Messi steps up, Pirlo controversy and Sunday's 5️⃣ stories

Football Sunday coverage highlights several stories involving high-profile players and off-pitch controversy. Lionel Messi attended a match of Leones FC, his brother’s club, marking his first public appearance since the 2026 World Cup, and he did not speak to the press. In Italy, the item notes growing complexity around the “Italy job,” describing that Andrea Pirlo holds a contract as a global ambassador for Fonbet, a betting company with Russian capital, and would need to terminate it to comply with Italian regulations before signing with the FIGC. The piece says criticism in Italy has extended beyond sport, with some arguing Pirlo lent his image to efforts to normalize Putin’s regime amid the war in Ukraine. Other items mention Neymar scoring twice against Chapecoense and Luis Suárez leading Inter Miami to victory over CF Montreal, including a Panenka. The article is presented as AI-translated.