World Cup News

Messi, 38, did not play in Argentina's October friendly against Venezuela.

Un'operazione difficile, ma tutt'altro che impossibile. Secondo quanto scrive Repubblica l'Inter in estate farà un tentativo per Nico Paz, gioiellino del Como, che in questa stagione ha segnato 11 goal, contribuendo alla grande stagione della squadra allenata di Fabregas. Un'idea che può diventare una trattativa solo se ci sarà un'apertura da parte del Real Madrid, che controlla il suo cartellino e che a fine stagione eserciterà il diritto di riacquisto. Ma la sua permanenza a Madrid è tutt'altro che scontata. IL COSTO DELLA RECOMPRA Nico Paz si è trasferito al Como nell'estate 2024 a titolo definitivo per 6 milioni di euro, firmando un contratto quinquennale fino al 2028. Al contempo però il Real Madrid si è assicurato il 50% sulla futura rivendita del giocatore, più la possibilità di riacquistarlo a cifre definite per tre sessioni di mercato estive: 8 milioni nel 2025, 9 milioni nel 2026 e 10 nel 2027. Non è da escludere che i blancos possano pagarlo di più per riportato a casa, aggiungendo alla cifra già decisa dai contratti, ovvero 9 milioni di euro, una sorta di "premio di valorizzazione". Il Como infatti la scorsa estate poteva guadagnarci di più dalla cessione del talento argentino ma ha respinto una ricca proposta del Tottenham da 65 milioni di euro più 10 di bonus. IL REAL MADRID VENDE NICO PAZ? Il Real Madrid resta una possibilità per Nico Paz, che a giugno volerà negli Stati Uniti per giocare il Mondiale con l'Argentina, ma a oggi è un'incognita. Dopo una stagione fallimentare da zero titoli, con Xabi Alonso e Arbeloa in panchina, in estate ci sarà una rivoluzione. Servirà fare cassa per finanziare i nuovi acquisti e il nome di Nico Paz potrebbe finire sulla lista dei partenti. Toccherà al nuovo allenatore esprimere una preferenza: là davanti di certo c'è tanta scelta, da Rodrygo a Vinicius, da Mastantuono ad Arda Guler, da Brahim Diaz a Endrick, di rientro da Lione. Qualcuno è di troppo. Secondo Repubblica l'Inter vorrebbe usare i soldi dalla cessione di Bastoni al Barcellona per Nico Paz, valutato dal Real Madrid almeno 50 milioni di euro. Il gancio è il vicepresidente Javier Zanetti, amico del padre Pablo, già suo compagno in nazionale argentina. Il feeling tra Nico Paz e il mondo Inter è reale: la dimostrazione sta nella foto postata su Instagram da Paula de la Fuente, moglie di Zanetti, dopo la cena del trequartista argentino, assieme al padre e un'altra leggenda nerazzurra come Diego Milito, al ristorante milanese Botinero del vice-presidente e bandiera nerazzurra. Tra Inter e Real Madrid c'è il Como, che in caso di qualificazione alla prossima Champions League farà un tentativo per trattenerlo ancora una stagione in riva al lago.

Ai Mondiali disputati in Qatar, il capitano dell'Argentina ha superato le aspettative per immortalare la sua eredità nell'unico modo che gli mancava.

Vid Music Group filed the lawsuit for fraud and breach of contract against Messi and the Argentine Football Association in Miami-Dade circuit court last month, according to court records

A Miami-based event promoter has filed a $7 million lawsuit against Lionel Messi and the Argentine Football Association, alleging fraud and breach of contract after the star sat out an exhibition match last October.

