ST PETERSBURG, Fla. – The renewal period has begun for race fans who attended this March’s Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg and purchased three-day grandstand tickets.

Those customers will have until Thursday, Oct. 31 to renew or upgrade their seats. General public sales will begin on Wednesday, Nov. 6 at 10 a.m. ET.

This 16th annual event, featuring the NTT IndyCar Series’ season-opening race for the 10th straight year, is set for March 13-15, 2020, in downtown St. Petersburg.

Renewal customers who purchase three-day grandstand seats get a Champions Club membership when placing orders through the Oct. 31st deadline closing at 9 p.m. ET.

“Our event countdown is on with ticket renewals starting. It’s just over 150 days until Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg,” said Kim Green, co-owner, chairman and CEO of Green Savoree Racing Promotions, organizers of the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. “St. Pete is a world-class destination city and a vacation hot spot. There is always great anticipation by spectators and the entire motorsports community for the season to get started here. The magnitude of this event just keeps rising!”

The complimentary Champions Club membership included with renewal ticket purchases has new features for 2020. The additions include opportunities to sign a trackside barrier block and a photograph with the winner’s trophy, plus upgrade to a Pit Pass for only $99 through the Oct. 31st renewal deadline (regular price $125).

Champions Club members get unprecedented access. They can attend the official IndyCar drivers’ meeting on race day morning, get up close to the Indy cars and drivers with a complimentary Firestone Paddock Pass, and participate in Sunday’s pre-race grid walk.

Additional benefits are a credential with lanyard, savings offers on official event merchandise, a chance to win a two-seater Indy car ride on the track, and more.

The Champions Club will be available for a very limited time and quantity after the renewal period for a cost of $75.

Renewals are available online at gpstpete.com or by phone at 1-888-476-4479, with pricing starting at $115 for reserved three-day Grandstand seats.

NEW YORK -- Two new eras dawned last week. They were separated by 24 hours, the Hudson River and a palpable amount of enthusiasm.

Aesthetically, the New Jersey Devils and New York Rangers were on parallel tracks heading into this season. The longtime rivals were both in rapid rebuilds. They added franchise players in the draft, with American center Jack Hughes taken by the Devils at No. 1 overall and Finnish winger Kaapo Kakko selected second overall by the Rangers. Both added Russian offensive dynamos on the wing, though the Rangers' signing of free-agent star Artemi Panarin was far more significant than the Devils' trading for 27-year-old KHL import Nikita Gusev. Both added standouts on defense, though the Devils' trade for Norris Trophy-winning brand name P.K. Subban was more significant than the Rangers' landing former Winnipeg standout Jacob Trouba.

But as the season started, the contrast between the two franchises couldn't have been starker. Now fans of the clubs eye Oct. 17, the date of the teams' first game against each other.

Here's a look at some of the areas of comparison and the way the Rangers soared in their season debut and the Devils abhorred theirs.

Hughes vs. Kakko

Hughes and Kakko are forever bonded together after being taken with the first two picks of the 2019 draft by two sworn enemies. Eventually, there will be a great reckoning about one being better than the other because Rangers and Devils fans are never going to be content with a verdict that "they're both pretty good."

For now, it's a demonstrable fact that Kakko has had a better first two games in the NHL than Hughes.

This is to be expected, frankly. Hughes, 18, is a 5-foot-10 center, a position that carries a learning curve in the NHL. Kakko, 18, plays the wing and played professionally in Finland last season while Hughes was in the U.S. developmental program.

"He plays a pro game, and I think it shows that he's played pro before," Trouba said of Kakko. "I don't think many people expect him to come in here and take the whole game over. That's not really how it goes. But he showed some really good stuff, got off some shots. And he doesn't really hurt us defensively, which is something that isn't always normal for an 18-year-old."

Hughes has hurt the Devils defensively. In their 5-4 shootout loss to Winnipeg, Hughes was on the ice for Neal Pionk's game-tying goal in the third period, which capped a four-goal rally, playing a shift that was 2 minutes, 18 seconds long. His line was stuck inside its own zone and eventually ground into dust.

"They pinned us in the zone, and we were tired. That can happen in any league. I don't think it's because it's the NHL," Hughes said.

Hughes didn't see a shift the rest of the period.

In the Devils' 7-2 loss at the Buffalo Sabres, Hughes was on the ice for two goals 6:08 apart in the second period, which gave Buffalo a 4-1 lead at the time. Hughes is getting obliterated at 5-on-5 through two games, with a minus-23 in shot attempts for a 22.26 Corsi for percentage -- worst in the NHL.

"I thought there were things in Jack's game that he did well. He had the opportunity to score a couple of goals. There are other components of his game that he has to learn and grow and work with," Devils coach John Hynes said after the home opener. "He's a young, developing player in the NHL. When you have a talented guy, who competes the way he competes, you're going to have some good things. But there are other components of his game that need to improve."

Some of this could be excused if Hughes had contributed offensively, but he has yet to produce a point in two games.

