Lionel Messi has gone one better again. Having broken the record for the most-liked post on Instagram, the World Cup-winning Argentine's celebratory post has proven so popular that it is now the most-liked social media post of all-time, across any social networking platform.

Watching Sunday's World Cup final, Ahmed al-Salem was more emotional than most football fans when Qatar's emir placed a black and gold cloak over the shoulders of Argentina's victorious captain Lionel Messi.

Several members of the France team that lost to Argentina in the World Cup final were subjected to "hateful" racist abuse on social media, the French Football Federation (FFF) said on Tuesday, adding it intended to file a legal complaint.

Argentina's World Cup-winning captain Lionel Messi has been invited to "eternalize" his mark at Brazil's famous Maracana by leaving his footprints in the iconic stadium's Hall of Fame, the Rio de Janeiro State Sports Superintendence has said.

Lionel Messi set yet another record on Tuesday after his Instagram post celebrating Argentina's World Cup win became the most-liked on the platform, breaking a nearly four-year-old record held by a photo of an egg.

The curtains closed on the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar on Sunday with the Lionel Messi-led Argentina clinching their third title by beating France in the final, but with barely very little time for the fans to let the euphoria sink in, the focus has promptly shifted back to club football.

Lionel Messi’s World Cup fairytale lit up the year in football as heroics and heartbreak at the finals captivated fans and highlighted the growth of the world’s most popular sport despite the criticism of host country Qatar’s human rights record.

"Muchachos, we can dream again..." the hit song that accompanied Argentina on their conquest of the 2022 World Cup has found deep resonance in a country desperate for a feel-good moment.

The instant-classic World Cup final that saw Argentina defeat France on penalty kicks set viewership records in the United States.

Argentina's World Cup heroes had to abandon an open-top bus parade in Buenos Aires on Tuesday as millions of ecstatic fans flooded onto the streets and brought the city to a standstill, with Lionel Messi and his team mates whisked into helicopters to complete the celebrations.

Thousands of ecstatic fans gave Argentina’s football squad a hero’s welcome in Buenos Aires in the early hours before dawn on Tuesday after the plane carrying Lionel Messi and his World Cup-winning team mates touched down at Ezeiza airport.

President Emmanuel Macron intervened to ask France’s footballers to greet fans after their defeat in the World Cup fina. France’s players initially wanted to head straight home Monday after their loss on penalties to Argentina, the head of the French Football Federation, Noel Le Graet, said.

Hundreds of thousands - millions by some estimates - of ecstatic Argentines flooded onto the streets of Buenos Aires on Tuesday to cheer the country's World Cup-winning soccer squad led by Lionel Messi after their plane landed in the pre-dawn hours.

As the streets of the metropalitans and village Bangladesh are bustling with waving flags, chants, cheers for Lionel Messi and Argentina following their third World Cup victory in a breathtaking final against France on Sunday, Argentina Football Team’s official twitter handle thanked Bangladesh for their wonderful support they showered.

Argentina's World Cup winners led by captain Lionel Messi returned home from Qatar in the early hours of Tuesday morning ahead of a welcome home party in the nation's capital.

How should one remember December 18? It may as well be known as the GOAT day. The coronation of the King, who completed football. The story, with a fairytale ending for one of the greatest to play the game and what had come to pass before and the joy thereafter, makes it one of sport’s greatest. For France, it was 120 minutes in the Lionel Messi territory and some more. For Argentina, they had to do it under the spirited gaze of Kylian Mbappe, always on the hunt. That only made Messi’s coronation that much sweeter in the end.

France forward Kingsley Coman and midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni have been subjected to online racist abuse after missing their penalties in Sunday's World Cup final against Argentina, the BBC reported on Monday.

Prior to the Qatar World Cup, Lionel Andres Messi had all but conquered everything for his country and the clubs he represented – prestigious titles, individual awards, accolades from teammates, opponents, and critics alike.

Ballon D’Or winner Karim Benzema announced he was ending his international career on Monday, the day after France lost in the World Cup final to Argentina.

Lionel Scaloni hardly ever shows emotion in the dugout. Whether his team scores a crucial goal or a spectacular one, he hardly moves a facial muscle, let alone unleash a joyous celebration like the ones you see from most coaches around the world. He sits there with a straight face, like a monk deep in meditation.