MIAMI — Soccer star Lionel Messi discussed highlights of his legendary career, shared excitement for the upcoming World Cup and received the key to the city at the America Business Forum on Wednesday, Nov. 5.

Messi was interviewed by Miami major Francis Suarez, while Inter Miami co-owner Jorge Mas joined the stage to gift his captain with the local honor.

“This is a small token from this city whose hearts you have captured,” Mas told Messi.

“I feel very honored by this… This distinction for me is a great honor,” Messi said as he accepted the key.

Messi often tugged at his microphone, while wearing a charcoal gray suit during the interview at the Miami Heat’s Kaseya Center, where fans in the lower bowl chanted his name between responses.

Messi discussed several topics, including his journey from his hometown of Rosario, Argentina, to his soccer stops at Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Miami. He also discussed his failures with the Argentine national team before winning the World Cup in 2022.

“Well, it’s difficult to convey the feeling of that moment and find the words to describe what that title meant on a personal level, for my family, my teammates, and my country,” Messi said of Argentina’s third World Cup title won in Qatar. “For me, it was special.”

While Messi has yet to officially declare whether or not he will play in the 2026 World Cup, he has shared excitement about the possibility in previous interviews.

Messi said the 1994 World Cup was a turning point for the sport in the United States, and believes the next World Cup “will be something extraordinary.”

“I think it’s an important moment for soccer in the United States in general, which I hope will be taken advantage of to continue growing,” Messi said regarding next summer’s tournament co-hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

Messi, who last month signed a three-year extension with Inter Miami through 2028, reiterated retirement is far from his mind when asked about his legacy.

“The truth is that it’s not something I’ve thought about or worried about when I retire,’ Messi said. ‘For now, I’m going to continue enjoying myself and continue playing.”

Messi was the final speaker on Day 1 of the conference, which also featured U.S. President Donald Trump as the headliner one year after his election for a second term.  

FIFA president Gianni Infantino and Formula One president/CEO Stefano Domenicali were also speakers with sports ties at the event on Wednesday.

Trump joked he campaigned for a second term so he could be in charge during World Cup 2026.

“I wanted to be president when they have the World Cup and look what happened, Gianni. I’m president and we have the World Cup,” Trump said directed toward Infantino.

Trump said tickets for the World Cup held from June 11-July 19, 2026 – “are selling at record numbers that they’ve never sold before. They’re doing record business.”

Trump reiterated the 250^th anniversary of the United States on July 4, 2026 will feature a UFC fight at the White House, which he said is “going to be a tough ticket.”

Trump also mentioned the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, among his brief mention of sports during his speech.

Infantino walked onto the stage holding a World Cup ball, and played the hits he usually discusses in front of American audiences – explaining the difference between soccer and football to start.

Infantino also joked about his soccer career, with talent unlike Messi.

“I realized if I ever want to touch the World Cup, I had to become FIFA president,” Infantino said.

Infantino also acknowledged his budding relationship with Trump, saying he considers the president a “close friend.”

“He’s very helpful in everything that we do for the World Cup,” Infantino said of Trump. “He’s really engaged. He has such incredible energy. He does what he says, and says what he thinks. That’s why he’s so successful.”

Before receiving the key to the city, Messi was applauded after acknowledging he rarely participates in public speaking events.

“It was much more difficult for me to speak in public, to do this type of event. My thing was always playing, and that’s what I did,” Messi said. “The truth is that today, I felt very good. I had a good time, I enjoyed myself.”

Messi returns to action with Inter Miami in Game 3 of their first-round MLS playoff series against Nashville SC on Saturday, Nov. 8.

AI-assisted summary
• A contract dispute between Disney and Google led to YouTube TV dropping ESPN and other Disney-owned channels.
• The conflict highlights a larger power struggle between traditional media companies and tech giants over sports broadcasting rights.
• Approximately 10 million YouTube TV subscribers are affected by the channel blackout.