"One of the things when you have some guys that have the ability to make plays, it's doing a better job of understanding that there's a time and place to make plays," Hynes said. "There are other decisions that allow you to play offense or not have to defend. I think, throughout the game, we were hit or miss, and it got worse throughout the game. It's something we knew coming into the year that it's something we'd have to learn to do."

Again, it's early, and there's no need for panic. But Hughes failed to create a goal in the 3-on-3 against Winnipeg and then meekly attempted a shootout shot that was easily turned aside.

"The fans have been awesome to me. Hopefully I can start producing some points and give them something to cheer about," Hughes said.

The very existences of Hughes and Kakko give fans something to cheer about. They roared when the rookies were introduced on opening night. The crowds were dotted with fans wearing Hughes' No. 86 and Kakko's No. 24 on their backs. The latter was also scoreless in his first two games. Perhaps it's symptomatic of the Devils losing their first two games and the Rangers posting wins over Winnipeg (6-4) and Ottawa (4-1), but Kakko's play was more lauded.

"He understood when he could use his skill, when he should get behind the 'D' and work. And I think he was working really hard," Rangers center Mika Zibanejad said.

"He looks pretty stoic. Doesn't show a lot of emotion. I don't think he gets nervous, in the short time I've been around him," coach David Quinn said.

Kakko is minus-3 in shot attempt differential and was on the ice for one goal against Winnipeg.

"I was a little bit nervous before the game. But it was a normal game, like I played so many last season," Kakko said.

Quinn said that even though his rookie star has yet to play a dominant game, he also hasn't been a liability. And that's the point.

"I don't think he's going to have many bad nights. He might not have a great night, but he's not going to have a bad night," Quinn said. "And right away, that makes you a pro. It's not about 'how good's your good?' It's about 'how bad is your bad?' And I don't think he's going to have many bad nights, if any. The game might end, and you might think, 'Well, Kaapo was OK,' and that'll be his bad night. He's going to have a helluva career."

That goes for Hughes, too, even if the start hasn't been what he wanted.

"I think it was nice to play my first game," he said. "So I can be at peace with it, say I'm here. Now I can buckle in and start playing."

Subban vs. Trouba

It was the kind of moment that made it seem like Subban had played with the Devils for years instead of minutes.

Kyle Connor of the Jets skated the puck up the ice. Subban waited for him and then exploded into a perfectly timed hit that dumped Connor to the ice and separated him from the puck. The New Jersey fans, in a Pavlovian moment, chanted "P.K.! P.K.!" in unison.

Like the rest of the Devils, Subban has had peaks and valleys in the first two games. He was on the ice for two Devils goals on opening night and picked up an assist. Against Buffalo, Subban was on the ice for another Devils goal but was also part of a penalty-killing unit that gave up three man-advantage goals in four opportunities.

After the Jets game, in which the Devils blew a 4-0 lead, Subban sounded confident that things would get better.

"Up 4-0, we did a lot things well," he said. "But the one thing in this league is that you take wins when you get them, and you take points when you get them, but there's a recipe for success, and I don't think we had the ingredients for a full 60 minutes."

This is Subban's third NHL team. He's a three-time Norris Trophy finalist, and he won the award in 2013 with Montreal. His trade out of Nashville at the NHL draft was seen as an essential financial move for the Predators and a coup for the Devils, who weaponized their cap space to win the derby for Subban's services. Of course, the biggest news was that he was available to begin with.

"Everybody has to get used to you. Going into a new locker room ... everybody reads the media. Everybody reads press clippings. I'm sure everybody has their idea of what you're like," Subban said.

At 30, he's one of the Devils' most prominent veterans on a team of younger talents. He has seen a lot, and he had sage advice after the opening night disaster.

"The best part about it is that it's easy to fix. Experience is an important thing. I think we're going to learn a lot from it. Obviously, we don't like the result. But what I'm looking for now, as a player who's been in the league for a long time, is to see everybody make those adjustments the next time we're in that position," he said. "It's not about pointing fingers. It's not about one specific guy. As a team, we have to learn about winning consistently in this league. If you talk to the coaching staff, they'll tell you: It's 60 minutes."

After the Jets game, Subban declared: "There's no question that we'll come out with a better, full effort tomorrow."

The Devils were down 5-1 by 13:33 of the third period against the Sabres.

"Right now, the second half of last night and tonight, we wanted a soft, light, easy game, and that's not effective in this league, " Hynes said after the second game. "That's reality of where we're at right now."

The reality for Trouba, in his first two games as a Ranger, was that his world had dramatically changed. He was drafted ninth overall by the Jets in 2012 and spent 408 games with the team. There was talk dating back to 2016 that the Michigan native would be traded to a team in the U.S. That came to fruition last summer, when the Jets sent the restricted free agent to the Rangers, and he signed there on a seven-year deal, partially to support the career of his future wife, Kelly Tyson.

Trouba had a tremendous debut against his former team, with a goal and two assists. He added another assist against Ottawa. Two of the helpers have come on the power play, on which Trouba is expected to conduct a symphony, given the talent there.

"It wasn't nerves. It was just the adjustment of playing on a new team, that whole thing. After a while, it's just a hockey game. The other stuff fades away," he said of opening night.