Argentine youth developer Facundo Alvanezzi discusses his 11 years at FC Basel, his role in shaping stars like Granit Xhaka and Xherdan Shaqiri, and why fostering "hunger" and embracing mistakes is the secret to producing elite talent. Alongside the technological leaps of the 21st century, soccer has evolved through the implementation of new instruments and methodologies embraced by clubs across all levels of the game. Yet technology alone does not always translate into better players or better human beings. World Soccer Talk had the opportunity to sit down with Argentine youth developer Facundo Alvanezzi, who spent 11 years at Swiss club FC Basel between 2008 and 2019. Having trained in South America and studied the methods of some of Europe’s most renowned clubs, including FC Barcelona, AC Milan and Bayern Munich, Alvanezzi applied his knowledge to help produce elite talents such as Granit Xhaka, Xherdan Shaqiri and Fabian Schär, among others. A former professional player in Argentina who also played in Italy, Alvanezzi began his coaching career at Aldosivi before departing for Basel in 2008. Moving from scheduled training sessions with limited soccer balls, “compensated by the amount of talent,” to an environment where every youth team trained on a heated pitch, had balls for every player, full kits and access to psychologists, nutritionists and other health professionals represented a dramatic shift in perspective. FC Basel and a commitment to youth development Already proficient in Italian from his playing days, Alvanezzi still had to immerse himself in the cultural and linguistic demands of his new environment, all in service of what he considers the cornerstone of his work: communication. In a single training session, he might move between Italian, French, and German while coordinating multiple groups of young players across state-of-the-art facilities designed to maximize their development. FC Basel’s U-14 squad. “A club like Basel worked with all 14 or 15 age groups all at the same time. The First Division had its own separate pitch. But for everything related to the youth levels from U21 down, everyone had their own respective pitch. Even the littlest ones, the 5 and 6-year-olds, had their own synthetic fields with dimensions suited for 5 or 6-year-olds. Just to give you an idea—no time was wasted there. In other words, time is utilized in a way that enriches you instead of being a deficit that hinders the development of future players.“ Alvanezzi then put into context the remarkable achievement of a small nation punching well above its weight. “You can’t forget that Switzerland has a population of between 6 and 7 million inhabitants, so the emerging talent back then was very scarce. They did an extraordinary market study so that today they have 17, 18, 19, and 20-year-olds—which didn’t happen before—playing and qualified for the next World Cup in the US, Mexico, and Canada. So, basically, everything related to infrastructure and planning… whether you like it or not, having that entire grid set up allowed me—as someone passionate about football who loves being on the pitch—to work peacefully. I knew I had my designated pitch to work with the U15s, the U16s, the U17s,” he added. The role of a youth developer and the cultivation of talent A fluent Spanish speaker, Alvanezzi describes himself as a “formador de juveniles,” a youth developer rather than a coach, drawing a sharp distinction between the two roles: “The developer (formador) teaches and builds; they earn very little, if anything at all. In terms of titles—U14s, U15s, the Reserves… I don’t care about those. The coach (entrenador) is there to train, to play, to compete, to get points, to win a domestic league, a Libertadores, a Euros, a Champions League, or a World Cup. They are two completely different things. That’s why there aren’t many coaches developing players, and there aren’t many developers coaching elite teams.“ Another key principle in his approach is trusting the creative instincts of young players rather than issuing directives, recognizing that the youth phase is when information can have the most profound impact. He pairs this with a cosmopolitan perspective while never abandoning his own core beliefs. Facundo Alvanezzi on the touchline. “In other words: at no point do I impose. I don’t impose knowledge, authority, or didactics—nothing. I seduce. Those are two completely different things. And I try to seduce through knowledge. Because when you have knowledge, you can ‘disarm’ the player; when you explain the how, the when, the where, and the why. Of course, when I go somewhere else, I adapt, but I cannot renounce my genes.“ When he arrived in Switzerland, Alvanezzi found himself surrounded by cutting-edge technology, GPS tracking and gym equipment, yet he remains committed to the idea of developing players “with a ball.” “In player development, I adapted to the systems, but with my own imprint. I carry the Argentine imprint everywhere. It’s this: I watch a player—how he walks—a 5-year-old, a 10, 15, or 20-year-old. I watch him walk. I throw him a ball. I watch him make a couple of touches—juggling in the air, a change of direction. And right then, I realize what that footballer might be capable of. Or not,” he explained. The value of mistakes in youth development Elite clubs increasingly measure the success of their youth teams by silverware, mirroring the pressure placed on the first team. But for Alvanezzi, perfection is not the goal. Forcing young players into rigid systems, he argues, sends them to the first team with significant blind spots, and he views the ability to make mistakes as one of the most valuable learning tools available. “Here are players I can ask to play a football of possession and position. And then there are footballers to whom I have to say, ‘You: control the ball, don’t carry it, and pass it to a teammate.’ Meanwhile, for another player—because I go against the establishment and the system—,” Alvanezzi said. “I believe one of the virtues I have in this vocation of developing players is that I value the error. From the error, I create the virtue of the success. In the context of teaching, I don’t criticize the player; I seduce him. ‘But what if I struggle, I lose the ball, it’s hard for me, and they score on us?’ And what’s the problem? I don’t want my trophies and medals hanging in my house. What good are they to me? If, in the end, I didn’t get any player to move up to the First Division. If I didn’t develop a single player for the first team,” he added. Alvanezzi, who says he has not a single medal or trophy displayed in his home, considers the players he has helped reach the elite level to be his true honors: “Now, my ‘medals’ are an average of 45 to 50 players who reached the top level. Especially at Basel. We had a coach like Thorsten Fink, who helped us a lot and used to play for Bayern Munich. He helped us bring up kids at 16 or 17 years old. I had the pleasure of training players like Yann Sommer, Granit Xhaka, Shaqiri, Breel Embolo, Noah Okafor, Fabian Schär , Eray Cömert, Neftali Manzambi, Raoul Petretta, Cedric Itten—an immense number of players. Those are the medals one gets to hang up.“ He then stressed that the developer’s job demands patience and an embrace of the mistake. “They need to learn to play with the right foot, with the left foot, and have a lot of contact with the ball. When I arrived at Basel and asked for—for example, the squads there are 18 players—I asked for no less than one ball per player. At first, they just looked at me. ‘Why one ball per player?’ Because, what did I achieve over the years? That in an hour and a half, the players went from an average of 200 touches in a standard session… once I integrated the technical and game-based training, that multiplied to 1,400 daily touches with the ball. The more touches you have, the more you polish the errors.“ In an environment dominated by innovation, Alvanezzi believes the fundamentals are often left behind, and his street soccer mentality changed the culture at Basel. “In Europe, ‘soccer practice’ (11v11) doesn’t exist. From Monday to Friday, it’s all small-sided games. Everything. So when I got to Basel, imagine the resistance from the other coaches. They told me, ‘No, Facundo, you’re crazy. The players will get injured; we don’t do that here; everything is small-sided.’ “And I told them, ‘The 11v11 is the symptom for Saturday or Sunday; it’s how you know which player you can count on and which one you can’t. You might think you can count on someone, but on a full pitch, it becomes too big for them, and they become completely disorganized. We need a parameter.’ Well, I implemented it at Basel until it became their own ‘modus operandi’ that on Thursdays, we did the 11v11 practice. The teams started improving exponentially because they were finally playing football not in a 20×20 or 30×30 space, but in 100×65—which is where real football is played,” he added. ‘Hunger’: the defining trait of the players who made it Among the many stars Alvanezzi has helped develop, a common thread runs through the backstories of those who reached the highest level: adversity. Both Xherdan Shaqiri and Granit Xhaka were born and raised in a disintegrating Yugoslavia amid violence before finding asylum in Switzerland. Breel Embolo‘s path was similar, leaving Cameroon with his family before settling in France and eventually Switzerland. That contrast between their upbringing and those of more comfortable peers is precisely what Alvanezzi calls “hunger,” the spark that gave them a decisive edge. “From an early age, when you watch them train—unlike the vast majority of Swiss youth developers who never experienced need—these were kids of struggle. They are born, raised, and developed out of hardship. So, the only possibility they had to emerge—unlike other great Swiss talents I had at Basel who didn’t make it—they weren’t going to make it because they lacked that ‘hunger.’ That potentiality of saying, ‘Through soccer, I am going to help my family; I am going to emerge; I am going to be somebody.‘” Alvanezzi then reflected on the social realities that shaped Xhaka, Shaqiri and Embolo. “They lacked even the most basic conditions in an elite, first-world country. They were segregated because they weren’t Swiss. They are three starters for the Swiss national team who have played in World Cups, but Breel is from Cameroon, and the other two are Kosovar. When society wasn’t integrating them, but they were useful to the national team football-wise, they nationalized them.