Lionel Messi sent fans into a whirlwind after making a surprise appearance on Ibai Llanos' live Twitch stream. The football star briefly appeared on the stream while at the Ballon d'Or ceremony on Monday (October 30), where he bagged the award for a record eighth time. During the stream, he jokingly called out Llanos as a "son of a b*****," after he shared a text message conversation between the pair to his 15.3 million subscribers. Llanos congratulated Messi for his win before the Miami CF star turned the attention to the fact he was "pissed" at Llanos as he didn't "like what [he] did the other day". Llanos told him that the messages were "pixelated," to which Messi jokingly responded: "Next time I won’t reply to you. I’ll leave you to read next time." "I'm not going to answer you anymore because you make everything public and I don't like it…the Ballon d’Or? Now you are changing the topic you son of a b****," Messi candidly added. Upon accepting the award presented by David Beckham in Paris, Messi said he "couldn't imagine having the career that I've had... Everything that I've achieved." "The fortune I've had playing for the best team in the world, the best team in history. It's nice to win these individual trophies," he continued. "To win the Copa America and then the World Cup, to get it done is amazing. All of them [Ballon d'Or awards] are special for different reasons." How to join the indy100's free WhatsApp channel Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

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Dustin Poirier takes on Justin Gaethje tonight to headline a thrilling UFC card and DraftKings Sportsbook has a fantastic exclusive promo to celebrate: Bet $5, Win $150 INSTANTLY on ANY bet! Whether you win or lose, you'll get $150 just for trying.See below how to sign up and claim this off...

Dustin Poirier has backed Conor McGregor to stop Michael Chandler inside two rounds, provided that the Irishman is ‘100 percent dedicated and focused’. McGregor and Chandler, both of whom have fought Poirier before, are set to square off later this year, though no date, location or weight class has been confirmed for the UFC bout. Poirier suffered a TKO loss to McGregor in 2014, but the American exacted his revenge in January 2021 with a knockout win, before their trilogy fight six months later ended with McGregor suffering a broken leg. That contest went down as a TKO victory for Poirier, who submitted Chandler in each man’s most recent fight, in November 2022. Poirier discussed McGregor vs Chandler on The MMA Hour this week, saying: “I think that if Conor comes back anything like he was, with his timing and rhythm, with the injury that he had and this long of a lay-off – and we’re not getting any younger either... if he comes back similar to who he was before he left, I think he stops Michael Chandler. “If Conor is who he was before the injury and stuff, I think two rounds; I think the fight’s over in two rounds. “If anybody can [dial back the clock], I think it would be [McGregor]. If he’s 100 percent dedicated and focused, and [he can] put the blinders on and really go at this with all of himself, I think he can. But we’ll see, man. That’s what makes it so interesting.” McGregor’s 2014 victory over Poirier was a key moment on the Irishman’s journey to winning the UFC featherweight title, which he secured in 2015. A year later, McGregor claimed the lightweight belt to become the first dual-weight champion in UFC history. Meanwhile, Poirier is a former interim lightweight champion who has twice failed to win the undisputed belt. Compatriot Chandler is a former three-time Bellator lightweight champion, who has also unsuccessfully challenged for the UFC lightweight title. McGregor’s back-to-back bouts with Poirier in 2021 feature heavily in McGregor Forever, the second documentary covering the 34-year-old’s career. The four-part series was released on Netflix this month, and you can read The Independent’s review here. Poirier is due to return to the ring in July, taking on Justin Gaethje in the main event of UFC 291. The vacant ‘Baddest Motherf*****’ title will be on the line in the all-American clash, which is a rematch of a 2018 bout won by Poirier. Poirier stopped Gaethje, a fellow former interim lightweight champion, in the fourth round. Click here to subscribe to The Independent’s Sport YouTube channel for all the latest sports videos. Read More McGregor Forever: The problem with the new Conor McGregor documentary Eddie Hearn and Conor McGregor had ‘friendly row’ after KO of Irish boxer Gary Cully Joe Rogan is right: Tyson Fury has ‘no chance in hell’ against Jon Jones The night Conor McGregor became ‘Mystic Mac’ Eddie Hearn and Conor McGregor had 'friendly row' after KO of Irish boxer Conor McGregor reveals how he scored Katie Taylor fight from ringside

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England will go in search of a first Women’s World Cup crown when they take on Spain in the final in Sydney. Sarina Wiegman’s side progressed to a second major tournament decider in as many years with a 3-1 semi-final victory over tournament co-hosts Australia. Spain, meanwhile, set up a meeting with the Lionesses after edging out Sweden in Auckland. The final will be held at Stadium Australia and a first-time World Cup winner is guaranteed, with neither side having reached this stage of the tournament previously. While the fixture will obviously be held on a neutral ground, Spain are Team A for the final and thus have kit precedence. That means that Jorge Vilda’s team will play in their red home strip, with dark blue shorts and socks. While England might be expected to then wear their traditional white shirts, the Lionesses’ home kit now includes blue shorts after lobbying from players over concerns about wearing white during their periods. The matching shorts necessitates a change: England will wear their light blue away kit for the final, with white socks. While Wiegman’s side were dressed all in white for last summer’s Euros final at Wembley, having to wear a changed kit may be a good omen. England’s men, captained by Bobby Moore, were clad in their alternative red in 1966 as they beat West Germany (wearing white shirts) 4-2 in the final at Wembley. The Lionesses’ progress to the final means that manager Wiegman has now reached four consecutive major tournament finals. The Dutchwoman guided her native Netherlands to Euro 2017 triumph and the World Cup final two years later before taking charge of England in 2021. Read More FA to build Wembley statue of England’s Lionesses after World Cup and Euros heroics Have Spain moved past player mutiny on their run to Women’s World Cup final? USA face ‘critical’ decision amid Vlatko Andonovski’s impending exit after disastrous Women’s World Cup FA chief Mark Bullingham says Sarina Wiegman could be an England men’s candidate US will not poach ‘special’ World Cup manager Sarina Wiegman, FA insists FA to build Wembley statue of England’s Lionesses after World Cup

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