"I've played against friends before. It's just playing against that many friends makes it a little different. After a while, it feels like it's just another game."

But it wasn't just another game. It was Madison Square Garden. It was opening night. It was a big-name acquisition stepping on the ice for the first time with a seven-year contract.

"I like to think it's another game. I play much better when I tell myself it's another game," he said with a smile. "I mean, yeah, it'll be something I remember."

When Trouba and Panarin arrived in New York, many thought it was an investment for the years to come. The Rangers are too young to compete now, they said. There's too much inexperience for them to challenge for a playoff spot this season, they said.

Trouba pushes back on that. "We feel like we have the players here to have a good hockey team," he said. "That's pretty much the bottom line. We expect to be good. We expect to win some games."

Good now or good in a few years?

"I don't think anybody's in here hoping we're good in a few years. I think everybody in here wants to be good now," he said.

Devils vs. Rangers

When was the last time the New York Rangers, as a franchise, had a free pass?

That's what it felt like at MSG on opening night. That win or lose in the short term, this ultimately isn't about this season, despite what Trouba says. Kakko is 18. Forward Lias Andersson is 20. Defenseman Adam Fox is 21. Center Filip Chytil, 20, is percolating in the AHL. More young help is on the way. In a city that can hardly wait during a rebuild, the Rangers have been patient. Their fans, surprisingly, have bought in, too.

The team is going to look sloppy, as it did at times in wins against the Jets and Senators.

"It certainly wasn't a Picasso out there, that's for sure. But we found a way to win, and in the end, that's all that matters," Quinn said after the Winnipeg game.

"It is closer to a Picasso," he said after the Ottawa game, "but we're not there yet. What I liked was that we got better."

The same couldn't be said of the team across the river, which followed a horrendous collapse against the Jets on opening night with a failure to launch the following day.

"It was a humbling weekend. We got embarrassed on home ice and then went into another building and got embarrassed again," winger Kyle Palmieri said. "The lights went on for the regular season, and we resorted to a style of hockey that's going to result in a lot of losses."

The Devils don't necessarily have a free pass, despite Hughes being 18, Nico Hischier being 20 and a solid collection of prospects such as defenseman Ty Smith on the way. They added Subban, Gusev and Wayne Simmonds to bolster this lineup for today, which is imperative, because no one's sure yet what tomorrow looks like for Taylor Hall.

The Devils star is an unrestricted free agent after this season. "They did a great job this summer. I don't ever look at it like they're making moves to satisfy me or they're doing things to make me happy," he said. "They're just trying to create the best team possible, and I want to be the best player possible on this team."

Now? "You can see that the depth is there. We have much better players, to put it simply, than we've had in the past. But that's only going to get you so far," Hall said after the Jets game. "At the beginning of the season, the play is always a little scrambly. At some point, the players are going to take over and decide who takes off in the standings."

Hall said the Devils players have to figure out how they want to play to be successful.

"I've said it, like, eight times. We weren't playing the way we wanted to play," he said after the Winnipeg game. "We didn't play well. Even before the third period, you could see there were signs of us not playing the way we wanted to. A team with skill up front is going to make you pay. Very disappointing."

Two eras started last week. One team has already shown it'll be fun, win or lose, this season. The other team is clearly still trying to work out its identity. The future is bright for both, even if the present has the Rangers smiling and the Devils with furrowed brows.

"We just gotta get better. Not to give you a boring answer, but we just gotta get better," Hall concluded.

PITTSBURGH -- The Penguins are getting booed. It's opening night in Pittsburgh -- six months after the Penguins were swept in the first round of the playoffs by the New York Islanders -- and all summer, chatter has been about improving the team's chemistry and transforming the roster to be both younger and faster.

But the Sabres, who finished with the fourth-worst record in the East last season, are running all over the Pens. At one point, Buffalo holds a 14-3 edge in shots, with at least two careless giveaways leading to odd-man rushes. The boos from PPG Arena are subtle but noticeable at the first-period buzzer. They return when the game ends, a 3-1 Buffalo win.

In the locker room afterward, Evgeni Malkin gives a grave state-of-the team address the likes of which he usually reserves for midseason. "They [were] hungry. They played so much faster," Malkin says. "We take a couple bad penalties, and they changed [the] game. It's a young league right now -- we need to play hungry, we need to play faster, every puck we need to win. It's not good for us how we played. We need to change."

The following morning, Pittsburgh GM Jim Rutherford sits in his office at the team's practice facility. He too notes how quick Buffalo looked. "The expectations in Pittsburgh are very, very high," Rutherford tells ESPN. "You're expected to win a championship every year, and if you don't, then everybody analyzes it. People talk about how hard it is to win a championship, then people talk about how hard it is just to get into the playoffs. In the NHL, there's so much parity now, it's hard to just win a game. There are no easy games."

Rutherford was frustrated that his team "never came together" last season. He rewatched the four playoff games this summer -- not ad nauseam but enough "to get a handle on what happened," he said. The GM said Games 1 and 2 could have gone either way. "Once we went down 2-0, we just didn't play as well," he said. "When I go back and look at those first two games, we could have won those first two games, and it could have been completely different. But last season, the team never had that total team togetherness. I think some of it came from players being content. I don't blame them for being content -- there's been some good success here over the last four or five years -- but you can't be content to be successful going forward. So that had to change."