“ Alvanezzi with Neftali Manzambi, Breel Embolo, and Charles Pickel. He then illustrated how that hunger translates into a measurable competitive advantage. “Genetically, all of that plays in their favor, 80 or 90% more than the well-off Swiss player… That “plus” works in your favor. While they came to training on foot or by tram, the vast majority of players of Swiss origin came every day with their fathers in a different car—a Mercedes-Benz, a Porsche… That factor of having nothing missing ends up working against you. Since you have everything, what am I going to be ambitious about? Playing in a World Cup? I’m not interested. Reaching the first team? If I make it, I make it, and if I don’t, I still have everything,” he stated. A memorable trip to South Africa In 2010, following the World Cup in South Africa, Alvanezzi traveled to the country for fifteen days representing the Swiss U15 national team with Basel at the Danone Nations Cup, competing against teams from Japan, Argentina, China, England, Italy and others. What left the deepest impression on him, however, was not the competition itself but the cultural awakening it triggered among his Swiss players and the youth developers around them. “They didn’t know what it was like for a kid not to have a cell phone, or to walk around barefoot. They couldn’t understand why colored people sat at one table and white people at another because of the legacy of apartheid. All the Swiss kids traveled with the latest cell phones. They would leave half of their plates full of food. And 50 meters away, at the fence in a gated area of the complex, local kids would come to beg for food,” he recalled. FC Basel youth squad in 2010 Danone Cup. “Along with several other Latino coaches, I would gather the leftover food and give it to them. It reached the point where FIFA was going to fine me, because they said I wasn’t allowed to feed the people. And I told them: ‘Why not? It’s the most important thing; they’re hungry. The only one who understood it on that trip was Breel Embolo,” Alvanezzi added. Talent, mentality and the cohesion of a group One of the most enduring debates in sports is whether the right mentality can outshine raw talent through sheer hard work, or whether that notion is simply wishful thinking. For Alvanezzi, the two qualities are not in competition but are complementary, with every player on a team assigned a specific purpose that allows both to coexist. Using the contrasting examples of Erling Haaland and Rayan Cherki, one a physical force of nature, the other a pure embodiment of technical brilliance, he illustrates how different profiles can coexist within the same system “They are complementary and different at the same time. You can link this to the aspect of mental construction. Mentality is also something you develop. If I convince you that in three years you have to improve your heading or your left foot, and you end up doing it in a match to stop a counter-attack… that is mentality,” Alvanezzi stated. “When you see Haaland playing with his back to the goal, he looks like an average player; put him facing the goal, and he’s an animal. He hides his deficit in back-to-goal play—and tries to do it as little as possible—but he has an above-average mentality that allows him to fail ten times and try again. Cherki, on the other hand, relies entirely on his talent. He has a different mentality, but he understood that to stay at the elite level, he must not interpret that (reliance on talent) as a fragility,” he added. While Alvanezzi acknowledged that mental strength is partly something “you bring it with you, but you can also incorporate it,” he was equally quick to point out that he has seen players with extraordinary talent but no capacity for hard work, and others with far less natural ability but the psychological resilience to make it to the top. Bridging that gap, he argues, is just as much the developer’s responsibility as any technical instruction. “Mental construction is also developed. If I talk to you and try to seduce and convince you of your errors with respect, you will be more receptive. Today, kids are given 20 hours of leisure time outside of training, and we don’t teach them how to think. But to develop players, you must be emotionally well-constituted and rationally grounded. If you aren’t vocational and emotional, you cannot develop players; you should do something else.“ Beyond individual qualities, Alvanezzi insists that everything must be considered through the lens of the collective, where a single weak link can unravel even the most talented group: “The developer has to work with a clear idea and a common goal. The ‘mind’ of the team, 90% of the time, has to be uniform. If it isn’t uniform, the group disintegrates, no matter how much talent you have.