Barcelona have launched a campaign in support of Lionel Messi and his father Jorge after the Argentine pair were sentenced to prison terms this week over tax fraud.

Barcelona vow to support Lionel Messi following his decision to appeal against the 21-month jail sentence handed down to him by a Spanish court after being found guilty of fiscal fraud and believe the verdict is "an attack on his person".

Barcelona soccer star Lionel Messi has been sentenced to 21 months in prison after a court in Barcelona found him guilty of three counts of tax fraud, a statement from the court said on Wednesday.

New Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has no intention of ditching the methods that brought him success in Spain and Germany and wants to prove it is possible to win in the Premier League by playing attractive football.

Neymar will stay with Barcelona after signing a five-year contract, the club have announced.

World Cup winner and Brazil legend Ronaldo feels "abandoned" by Lionel Messi and hopes he reneges on his retirement from international football.

Lionel Messi's retirement from the Argentina national team has turned the country upside down in the past few days, with an entire nation stunned by the news after Chile beat them in the Copa America final.

It seems like a curse. There just aren't many footballing reasons to explain Argentina's latest failure in the Copa America Centenario final against Chile.

Like neurotic parents, Argentines swing from criticism to unconditional love for their star footballer Lionel Messi this week, providing the soccer-mad nation's many therapists with rich material for psychoanalysis.

Argentine football legend Diego Maradona and the country's President Mauricio Macri urge Lionel Messi not to leave the national team despite his vow to quit after a humiliating defeat.

Sergio Aguero and other Argentina players could follow the lead of captain Lionel Messi and retire from international football after losing the final of the Copa America on penalties to Chile for the second straight year.

Lionel Messi cut a deeply dejected figure after his miss in the penalty shootout contributed to Argentina's defeat by Chile in the Copa America final.

Lionel Messi sensationally announces his retirement from international football after Argentina crashed to an upset defeat against Chile in the final of the Copa America.

Chile face Argentina in Sunday's Copa America final for the right to call themselves South America's dominant team but perhaps an even bigger question for football fans the world over regards whether Lionel Messi can finally win a major international title.

Lionel Messi will bid to gild his legacy as the greatest footballer of his generation here Sunday by ending Argentina's 23-year wait for a major title in a dream final against holders Chile in the Copa America Centenario.

Argentina coach Gerardo Martino on Thursday names part of his squad for the Rio Olympics but superstar Lionel Messi is not included after being chosen for the Copa America instead.

Lionel Messi blasts the Argentina Football Association, calling it a "disaster," after the national team's plane from Houston was delayed on Thursday.

Angel Di Maria looks set to miss out on the Copa America Centenario final against Chile after the Argentina star suffered a recurrence of his adductor injury.

Barcelona are not contemplating selling their Brazil forward Neymar, the Spanish champions' financial vice-president Susana Monje said on Wednesday.

Argentina will be without Ezequiel Lavezzi in the Copa America final after he broke his left elbow in the second half of his team's 4-0 semifinal win against the United States on Tuesday.