Since 2009, the Penguins, Blackhawks and Kings have won eight of the 11 Stanley Cups. But since Los Angeles won its last Cup in 2014 and Chicago in 2015, both teams have struggled to retool on the fly to sustain that success; they've been saddled with bloated, aging contracts, and for at least the past two seasons, neither team has looked like it is on the brink of contending again.

The Penguins are fighting to stave that off. In doing so, they have to begin the season without three of their top forwards. Malkin, Nick Bjugstad and Bryan Rust are all out "longer term" with lower-body injuries.

This offseason, Pittsburgh added five new players. The biggest subtraction was winger Phil Kessel, who scored 174 points the past two seasons. The biggest additions: 25-year-old Alex Galchenyuk, acquired in the Kessel trade, a skilled forward who has yet to realize his potential in the NHL and is on his third team in as many years, and 27-year-old Brandon Tanev, who signed a six-year, $21 million contract as a free agent and should give the Penguins speed in the middle six. Also joining the group is 24-year-old Dominik Kahun, acquired from Chicago for dependable defenseman Olli Maatta. Rutherford said they are "guys who give us more balance on our forward lines, back to where we were in '16, where the coach could play any line against the other team. So we certainly should have a more balanced lineup with more speed."

The Penguins also added six players during the previous season. Because of that, Rutherford is preaching just a bit of patience.

"From where we were a year ago to where we are now, we have 11 new faces in our lineup," he said. "It's a lot of change. Some of it was to transition on the fly, to get younger. Some of it was dictated by the cap. So I would suspect it will take our team a few weeks to get adjusted to each other."

The GM said he expects the coaching staff to jumble around line combinations until something clicks -- and that was before the Malkin and Bjugstad injuries.

The question is: Have they done enough, and can they gel in time?

There is an obligation for Pittsburgh to try to contend as long as Sidney Crosby and Malkin are around. Despite being 32 and 33, respectively, they are still the best one-two center punch in the league.

Crosby, who scored 100 points in 2018-19, is coming off his best defensive season as a pro. "People don't think it, but he's a grinder at heart," said former teammate Carl Hagelin, now with the rival Capitals. "From the time I was there, you could see how every year he took a step defensively and played as hard on the puck in his own end. He wanted to make a statement."

According to Evolving Hockey, Crosby's even-strength defensive goals against replacement was 2.9. That's impressive considering that he finished with a negative number in that metric the previous four seasons. Crosby finished fourth in Selke Trophy voting last season, his highest finish ever (he finished in the top 10 the previous three years).

"He doesn't get mentioned in the Selke because they view him as a different type of player," Rutherford says. "He always gets a lot of points. But his game evolved probably in '16, where he really became a strong two-way player. He was one of our centers that came back deep into the defensive zone and could transition as well as anyone in the league. When it's a broken play for the other team, you're going to find you're going to get a lot more chances because you're going to get your three-on-twos, two-on-ones, and that's not the guy the other team wants to see coming the other way."

Crosby has been nothing but consistent offensively. He has averaged a point per game in each of his 14 seasons. Of players to debut in the past 30 years and play a minimum of 20 games, the only player who has more such seasons is Joe Sakic. And Crosby has done it with a regular revolving door around him. Since 2007-08, according to Corsica, Crosby has had 112 linemates (that includes some guys who played just a smidge of ice time with him).

Malkin was coming off a so-so-season (by his standards), but Rutherford said the Russian center "worked very hard this summer physically and mentally and is in a good place right now." Malkin's line was the Penguins' best one in the Sabres game -- he scored the lone Pittsburgh goal -- but he was injured in the second game of the season against the Blue Jackets.

It's fair to wonder if the Penguins might be better off taking an approach like the New York Rangers'. After years of coming close to championships, New York took a self-imposed step back in February 2018 and sent a letter to fans telling them the team would be trading many familiar faces and stockpiling assets. Less than two years later, the Rangers are in a much better place.

Rutherford -- who is renowned for constantly tweaking his roster and seems like he's ready to make another "hockey trade" soon -- doesn't sound too keen on doing that just yet.

"We'll have to do it at some point," Rutherford said. "Sid and Geno aren't going to play forever. I do believe our window is still open, I'd say for a few years."

NEW YORK – President Donald Trump's two golf resorts in Scotland posted another year of multimillion-dollar losses as his properties contend with a struggling local economy and a backlash against his divisive rhetoric.

Trump's golf clubs on the North Sea and Irish Sea lost a combined 11.9 million pounds ($14.5 million) last year, according to financial statements filed with Britain's Companies House.

That comes on the heels of a string of annual losses that started before Trump was president. But there were signs of recovery, including an increase in revenue at both Scottish resorts.

The president has 17 golf operations around the world. But unlike his licensing operations where he has sold his name for fee, he has spent hundreds of millions to buy and improve the clubs, a bold bet that he can buck the industry trend of bankruptcy and losses.