“ “If mentally you are thinking ‘white’ and I am thinking ‘black,’ and we have to play with a red ball, but neither of us wants to yield, it means we aren’t complementary. Individualism and egocentrism generate a very large negative impact. We all row to reach the shore and save ourselves; it can’t be that one rows right and another rows left, leaving us in the high seas until a wave drowns us,” Alvanezzi concluded. Stress: the invisible enemy of athletes As in any high-performance discipline, stress management has become one of the defining challenges in modern soccer, a sport that has seen its fixture calendar grow to near-unsustainable levels. “Players today have an enormous match load. They play 80, 90, 100 matches a year. In my era, that didn’t exist. And that carries an enormous physical, mental, and psychological toll, which is one of the many reasons why footballers get injured. Everything is connected. And if the head isn’t right, the body will never be right,” Alvanezzi stated. Xherdan Shaqiri of Basel (Daniela Porcelli/Getty Images). With stress affecting muscles, tendons and bones alike, conventional metrics like GPS data and weight measurements become meaningless when the mental aspect is ignored, he argues. “A player will always tell you they are at 100%. I liked, and I still like, for the player to train at 50% or 60%. If a kid trains at 100% five days a week and then tries to play at 200% on the weekend, they end up getting hurt. Sooner or later. It’s a universal law.“ These pressures are not confined to the professional game, extending deep into the youth system as well. “Let’s take away the weights, take away the GPS, work more on the mental side, and talk to the footballer. When a footballer tells you they want to stay 60 minutes longer after training… ‘No. Go home. Rest. Eat well. Take a nap. Look after yourself. Read, watch a movie. Relax. Do yoga. Meditate.’ But for all of that, you have to talk, and you have to be prepared,” he stated. Alvanezzi also addressed the lack of preventive awareness he has observed at the youth level: “That’s why I like it when a player comes and tells me: ‘This and that is happening to me.’ ‘Don’t worry. You’re not playing this match; you’re going to train at 50%.’ I’d rather give you two weeks of rest than have it be six months of forced leave due to a ligament tear. Today, there is no prevention because we, the developers, aren’t prepared to prevent; we are competitive, egocentric beings who want to win everything, forgetting that we don’t play anymore.“ U.S. soccer and MLS evolution: the legacy of 1994 Through friends living and working in the United States, and despite acknowledging that his English is far from perfect, Alvanezzi has been able to witness a genuine transformation in the country’s soccer culture, one he traces directly back to the 1994 World Cup, when MLS was widely seen as nothing more than a retirement league. That perception, he says, has been thoroughly dismantled. “Today, football in the US—I’m not saying it competes head-to-head with baseball, basketball, or ice hockey—but it has gained a very prominent position. It’s no coincidence that Lionel Messi, the most emblematic figure in world football today, is playing in MLS. Players who before, as you said, came perhaps for a final retirement to spend their last seasons in a low-caliber competition, find it’s a different world now. It has grown so much that renowned players prefer to come to MLS rather than go to a country in the Middle East or Asia.“ While acknowledging that MLS remains a league in the midst of its evolution, Alvanezzi offered a measured timeline for when it could fully establish itself at the highest level. “The evolution in terms of the training and qualification of the coaches and developers is very good. I have excellent references. Like any expanding football in a developmental stage, I think it will take them another 5 to 10 years to consolidate. It usually takes 10 to 15 years for a major league to stabilize and reach an international competitive level. They are currently in that developmental process from every point of view,” he stated. The influence of Latinos in U.S. soccer Once considered a secondary destination for professional development, the United States has transformed into a country that offers genuine, high-level opportunities for coaches and developers alike. That growth has been driven in part by soccer’s surging popularity, the influence of the Latino community, and high-profile figures like Lionel Messi and David Beckham, who have brought the sport to new audiences across the country. Lionel Messi greets David Beckham, co-owner of Inter Miami CF (Elsa/Getty Images). “There are many Latinos and Argentines working in development at important clubs and academies. It is expanding in a very interesting way. They take the culture they don’t have—they are very pragmatic in that sense. Whatever they lack, they acquire it. Don’t ask me how, but they go after it. If they don’t have a qualified scientist, they go find one in Germany, Norway, or Sweden and bring them to their country to make it evolve. They do exactly the same with soccer.“ For youth coaches specifically, the shift in available resources has been nothing short of transformative. “They start from the foundation: youth development. And because of their immense purchasing power as a nation, they can leverage incredible infrastructure. Being in an academy there—even one not affiliated with a famous MLS club—means having 4, 5, or 6 pitches to train on. They have indoor gyms for “fast football” when the weather is bad. Material in abundance. For a developer like me, who dealt with hardships starting out in Argentina—not in terms of talent, but in terms of equipment and structure—imagine what that solves.“