The standoff between ESPN – corporate overlord Disney – and YouTube TV – corporate overlord Google – has little to do with subscriber counts. Or viewership numbers. Or money, even. (It’s always about money, of course, but let’s zoom out for a moment.) 

Those data points and cash flows are all minor components of the situation the companies find themselves in, which began Oct. 30 when YouTube announced it would stop airing Disney-owned stations, including ABC and ESPN in the sports world, and options such as FX, National Geographic and Disney Channel in the larger entertainment space. 

The bigger picture is that the blackout is a harbinger of the future of how we watch sports and the rivalries that define where we consume the content. Because caught in the middle of the boardroom back-and-forth are the fans.

Hopefully you already knew that these massive corporations – the leagues are included in this – have no interest in serving the public. Line graphs going to the upper-right-hand corner of screens are in style, and the people making them will do anything to push them in that direction, even if it means not airing a “Monday Night Football” game or a Saturday of college football. 

Tech giants poised to further disrupt sports broadcasting

The approximately 10 million YouTube TV customers – by far the biggest losers in this drama – already pay $82.99 per month for the service that essentially replaced cable. Good luck filling a sports-centric “quad-box” without ESPN, ESPN2 or SEC Network. Disputes between carriers and networks such as ESPN still happen, but that there is a warring between a company with the streaming might of YouTube is another point to consider. YouTube TV currently controls the NFL’s Sunday Ticket package for an additional monthly cost.

Where do people go to watch the highlights of games they missed, which may have aired on ESPN? YouTube. Where are the younger demographics, craved by these companies, allocating their screen time? YouTube.  

The company is only beginning to flex its muscles when it comes to obtaining live rights via those billion-dollar agreements with leagues that usually last more than a decade. And that’s exactly what a company like Disney – heavily invested in the NFL, NBA, SEC football and the NHL – fears. Their competition isn’t other networks. It’s the tech giants, with Amazon included in that group.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has already said the league will attempt to renegotiate its 11-year deal worth more than $100 billion ahead of next season. The NBA agreed with three entities for around $76 billion for a broadcast deal that started this season. Amazon secured major rights within those deals. YouTube wanting to be next makes sense. Only so many companies are willing, or capable, of paying the rights fees. Google’s current market capitalization exceeds $3.3 trillion – it will be well-positioned to get involved at its leisure. 

Leagues, fans caught in middle, but only the former has sway

Leagues are caught in the middle and have already tried to play both sides. The NFL, for example, aired the Week 1 game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers on YouTube. But don’t fool yourself into thinking that the league is OK with a diminished rating for a Dallas Cowboys game, as will certainly be the case after their Nov. 3 game against the Arizona Cardinals missed YouTube TV viewers. 

That’s just one example of the incestuous nature of this entire thing. ESPN’s “The Pat McAfee Show” pulled in 435,000 viewers on YouTube. It’s worth noting that YouTube TV is not the same as looking up videos or watching a live stream on YouTube, but it’s all part of the company’s sports strategy. 

The tinfoil hat crew will say that the stalemate, from ESPN’s point-of-view, is about driving people to download and pay for the ESPN direct-to-consumer app (going at $30 a month or $300 per year). There’s no way the sign-ups during this past week – not that we’d ever see that data – would justify the standoff. 

Mickey Mouse has enlisted its top lieutenants, from Scott Van Pelt to Adam Schefter and Mike Greenberg, to sound the alarm and sway public opinion with relatively inauthentic social-media posts. Maybe the issue will get through to one consumer or two. In the C-Suites where it matters? They’re wasting their character count. 

Of all polities, the United States Senate has even called out the strain the continued segmentation has placed on consumers. Need we look for another sign of how out of control this has gotten? 

Eventually, the games will come back on. A deal will be made. The only real effect will be more money coming out of fans’ pockets. Thank goodness for autopay. 

With Week 9 in the books, the 2025 NFL regular season is halfway over. There are nine weeks left for the league’s playoff picture to round into shape, and quarterback play will be a big part in determining postseason spots.