The numbers from Scotland so far have not been encouraging.

At Trump's Turnberry resort on the Irish Sea, which has hosted several Open Championships, losses topped 10.8 million pounds ($13.2 million) last year, triple the loss from a year earlier, though much of that came from a hit in foreign exchange. Taking that out and one-time and non-cash costs, the club lost 210,000 pounds, or $257,000. Revenue jumped 20%.

Trump's North Sea club overlooking a stretch of dramatic dunes also posted losses, though much lower – 1.1 million pounds, or $1.3 million.

Some in Scotland have praised Trump for bringing in tourists and helping businesses in the North Sea club area. But others have protested his comments about Mexican immigrants and have accused him of bullying tactics in trying to buy up land and of harming the local dunes with his course.

More recently, the club has drawn protests from environmental groups and others over plans to build 550 homes on the property in what would be the biggest construction project for the president's company since he took office.

Residents sent thousands of letters to local politicians, raising the prospect of heavy traffic and crowded schools, though others have argued the homes could provide a boost to the economy.

Last month, a local government council approved the Trump club's plan for expansion, a potentially big source of cash. A marketing brochure says buyers should be prepared to pay as much as 1.3 million pounds for the biggest homes, or $1.6 million each.

The 18-man field for the upcoming Hero World Challenge is nearly finalized and will include a lot of red, white and blue.

Tournament officials have announced the first 16 participants in the event at Albany in the Bahamas, and the list includes 14 Americans headlined by tournament host and reigning Masters champ Tiger Woods.

Joining Woods in the Bahamas will be seven of the eight players who have already automatically qualified for the U.S. Presidents Cup team that he will captain the following week: Dustin Johnson, Justin Thomas, Patrick Cantlay, Xander Schauffele, Webb Simpson, Matt Kuchar and Bryson DeChambeau. The only qualifier who won't be in the field is world No. 1 Brooks Koepka.

The rest of the field was filled out based on the Official World Golf Ranking and includes several players who hope to be in the mix for Woods' four captain's picks, which will be announced Nov. 4: Tony Finau, Patrick Reed, Rickie Fowler, Bubba Watson, Kevin Kisner and reigning U.S. Open champ Gary Woodland. The only two international participants are Justin Rose, who has a residence at Albany, and defending champ Jon Rahm.

Exemptions for the final two spots in the field will be announced at a later date. This year's event will be played Dec. 4-7, with the final round finishing on Saturday to accommodate travel to Australia for the Presidents Cup.

Edinson Cavani and Thiago Silva could leave Paris Saint-Germain for free at the end of the season, sources have told ESPN FC.

The South American pair are both into their final year of contract with PSG and the Ligue 1 giants are yet to offer either an extended stay at Parc des Princes.

- When does the transfer window reopen?
- All major completed transfer deals

Cavani, 32, and Silva, 35, are two of the most senior members of the PSG squad. However, Uruguay international Cavani has struggled with injury this campaign and there are younger options ready to replace Silva.

According to ESPN FC sources, Cavani has not totally ruled out the possibility of staying and believes he can still convince sporting director Leonardo and the PSG leadership to offer him a new deal.

However, no such offer has been forthcoming, and Silva has also been left in the dark regarding the club's plans for him beyond the end of this term.

If Cavani were to leave PSG, sources have told ESPN FC, his priority would be to remain in Europe -- with Atletico Madrid, Napoli, Inter Milan and Manchester United all known admirers.

Both Cavani and Silva have spoken in the past of their desire to return to their respective homes in Uruguay and Brazil before retiring.

ESPN FC sources indicated Major League Soccer would also be an option for Cavani, in the event that he leaves PSG, but there have been no concrete offers put forward -- despite enquiries from LA Galaxy and David Beckham-owned franchise Inter Miami about his future plans.

Although Leonardo was initially keen on the idea of extending Cavani's contract upon his return as PSG sporting director, notably because of the No. 9's impeccable professionalism and positive influence among his teammates, ESPN FC sources understand his recent injury issues have prompted a rethink.

Also, with Mauro Icardi now on loan and playing for a potential future permanent Paris transfer, PSG have an alternative to Cavani that they did not have when Leonardo first arrived.

Silva's contract has not been a priority since his compatriot's return, and sources have told ESPN FC that nothing has changed on that front.

In fact, PSG are focusing on tying up the futures of both Marquinhos and Marco Verratti ahead of the likes of Cavani and Silva, with sources having told ESPN FC that talks with both are progressing well.

Information from ESPN FC's PSG correspondent Jonathan Johnson contributed to this report

Barcelona forward Lionel Messi has said he misses his rivalry with Cristiano Ronaldo and would have liked his fellow five-time Ballon d'Or winner to have continued in La Liga.

Ronaldo left Real Madrid as the club's all-time top scorer to join Juventus in a €100 million transfer in the summer of 2018. Since his departure to Turin, the two superstars have not faced each other.

- ESPN La Liga fantasy: Sign up now!
- When does the transfer window reopen?