Inter will be without both Yann Bisseck and Lautaro Martinez for Friday evening’s Serie A...

Everton find themselves in a great spot right now, sitting eighth in the Premier League after 32 matches. Since David Moyes returned to the dugout in January 2025, he has managed to pull the club away from a relegation scrap and into the hunt for European football. The Toffees recently cruised to a 3-0 win […] The post David Moyes Is Not Ready To Let 23-Year-Old Leave: Should Everton Gamble On Him Staying Fit? appeared first on The 4th Official - A view from the sideline.

Messi, Argentina federation sued over missed exhibition match espn.in

Aston Villa currently sit in a strong fourth place in the Premier League as the 2025/26 season enters its final phase. Unai Emery has turned the team into a real threat to the traditional big six, shown by their recent 1-1 draw at Nottingham Forest and a solid 3-1 win over Bologna in the Europa […] The post Aston Villa Make A U-Turn Regarding 29-Year-Old’s Future: Why They Must Prioritise His Extension? appeared first on The 4th Official - A view from the sideline.

Manchester United manager Michael Carrick faces a defensive crisis ahead of Saturday’s clash against Chelsea, with both Harry Maguire and Lisandro Martínez confirmed to miss the trip to Stamford Bridge. The news would come as a significant blow to United’s pursuit of a top-four finish, as Carrick will be forced to field a makeshift backline […] The post Massive blow for Carrick: Man United to be without two key players for match against Chelsea appeared first on CaughtOffside.

World Cup winner and Inter Miami superstar Lionel Messi is reportedly being sued by a promoter in Florida over alleged 'fraud and breach of contract'

Christian Pulisic could soon share the dressing room with 2022 World Cup winner Paulo Dybala at Milan, with both names now circulating in a developing transfer story that has caught attention across Europe. Christian Pulisic could soon share the dressing room with 2022 World Cup winner Paulo Dybala at Milan, with both names now circulating in a developing transfer story that has caught attention across Europe. At the center of the story is Dybala’s unclear future with Roma. His contract is set to expire at the end of the season, and no renewal has been agreed, placing him among the most high-profile free agents potentially available. Despite receiving offers from abroad, his preference has been to remain in Italy and continue competing at the highest level. Reports from Italy suggest that Dybala is seriously considering a move to Milan. According to Corriere dello Sport, the Argentine forward is willing to accept a significant salary reduction in order to join the club, underlining his desire to make the move happen. Further reports reinforce the same idea, pointing to Dybala’s admiration for the opportunity to play at San Siro. Calciomercato notes that he could even accept a performance-based contract due to his recent injury history, reflecting a pragmatic approach to negotiations. His priority remains staying competitive in Europe, even as other options emerge. Paulo Dybala of AS Roma applauds the fans after the game against Celtic. The factor behind a possible move While the prospect of the 32-year-old forward joining Milan is gaining attention, there is a key condition shaping the situation. The report adds that much depends on the future of Rafael Leao, whose role and consistency have come under scrutiny this season. His performances have been affected by tactical changes and fitness issues, leading to growing debate among supporters. Rafael Leao of AC Milan looks on during the Serie A match. Milan faces a difficult decision regarding Leao, who remains one of the club’s most valuable assets. A potential departure would create both the financial space and tactical need for a player like Dybala, making the connection between the two situations impossible to ignore. Without that shift, any move becomes far more complicated. Milan’s bigger transfer picture The club is already exploring ways to reshape its attack ahead of the summer. Multiple names, including high-profile forwards like Robert Lewandowski and Dusan Vlahovic, have been linked as the Rossoneri evaluate how to strengthen their frontline, particularly with Champions League qualification still uncertain. Financial considerations continue to play a major role in every decision. Robert Lewandowski of FC Barcelona celebrates scoring. The uncertainty around Pulisic also adds another layer to the equation. While he remains an important figure, his recent form has been inconsistent, and the club is assessing its options carefully. A potential arrival like Dybala could either complement or complicate the existing structure.

Chelsea face Manchester United this weekend in what could be the Blues’ last real chance...

LIONEL MESSI is being sued for FRAUD by a Florida promoter, reports suggest. VID, a Miami-based company that specialises in putting on sports and music events, are suing Messi and the Argentine Football Association (AFA) for an alleged breach of contract. According to TMZ, the firm claims they lost out on millions of dollars due...