Last week’s action featured one of the biggest matchups of the regular season, as reigning MVP Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills took down Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs.

Week 9 also included Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson’s long-awaited return from a hamstring injury on ‘Thursday Night Football’ and New Orleans Saints rookie Tyler Shough’s first career start.

Also in Week 9: more injuries to quarterbacks, creating big implications for playoff battles (and weekly power rankings).

Here’s how the starting QBs for all 32 teams rank entering Week 10:

NFL quarterback power rankings: Week 10

1. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills

Last week: 3

Allen completed 88.5% of his passes for 273 yards and a touchdown in the Bills’ win over the Chiefs. He also rushed for two more scores.

2. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs

Last week: 1

Mahomes completed fewer than 50% of his passes in a game for the first time in his career in Week 9. He’s also got the third-most passing yards (2,349) and tied for the third-most touchdowns (17) at the midway point of the season.

3. Drake Maye, New England Patriots

Last week: 2

Despite a completion rate of 65.5% – his second-lowest of the season – and an interception, Maye had an eighth straight game with 200+ passing yards and a passer rating over 100. He leads the NFL with a 74.1% completion rate at the halfway point.

4. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens

Last week: 5

Jackson’s return from his hamstring injury included four touchdown passes against the Miami Dolphins, and he leads the NFL in passer rating (136.7) and QBR (78.9) through nine weeks.

5. Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams

Last week: 6

Stafford’s 21 touchdown passes are three more than any other NFL quarterback at the halfway point of the regular season. He also leads the league with 268.4 passing yards per game.

6. Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks

Last week: 11

Darnold leads the NFL in yards per attempt (9.6) and yards per completion (13.7). His four-touchdown outing in Week 9 was his second such game in a five-week span.

7. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers

Last week: 4

Herbert had his second pass attempt intercepted and returned for a touchdown in Week 9, and he took six sacks behind a banged-up offensive line. But he still managed 250 yards and two touchdown passes and led the Chargers in rushing (nine carries, 57 yards, one touchdown) in a 27-20 win.

8. Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Last week: 7

Mayfield and the Buccaneers had Week 9 off with a bye, but he is still tied for the NFL lead with four fourth-quarter comebacks and four game-winning drives.

9. Jared Goff, Detroit Lions

Last week: 10

Goff’s 284 passing yards in Week 9 were his second-most this season. His 67.6% completion rate was also his second-worst of the season. The Lions lost their third game – and second divisional game – of the year.

10. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles

Last week: 12

Hurts and the Eagles had a bye in Week 9. His rate of throwing touchdowns on 7% of his throws and interceptions on 0.5% of his attempts are both among the league’s best.

11. Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers

Last week: 9

Love had his sixth game of the season with a completion rate over 70% in Week 9, but he threw an interception and should have had a second in the Packers’ loss to the Panthers.

12. Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars

Last week: 13

13. Daniel Jones, Indianapolis Colts

Last week: 8

Jones has now gone back-to-back weeks taking at least three sacks after never taking more than two in a game. He also threw three interceptions on Nov. 2, matching his total for the season before Week 9 and tying a career high. His two lost fumbles against the Steelers also tied a career high.

14. Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys

Last week: 15

Prescott leads the NFL with 228 completions at the midway point of the season, but he’s also second in the league with 329 pass attempts. The Cowboys have the third-most total yards of offense per game (378.4) through Week 9, but they’re 3-5-1.

15. Mac Jones, San Francisco 49ers

Last week: 18

Jones completed a season-high 79.2% of his pass attempts while throwing for 235 yards and two touchdowns in the 49ers’ win over the Giants. Despite starting the season as a backup, Jones is now 5-2 in seven starts.

16. Jaxson Dart, New York Giants

Last week: 17

Dart’s career-high 72.7% completion rate – with two big-time throws and zero turnover-worthy plays, per PFF – were little solace for the Giants’ quarterback in a third straight loss and fourth in five games.

17. Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears

Last week: 21

Williams had a 114.8 passer rating against the Bengals, the fifth-best of his career and second-highest of the season. In addition to throwing for three touchdown passes, he also caught one.

18. Michael Penix Jr., Atlanta Falcons

Last week: N/A

Penix’s career-high three touchdown passes helped push him to the third-best QBR of the week (89.6) but weren’t enough to help the Falcons overcome a missed extra point in a loss to the Patriots in Week 9.

19. Bo Nix, Denver Broncos

Last week: 16

At one point early in Week 9’s win over the Texans, Nix had completed just three of his 12 pass attempts. He didn’t complete more than 50% of his passes for the second time in his career, but he did manage four big-time throws, per PFF, which tied with Mahomes and Joe Flacco for the most of the week.

20. Aaron Rodgers, Pittsburgh Steelers

Last week: 20

Battling a jammed finger he suffered in pre-game warmups, Rodgers still threw for over 200 yards with a touchdown while completing 25 of his 35 pass attempts (71.4%).

21. Joe Flacco, Cincinnati Bengals

Last week: 23

Flacco had never thrown for more than 390 yards in his 18-year career. He threw for 470 yards on Nov. 2, which was almost enough for the Bengals to pull off an improbable comeback win over the Bears.

22. Jacoby Brissett, Arizona Cardinals

Last week: N/A

Making his third start in relief of an injured Kyler Murray, Brissett threw for more than 260 yards for a third straight game. He threw for two touchdowns and rushed for one more in the Cardinals’ 27-17 ‘Monday Night Football’ win.

23. J.J. McCarthy, Minnesota Vikings

Last week: 25

McCarthy’s 143 passing yards were the fewest of any Week 9 starter with at least 25 dropbacks. But he threw for two touchdowns and rushed for another in the Vikings’ 27-24 win over the Lions on the road in his first game back from a high ankle sprain.

24. Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers

Last week: N/A

Young’s 102 passing yards were the fewest of any Week 9 starter besides C.J. Stroud, who left his game early with a concussion. He also threw an interception and fumbled once when taking a hit while throwing. Still, the Panthers upset the Packers, 16-13, in Young’s return from an ankle sprain.

25. Geno Smith, Las Vegas Raiders

Last week: 28

Smith still is tied for the NFL lead in interceptions after throwing his 11th on Nov. 2. But he also tied a career high with four touchdown passes and nearly led the Raiders to an upset win against the Jaguars in overtime. Smith’s final pass attempt was batted down at the line of scrimmage for a failed two-point conversion that ended the game.

26. Cam Ward, Tennessee Titans

Last week: 24

The Titans’ No. 1 overall pick ends the first half of his rookie season with more interceptions (6) than touchdowns (5), but he did not throw any of either in Tennessee’s Week 9 loss to the Chargers.

27. Marcus Mariota, Washington Commanders

Last week: N/A

Mariota is back in the starting role for the Commanders indefinitely after starter Jayden Daniels dislocated his left (non-throwing) elbow.

28. Tyler Shough, New Orleans Saints

Last week: 28

Shough’s first career NFL start featured his first passing touchdown but also his second interception. The second interception of Shough’s career – a desperate throw on fourth down while avoiding pressure – was more deserved than his first – a tipped throw off of Chris Olave’s hands.

29. Dillon Gabriel, Cleveland Browns

Last week: 25

Gabriel and the Browns had a Week 9 bye. As other quarterbacks returned from injury, he dropped in this week’s power rankings.

30. Justin Fields, New York Jets

Last week: 27

Fields and the Jets had a Week 9 bye. As other quarterbacks returned from injury, he dropped in this week’s power rankings.

31. Davis Mills, Houston Texans

Last week: N/A

Mills entered the Texans’ Week 9 game after C.J. Stroud entered concussion protocol. His 137 passing yards were the fewest of any quarterback with at least 25 dropbacks.

32. Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins

Last week: 26

Tagovailoa looked out of sorts throughout the Dolphins’ Week 9 loss to the Ravens on ‘Thursday Night Football.’ He threw his 11th interception of the year to tie him for the league lead, took a bad intentional grounding penalty against no pressure, called a third-quarter timeout to avoid a delay of game despite Miami facing a large deficit. Perhaps worst of all, he tried to throw a goal-line fade to his 5-foot-9 running back, who was being defended by a 6-foot-4 safety.

All the NFL news on and off the field. Sign up for USA TODAY’s 4th and Monday newsletter.

• Oregon’s in potential trouble. So is the Big Ten’s quest to stockpile CFP bids. That’s the message sent in these first rankings.
• Oregon beat Penn State. Big deal. Metrics are lacking for No. 9 Ducks.
• Could Big 12 get as many bids as Big Ten? Not off the table.

The Ducks might be a quack, wearing fancy jerseys with a swoosh.

That’s the message the College Football Playoff committee sent by stiffing Oregon with the No. 9 spot in its initial rankings.

Or, at least, the committee paid attention to strength of record and strength of schedule metrics that say Oregon possesses flimsier credentials than any of the SEC’s one-loss teams.

The committee nailed it.

What’s Oregon done? Beat Penn State. Get in line. So did Northwestern and UCLA.

Thanks for nothing, Big Game James. The Ducks own no wins against teams currently ranked.

“When you looked at Oregon, great players at the skill position,” CFP committee chairman Mack Rhoades said on ESPN, “felt that they’re really, really good up front, both sides of the ball, their one loss is to our 2-ranked team” Indiana.

Blah, blah, blah, that loosely translates to: Oregon might be a good ballclub, has some talent, but, sorry, the resume’s flimsy.

Zoom out from Oregon’s ranking, and behold the broader message baked into these rankings. Let this warning blare like a tornado siren all across the North and down into SoCal: The almighty Big Ten, producer of the past two national champions, is in danger of being limited to two bids.

No wonder commissioner Tony Petitti desperately wanted to rig the playoff bracket.

The committee sees the Big Ten for what it is — and that’s a league headed up by two teams that look spectacular, and behind Ohio State and Indiana, it’s a bowl of cold porridge. Just a lumpy, flavorless glob.

CFP rankings introduce idea of a two-bid Big Ten, if Oregon falters

You say the Big Ten’s got the nation’s top two teams. I say those could be its only teams in a 12-team bracket.

Oregon plays at Iowa this weekend, and they’re calling for a rainy, chilly day. Think it might be just a bit breezy, too? That’s Hawkeye weather. If the Ducks lose, that’ll send them tumbling, putting the Big Ten in danger of having just two teams in the updated bracket when our TV show we love to hate but can’t look away from returns next week.

Look, Oregon’s still got plenty of runway to shoot up the rankings. Its defense is stingy, albeit not as stingy as Ohio State’s or Indiana’s and no stingier than Iowa’s. Its offense posts gains in 20-yard chunks.

Along with Iowa, Oregon’s November schedule includes Southern California and Washington. That totals three ranked opponents, with two on the road. Unranked Minnesota is no gimme putt.

Make? Or, break?

Soggy Big Ten works just fine for Ohio State, Indiana

What a difference a year (and a new committee chair) makes.

Michigan’s Warde Manuel, an athletic director from B1G country, chaired the previous committee. Rhoades, the newest chairman, is Baylor’s athletic director. And, would you look at that? The Big 12 is suddenly getting some respect, after last year’s committee treated it like the Mountain West’s cousin.

Three Big 12 teams are ranked within the top 13 spots, including one-loss Texas Tech being a spot ahead of Oregon.

Tired: Nike money.

Wired: Big oil money! And a billionaire booster who keeps hogging your airwaves!

Aside from Cody Campbell’s checkbook, the Red Raiders’ case gets helped by their loss coming while their starting quarterback was out injured.