"Yes, I would have liked for Cristiano to continue in the Spanish league, at Madrid," Messi said in an interview with Catalan radio RAC 1. "I think it gave an extra impetus to our rivalry, to the Clasico and to La Liga overall.

"I remember I said earlier this year that Madrid would notice Cristiano's departure, just as any other team would, but even so, they have enough players to be at the top and fighting for everything. It's Madrid and they have a lot of history."

Messi and Ronaldo have always contended for major individual honours, however the Argentina forward said this has never been his priority.

"I've never thought about finishing my career with more Ballon d'Or awards than Cristiano," he said.

Messi also said he considered leaving Barcelona and moving overseas during the years he was investigated by the Spanish tax authorities. In the summer of 2016, the Argentina captain and his father were found guilty of defrauding the tax authorities of €4.1m between 2007 and 2009.

"I've had several [difficult] periods, especially in 2013 and 2014 when I started having a problem with the Spanish tax authority and everything that came out," Messi added. "It was difficult for me and for my family.

"I think I was the first one [to be investigated by the tax authorities] and that is why everything was so hard. From then on, they showed they were going all out with me and proved that they would target all sports and footballers.

"During that time, I considered leaving Barca. Not because I wanted to leave Barca but because I wanted to leave Spain. I felt I was being mistreated and I didn't want to spend much time there.

"I think I had the door open to many teams although I have never had an official offer because everyone knew of my wish and eagerness to continue at Barca. That, however, was beyond any situation that I felt for this home, this club, it was what I felt at a personal level. The only positive was that my children were young and didn't notice it but we had a hard time."

Messi, 32, has said he intends to retire at Barca even though he has a clause in his contract which allows him to leave at the end of each season.

"If they want me, I would obviously be delighted to remain at Barca," he said. "I reiterate that my aim has always been to stay here.

"Nothing has changed; it is as it has always been. Each time it becomes clearer that my aim and that of my family is to finish [my career] here. First because of how I am at the club, how I feel at the club, and secondly, for my family. We are very settled in this city. Of course, anything can happen but the idea is to continue living here."

Messi has extended his contract eight times since 2005 but has yet to be offered a new deal and his contract expires in June 2021.

"I don't think there is anything yet from what I know from my father [Messi's agent]," the Barca captain said. "I have always stayed out of all negotiations.

"I have not spoken to the Barca president [Josep Maria Bartomeu] since our Champions League elimination against Liverpool. But I have no problem with the president. I have never had any problems trying to sort out things with the club. On the contrary, it has been easy. Probably once it's done [the renewal], there will be no problems and it will be done in no time."

Messi, meanwhile, said he thought Neymar would have joined Real Madrid if he were not to return to Barcelona in the summer.

Neymar was keen to return to Barca but has remained at Paris Saint-Germain with the two clubs unable to reach an agreement on the switch.

"I honestly thought in this [summer] transfer window, that if he didn't come here, he would go to Madrid," Messi said. "I thought he was very eager to leave, for a change, to leave PSG.

"I thought that [Real Madrid president] Florentino [Perez] and Madrid would do something to sign him."

Messi said he believes his friend Neymar "regrets" leaving Barca in the summer of 2017.

"I believe so, that Neymar regrets leaving, that shortly after leaving he realised he made a mistake and that he had taken a bad decision," Messi said. "I believe so but you should ask him. Knowing him and knowing what has happened, I believe so."

Messi said he is hopeful of Neymar returning to La Liga in the short-term future.

"Neymar to Madrid? I don't rule out anything in football," Messi added. "At Barca? I don't discard it either considering what the president said, which was that it had not been possible but in the future we shall see and that the door was open.

"Neymar is one of the best in the world, he is a player that tilts the balance, makes the difference and obviously to have him in our team would have been useful in terms of having many more options to achieve our aims."

Barca did strengthen their attack by acquiring Antoine Griezmann from Atletico Madrid. The France international has scored three goals and set up two more in seven league appearances.

"It is not easy to play at Barca because of the football we play," Messi said. "From the outside it might seem easy but any player that hasn't experienced the Barca philosophy, who hasn't trained here when he was young, to come from the outside, as much quality as you could have, it is very difficult.

"He is used to playing in a very different way but I am sure he will adapt. We have no doubt he is a player with a lot of quality, very intelligent."

Asked about reports that he didn't want Barca to sign Griezmann, Messi said: "It is a lie that I didn't want Griezmann. I said before that he was one of the best and the best are always welcome to a winning project that we all want to be a part of.

"I have never had any issue with him coming, on the contrary."

Messi said that his time working under Pep Guardiola was "the best era as a player" at Barca while he considered his best goal to be "the header I scored in the Champions League final against Manchester United in 2009 in Rome."

Sunday afternoon in Los Angeles, after a 3-1 loss to LAFC that officially ended our Colorado Rapids season, I walked off the field as a professional football player for the 815th and very last time. Before stepping across the end line, I paused, said a brief prayer, kissed my gloves and pointed to the sky. Then I went on my way.

