argentina, making him only the second teen to score two goals in a World Cup match, following Brazilian legend Pele’s feat, way back in 1958.

Mbappe again distinguished himself in the final, which ended in a 4-2 victory for France over Croatia. His goal from 25 yards (22.9 meters) away made him the second teen after Pele to score in the tournament’s final.

2022 FIFA World Cup

Mbappe netted his first goal at the 2022 tournament in a Group A match against Australia, which ended with a 4-1 victory for France.

He scored both goals to beat Denmark 2-1 in the second Group A match.

The 23-year-old led the way to France’s 3-1 Round of 16 win over Poland, with two goals and an assist.

Mbappe, with five goals under his belt in Qatar, shares the top scorer honors with his opponent in the final, Lionel Messi.

If France win the 2022 title, it will be the third nation to bag consecutive World Cup titles, following Italy and Brazil.

Italy won the 1934 and 1938 tournaments, while Brazil bagged back-to-back World Cup titles in 1958 and 1962.

Source: Anadolu Agency

The Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) said it and Santos had “agreed to end” their journey since September 2014.

The FPF thanked Santos and his technical staff for their service.

During his more than eight-year spell, Santos, 68, led Portugal to the UEFA EURO 2016 title, the country’s first major trophy, and he secured the 2019 UEFA Nations League championship.

He had 67 victories in 109 matches to become the Portugal head coach with the most games and wins.

Portugal were eliminated in the World Cup quarterfinals last weekend after Morocco shocked the world with a 1-0 win in Qatar.

Source: Anadolu Agency