The road to the 2026 World Cup was always expected to test France in new ways, but few imagined that Hugo Ekitike would become the center of a devastating late setback just weeks before the tournament. The road to the 2026 World Cup was always expected to test France in new ways, but few imagined that Hugo Ekitike would become the center of a devastating late setback just weeks before the tournament. France will enter driven by the scars of the 2022 final, where it fell short in a dramatic clash that still lingers in memory. Ranked third in the world and placed on a favorable path in the bracket, the national team once again looks like a serious contender aiming for a third world title. With stars like 2018 World Cup winner Kylian Mbappe and 2025 Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele leading the charge, belief inside the camp remains strong. The national team arrives with a blend of experience and attacking firepower that few can match. N’Golo Kante has returned to orchestrate play from midfield, while the defensive core brings years of elite European experience into the tournament. This generation believes it has unfinished business on the world stage, especially after coming so close in Qatar. That confidence has now been shaken by a major setback. Ekitike suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon during a Champions League clash between Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain, an injury that immediately raised fears about his availability. PSG maçında aşil tendonu kopan Hugo Ekitike, 9 ay formasından uzak kalacak. (L’Equipe)pic.twitter.com/QJm8QTjNZh — Meritking News TR (@mknewstr) April 15, 2026 The devastating blow confirmed The uncertainty surrounding the striker has soon turned into confirmation of the worst possible outcome. “Carried off on a stretcher… Hugo Ekitike suffered a rupture of his right Achilles tendon,” reported L’Equipe, leaving little room for optimism. As per the report, the injury immediately rules him out of the 2026 World Cup and potentially sidelines him for seven to nine months. The incident occurred during a high-stakes clash between Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain, where the striker collapsed without contact. “It doesn’t look good for Hugo. It’s especially difficult for him because you never want to get injured, especially at this time of the season,” admitted the Reds’ boss Arne Slot, reflecting the mood inside the club. What this means for France’s tactical setup France’s attacking structure has been one of its greatest strengths, blending pace, creativity, and finishing quality. Ekitike had emerged as a valuable option, contributing 17 goals in 45 appearances at club level and earning his place in the national team setup. His absence forces the coaching staff to rethink rotations and attacking combinations ahead of the tournament. Hugo Ekitike of Liverpool holds his ankle as he appears to be injured Despite the setback, France still enters the competition with strong depth and experience. The team remains on a favorable path in the tournament draw, avoiding early clashes with giants like Spain and Argentina. However, maintaining squad fitness and adapting to injuries will now be even more critical for Didier Deschamps and his squad. Who steps into the spotlight? Since it’s safe to say that Ekitike is officially ruled out, attention now turns to who could fill the void in the national team. According to Le Parisien, Randal Kolo Muani has emerged as the leading candidate to take his place, largely due to the trust he maintains within the coaching staff. His international experience could prove decisive despite mixed club form. Randal Kolo Muani of France controls the ball Other options remain firmly in contention. Christopher Nkunku offers versatility and technical quality, while Jean-Philippe Mateta has impressed with his efficiency in limited appearances for the national team. Each brings a different profile, leaving the final decision open as the tournament approaches.

Inter Milan stars Lautaro Martinez and Yann Bisseck will miss Friday’s home clash against Serie A strugglers Cagliari. According to Sky Sport Italia via FCInterNews, both players are looking to recover for Inter’s upcoming trip to Turin to face Torino. Lautaro Martinez had to skip Inter’s stunning 4-3 victory over Como last weekend due to […] The post Report – Argentina & Germany Stars Ruled Out Of Inter Milan Vs Cagliari Serie A Clash appeared first on SempreInter.com.

THE legendary Bombonera stadium will look almost unrecognisable after undergoing a massive £45million renovation. The iconic ground, known as the "temple of football", has served as the home of Boca Juniors and Argentina's national team since 1940 and hosted legendary World Cup and Copa Libertadores matches. The stadium will undergo a stunning transformation worth a...

According to TMZ , VID - a Miami-based company that specializes in putting on sports and music events - has filed a lawsuit against both Messi and the Argentina Football Association.