- Why all 14 MLS teams could win the Cup
- Zlatan statue unveiled in Malmo
- Experience MLS like a die-hard fan

Just like that, 22 years had come to an end. Everyone assumes I'm sad. They wonder if I'm having second thoughts. But look, most of the time in sports you don't get to choose your ending. I've seen it with teammates and friends: Their contract isn't renewed. They try out for one last shot. They don't make it. And that's it.

I'm one of the lucky ones. I got to say goodbye on my terms. At my last home game in Colorado on Sept. 29, my three best friends from New Jersey -- guys I've known since grade school -- sat behind the goal during warm-ups. It was awesome. I was so inspired. I think it was the best warm-up I have ever had. There were the tributes from so many players and coaches from throughout my career: Rio Ferdinand, Carlos Bocanegra, Landon Donovan, David Moyes, the list goes on. And I was able to share it all with my son, my daughter and my mom. Talk about a fairy tale.

After the game, I hosted a party with about 100 friends and family. And not once do I remember feeling sad or thinking, "This is it." I'm sure it will all hit me at some point. But for now, it feels like the end of every other season. This is all I've known for 22 years. Seasons begin, seasons end. Maybe it will hit me next March, when everything starts up again, and instead of standing in the net, I'm sitting on the couch.

From as early as I can remember, football was always the great equalizer. By now, everyone knows I have obsessive compulsive disorder and Tourette's syndrome. It hasn't been easy. But on the pitch, nobody cared. My facial tics, the coughing, none of it mattered as long as I stopped the ball from ending up in the back of my net. The field was a place where I felt free to be myself. It was a safe haven. And the greatest medicine I could have ever had.

Football has taught me a lot about life. And who I am as a person. Out of all the games I played, I'll bet almost half ended with the media or the fans criticizing me. It's only natural that self-doubt creeps in. You wonder if you can actually do this.

If I could go back to 2003 and that nervous, naive 24-year-old kid on a plane flying to England to play for Manchester United, about to sign with the biggest football club in the world, I'd tell him to buckle up tight. It's going to be one hell of a ride. There will be good days and bad. You're going to go to some dark places. You're going to wonder if you should give up. People will criticize you for decades on end. But it will all be worth it.

I'd also let the kid know the game won't always be fair. As soon as you think you've figured it out, it is going to smack you in the face and put you flat on your back. And in that moment, whether you're at Manchester, Everton or representing your country in the biggest sporting event on the globe, your confidence will come and go. But don't ever lose the unwavering belief that you can do this. Because you can.

I played with so many great players and leaders in my career, but to me, none was better than Roy Keane during my time at Manchester. He was the toughest son of a b---- I ever met. Nothing short of brilliant. As a coach, he taught me about resilience. And never giving up on myself. I took so much of what I learned from being around him and used it over the rest of my career, trying to pass it along to the next generation.

People often ask me about my greatest memories. Honestly, it's all such a blur. Everyone talks about the 2014 World Cup in Brazil when I saved 16 shots against Belgium. I'll be honest, for a long time, I was so naive about what that night meant to people. I was so devastated that we lost. It was almost embarrassing to have people ask about my performance. But after we got back home and I realized how epic that night was for so many people, I learned to be so thankful for that game and that performance.

Little did I realize that three years later I'd endure the biggest disappointment in my career, when I stood on the back line and heard the referee's final whistle in our crushing 2-1 qualifying loss to Trinidad and Tobago, which ensured I'd never play in a World Cup again. That October night was the most horrific, miserable experience of my life, on and off the field. It's impossible to put into words. Even now, two years later, the pain is still as raw as if it happened yesterday. Nothing makes it go away. But life goes on. You have no other choice.

But there are so many other good things I will forever take with me. The day I wore the captain's band for Everton when we played at Chelsea. Or the day David Moyes taught me what the term spitting mad truly meant. After I had a terrible game, he looked at me with such disappointment and just started screaming and yelling. I could barely get my eyes off the floor. I'm looking down and all this spit was flying all over the floor, and I remember thinking, "So that's what it means to be spitting mad."

- Stream MLS games LIVE on ESPN+
- MLS Cup playoffs 2019: All you need to know

It is those moments in the locker room -- when you're challenged as a competitor, when you bond with your brothers and build this camaraderie -- that I will miss the most. When I started playing, I was an 18-year-old kid playing with guys in their 20s. This year I was 40 playing with guys only a few years older than my 14-year-old son. It's all the same, though. The drive and motivation. The adrenaline you get from playing with a bunch of men pulling in the same direction. It's a drug. It's addicting.

I don't know if I'll be able to replace that feeling in retirement, but I'm ready to move on. My body doesn't hold up the way it used to. I've had so many muscle strains and pulls and cramps. I wake up now and my calves and my hips just don't operate like a normal human's should. My body is broken down.

Now I get to spend more time with my kids. I get to really focus on continuing to grow as a television analyst. And last year I became a minority owner in Memphis 901 FC from the United Soccer League. I want to help us win a championship.

