BARCELONA, Spain — When Joan Monfort took photos of Lionel Messi with a baby for a charity calendar almost 17 years ago, he knew the long-haired young man would make it big in soccer.

Messi's footballing idol was the skilful Argentine playmaker Pablo Aimar. Aimar’s exceptional talent captivated a young Messi, who later had the opportunity to share the field with his hero 13 ...

After the game, Dutch boss Rijkaard explained the move, calmly suggesting: "It was the right moment to bring on a young kid like Messi." A bold move no doubt, but a superb one... and one that ...