The brass tacks add up to Oregon potentially being vulnerable if it finished 10-2, especially if Notre Dame keeps winning and the Big 12 snags two bids, as it’s positioned to do.

In defense of Oregon, it suffered some bad strength of schedule luck. Unlike some Big Ten brethren, the Ducks scheduled a Power Four opponent. It’s just that Oklahoma State stinks, reducing Oregon’s credit for a 66-point victory. No boost for beating woebegone Oregon State, either.

Oregon’s not the Big Ten’s only hope for a third qualifier. Iowa and USC remain playoff contenders. They’ll all play each other, in a three-team battle royale that could amount to an elimination-fest for the Big Ten. Ohio State will snuff out Michigan’s hopes, so long as Ryan Day doesn’t fall into old habits.

Ohio State and Indiana must be loving this. The Big Ten’s soggy secondary and tertiary tiers are a feature, not a bug, to their quest to lock up the playoff’s top seeds.

Back at Big Ten HQ, Petitti must be wondering if there’s still a way to rig this thing.

Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network’s senior national college football columnist. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on X @btoppmeyer.

Cameron and Cayden Boozer headlined another stellar recruiting class for No. 5 Duke, but their debut didn’t exactly live up to the hype. 

The twin brothers had a rough first half but responded in the second half to help the Blue Devils avoid the upset and beat Texas, 75-60, in the season-opening Dick Vitale Invitational. 

The sons of former Blue Devil and former NBA veteran Carlos Boozer followed in their father’s footsteps, and their arrival to Durham came to much acclaim. Both were highly ranked recruits, with Cameron the No. 3 prospect in 2025 that led Duke’s No. 1 recruiting class, according to 247Sports.

Cameron Boozer had great showings in the two exhibition games played against Central Florida and Tennessee, but it was far from that out of the gate on Tuesday, Nov. 4.

He struggled to find a rhythm in the first half against the Longhorns, getting hounded by the defense and unable to find good shot selections. He missed every single shot attempt he took with an 0-for-7 mark from the field and missed his lone free throw attempt. The same went for Cayden, who came off the bench and missed his one shot attempt in the first 20 minutes.

‘It wasn’t easy in the first half. He wasn’t happy with how he was playing,’ Duke coach Jon Scheyer said postgame.

It was no surprise Texas led by one point at the half, capitalizing on an inconsistent Blue Devil offense besides Isaiah Evans. The Blue Devils had a legitimate chance of suffering its first season-opening loss this century, with the last one occurring in 1999.

Luckily, the halftime break was just what the Boozers and Duke needed.

Cameron Boozer came out of the locker room with determination. He scored the first official points of his career with a pair of free throws, and his first made bucket came on a driving dunk. From that point on, Boozer made life difficult for the Texas defense.

He was driving to the bucket and drawing fouls, accounting for the first six points of the second half that gave Duke a lead it didn’t let go off for the remainder of the game.

The Longhorns put Duke into the bonus just eight minutes into the second half, and Boozer was constantly finding himself at the free throw line. Seeing the ball go in the hope gave him confidence to put his mark on the game, crashing the boards to run the offense and get the ball near the bucket.

Cameron Boozer finished with 15 points – all of which came in the second half – with nine of them coming from the charity stripe. He also added a game-high 13 rebounds to become the fifth Duke freshman in the last 30 seasons with a double-double in their debut game. He was 3-for-12 from the field.

‘My team did a great job picking me up at halftime. Scheyer did a great job drawing us a place for me to get going and my teammates found me,’ Boozer said.

Cayden Boozer had a much quieter game off the bench, finishing with two points, three rebounds and two assists in 14 minutes of action.

What helped the Boozer twins’ struggles was the play of Evans. He accounted for 14 of the first 23 points for the Blue Devils, and he finished with a game-high 21 points. 

Texas’ offense was unable to keep up with Duke, getting it to a three-point game with nine minutes left before the Blue Devils responded with an 8-0 run that put it out of reach. Duke has now won 26 consecutive season openers.