Since I announced my retirement in January, so many have asked about my legacy. How do I want to be remembered? I want people to remember a goalkeeper who showed up every day for 22 years and answered the bell. No matter what had happened the game before, no matter the challenge that might lie ahead, I always gave it everything I had. People will have their opinions on my place in history. But I always tried to make sure that, beyond those opinions, no one could question my numbers. I pushed myself to heights I could have only dreamed and then beyond. I'll proudly put my career up against anybody's.

To the fans, thank you for riding with me every game, good and bad. From the cheers to the criticism, every word you said pushed me to be my very best. Thank you as well to my teammates. I'd be nothing without you. I'll miss our brotherhood and the time we shared in the trenches together. Thank you to every coach who ever believed in me. To be trusted as a starting goalkeeper more than 800 times is the greatest compliment I've ever been given.

And lastly, thank you, football. You taught this complicated boy from a single-parent home in North Jersey to dream big, believe in himself and never give up, no matter the challenge. I promise this isn't goodbye. It's simply, see you soon.

India women 165 for 2 (Punia 75*, Rodrigues 55) beat South Africa women 164 (Kapp 54, Woolvardt 39, Goswami 3-33, Bisht 2-28) by eight wickets

Jhulan Goswami, a month short of celebrating her 37th birthday, proved why she is still a key member of India's ODI set-up, as her three-wicket haul set up a comfortable eight-wicket win for the hosts over South Africa in the first ODI in Vadodara. Equally encouraging was the arrival of 24-year-old batsman Priya Punia, who celebrated her ODI debut with an unbeaten 75 to finish the moderate 165-run chase with 8.2 overs to spare.

Goswami struck off the first ball of the match after South Africa elected to bat. Getting the ball to jag back in sharply off the seam, she trapped Lizelle Lee lbw as the batsman shouldered arms. Then Ekta Bisht got into the thick of things by removing the experienced Trisha Chetty and Mignon du Preez in a superb spell of flight and guile.

Both batsmen, du Preez in particular, dragged their feet out in trying to get to the pitch, only to be defeated by the late dip to see Taniya Bhatia effecting two excellent stumpings. South Africa were in a spot at 56 for 3 in the 12th over, and the onus was on Laura Woolvardt to steer South Africa out of a hole, and she slowly rebuilt to make 39 until a dream delivery from Deepti Sharma accounted for her.

Deepti got it to grip and turn sharply to beat Woolvardt's inside edge as the ball crashed into the stumps. Her 39 had consumed 62 deliveries. With Bisht, Goswami and Deepti having done their bit, the Indian attack's versatility came to the fore when Shikha Pandey struck to dismiss Sune Luus, the captain, and Nadine de Klerk in quick succession.

Marizanne Kapp waged a lone battle in the lower order to make 54, with some support from No. 10 Tumi Sekhukhune, who blunted 34 deliveries for 6 in a 30-run stand. The innings drew to a close when Goswami returned to dismiss Kapp, out caught at cover, in the 46th over.

India started briskly courtesy Jemimah Rodrigues, who assumed the role of senior partner and quickly got the scoreboard moving by looking to attack South Africa's new-ball pair of Shabnim Ismail and Kapp. This allowed Punia, playing in place of the injured Smriti Mandhana, time to settle in and make it count.

She held her own, not for once overawed by the occasion or a slow start and patches of struggle, to eventually cash in for her maiden ODI fifty, hitting eight fours along the way in her 124-ball knock. Nondumiso Shangase, the debutant, broke the 83-run stand by dismissing Rodrigues, while Punam Raut, featuring in her first proper outing in nine months, made 16. Punia and Mithali Raj, the captain, joined forces to see off the chase without much hassle from there on.

The second ODI will be played on Friday. This series isn't part of the ongoing Women's Championship that serves to identify seven direct qualifiers and hosts New Zealand for the 2021 Women's World Cup. India beat South Africa 2-1 away last year in the series that contributed towards points for the championship.

James Anderson is set to swap Old Trafford for the Etihad, after arranging to train at Manchester City in a bid to recover from the calf injury that wrecked his Ashes campaign.

Anderson, 37, bowled just four overs in the first Test against Australia at Edgbaston in July before suffering a recurrence of the injury that he first sustained while playing for Lancashire at Sedburgh this summer.

He was subsequently left out of the England squad that will play two Tests in New Zealand next month, but still hopes to resume his career on the South Africa tour in December and January.

The agreement with City means that Anderson will be able to use the facilities at their Etihad campus for the next two months, accompanied by England's head of strength and conditioning Rob Ahmun.

The pair met with City's head of sports science, Sam Erith, on Tuesday to discuss the arrangement. Anderson has previously trained in the off-season at Burnley, his home club, at the invitation of the manager, Sean Dyche.

With 575 Test wickets from 149 matches to date, Anderson is already the leading wicket-taker in England's Test history, and recently overtook Australia's Glenn McGrath to become the most prolific seam bowler of all time.

However, he has no plans to retire just yet, and recently said that he wanted to emulate Ryan Giggs, who played for Manchester United until he was 40.

"It has been absolutely devastating to miss the Ashes series but I have not thought for one second about retiring," Anderson said. "In fact, I'm going to look into how Ryan Giggs was able to play football at the highest level until he was 40. That's what I'd like to do."