Where do you start with picking a favourite Lionel Messi moment from his Argentina years? With his final game for his country coming on Tuesday, our writers had a go. From Copa America and World Cup brilliance to qualifiers and even going back as far as Under-20 matches, here are their choices. 🔗 nyti.ms/4e8CFYH

“I always wanted to break records and (make sure) that people remembered my name. “But I have to be honest, I didn’t expect to be the top scorer of all time at the World Cup, at 27." @DTAthletic's exclusive interview with Kylian Mbappe. ▪️ Making World Cup history ▪️ Asking for a ‘Zidane’ haircut ▪️ Mid-air transfer talks with Liverpool ▪️ Why this could be his year for Ballon d’Or ▪️ The lure of being a ‘ghost’ ▪️Why he will never be silenced 🔗 nyti.ms/4cWI1pw

The Athletic sat down with Ousmane Dembele, Fabian Ruiz and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. The three of them joked about Dembele's preferred foot, Ruiz's inability to use his right and Kvaratskhelia's ability to win games. 📝 @TBurrows16 and @tomas_hill 🔗 nyti.ms/3TtFfS5

Fabian Ruiz was part of the Spain team that won the 2026 World Cup, but was unhappy about the scenes that marred the final whistle. 📝 @TBurrows16 and @tomas_hill 🔗 nyti.ms/3TtFfS5

Is Fabian Ruiz underrated? Khvicha Kvaratskhelia thinks so, who was waxing lyrical about his Paris Saint-Germain teammate in an interview with The Athletic. 📝 @TBurrows16 and @tomas_hill 🔗 nyti.ms/3TtFfS5

When Spain won their first World Cup in 2010, Rodri was on a summer camp in Deep River, Connecticut - and had to beg the leaders to source a television so he could watch what unfolded in South Africa. Now, he's a Golden Ball and World Cup winner who is returning to his homeland to play for Barcelona. @amelieaclaydon and @georgedwards05 have tracked down his camp mates to reflect on the football obsessive who impressed with his soccer skills - and his singing voice. 🔗 nytimes.com/athletic/7475540…

Lionel Messi has spoken of his doubts over continuing his playing career “for much longer” following the death of his father, Jorge. Jorge Messi passed away, aged 68, on August 8. Lionel Messi posted an emotional statement on his social media feeds on Wednesday, saying he “does not know how to carry on” following the death of his father, who played a significant role in his son’s career, having served as his agent and business manager. “All I ever did was play football, and now I have a fair few doubts as to whether I’ll carry on doing it for much longer,” Messi said. “You were by my side from the start, we were so close to the end (of his career). Why didn’t you hang on just that little bit longer so we could finish it together?” More from @Millar_Colin and @tomas_hill nyti.ms/4grpUKl

▫️Arsenal's careful moves and huge effort ▫️The €22m salary offer rejected during the World Cup ▫️Jose Mourinho’s role ▫️Final sum that makes him one of the best paid in Real Madrid's history Vinicius Junior finally signed a new Real Madrid contract, but how close were Arsenal to signing him? @MarioCortegana @gunnerblog & @David_Ornstein provide the inside story on how a dramatic summer transfer saga unfolded. nyti.ms/4zbCSU6

Real Madrid’s Franco Mastantuono is set to join Serie A club Fiorentina on loan, only a year after signing for Madrid in deal worth €63.2million (£54.1m) from River Plate. The 18-year-old has attracted interest from multiple European clubs, with both the player and River also keen on a reunion. However, Madrid did not consider that proposal and also rejected an approach from a Saudi Arabian team as they wanted Mastantuono to remain in Europe. He is now expected to join Fiorentina, one of the clubs to show a concrete interest in the player, on a straight loan agreement, with no option to make the move permanent. More from @GuillermoRai_ @tomas_hill 🔗 nyti.ms/3TFBxEI