Inter Milan captain Lautaro Martinez could reportedly follow in the footsteps of Serie A legend Gianluca Vialli this season. According to Corriere dello Sport via FCInterNews, El Toro may equal a historic feat, dating back to the early 1990s. Lautaro Martinez is on the verge of winning his second Capocannoniere award since joining Inter in […] The post Inter Milan Talisman Could Replicate Gianluca Vialli’s Serie A Feat If Capocannoniere Award Won appeared first on SempreInter.com.

Wednesday’s reports claim that Roma star Paulo Dybala is keen to play for Milan under...

Premier League leaders Arsenal have hatched a plan to sign an Argentina international striker in the summer transfer window.

By: Oliver Fisher Paulo Dybala’s contract is expiring at the end of the season, and he apparently wants to join AC Milan in the summer. We are getting towards the point in the season where decisions must be made on the players whose deals are running out. We picked out five players that Milan could look to target […] The post CorSera: Dybala dreams of Milan move – ‘performance-based contract’ possible appeared first on SempreMilan.

The Argentina goalkeeper was named in the starting XI for last Sunday's match at Nottingham Forest but pulled out during the warm-up - the third time this has happened this season.

Unai Emery’s side have entered the race to sign highly-rated Manchester City goalkeeper James Trafford, according to Daily Mail. With mounting uncertainty surrounding the future of their World Cup-winning number one, Emiliano Martinez, Villa are proactively searching for a long-term successor, and the 23-year-old Englishman has rocketed straight to the top of their wishlist. DOWNLOAD […] The post Aston Villa target move for Premier League goalkeeper to replace Emi Martinez appeared first on CaughtOffside.

L'argentino potrebbe lasciare la Capitale ma restare in Serie A: l'ambizione è di giocare con i rossoneri.

Brazil former star Filipe Luis highlighted the importance of Carlo Ancelotti at this crucial moment. With two months to go before the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Brazil are hopeful that Carlo Ancelotti can provide the national team with a tactical identity that allows them to compete for the title in North America. Filipe Luis expressed confidence that the Italian coach will get the job done in time. “Ancelotti brings us many good things,” Filipe Luis said during a conference organized by Conmebol this week, according to Diario AS. “There are no guarantees we’ll win anything, but it’s the best that could have happened.” The former Atletico Madrid defender pointed to the timing of Ancelotti’s arrival to take over the national team. In mid-2025, Brazil were coming off a heavy loss to Argentina in Buenos Aires and, with four matches remaining in the South American qualifiers, had not yet secured their place in the World Cup. Carlo Ancelotti delivered the results needed to achieve that goal and has since used every FIFA break to shape a team that had struggled to meet expectations since the departure of Tite after the 2022 World Cup at Qatar. Vinicius Junior is subbed off by Carlo Ancelotti, Head Coach of Brazil. Filipe Luis believes in Brazil’s chances The general consensus among fans and analysts lists Spain, France and Argentina as the top favorites to win the 2026 World Cup. Despite being the most successful national team in the competition’s history, Brazil are not placed in that top tier, but rather in a second group alongside other powerhouses such as Germany, England and Portugal. However, Filipe Luis warned those who might count Brazil out of the title race. “Brazil will always be one of the favorites, even when things aren’t going well,” said the former Flamengo manager, extending that view to Argentina as well. To support his confidence in Ancelotti’s squad, Filipe Luis pointed to the team’s individual talent: “People don’t believe Brazil can win. But if you look at the five best players in the world, we have two: Raphinha and Vini Jr.” Brazil’s path in the 2026 World Cup Brazil are in Group C of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. They will open their campaign on June 13 against Morocco at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, before traveling to Philadelphia six days later to face Haiti. Their final group-stage match will be on June 24 in Miami against Scotland. If everything goes as expected and Carlo Ancelotti’s side finish top of the group, they will advance to the Round of 16, where they would face the runner-up of Group F — made up of Netherlands, Japan, Sweden and Tunisia — in Houston on June 29.

Javier Mascherano has left his role as head coach of Inter Miami, bringing an abrupt end to his tenure despite guiding the club to MLS Cup success last season. The Major League Soccer club confirmed the Argentine’s departure on Tuesday, with the decision marking one of the most surprising managerial changes of the early 2026 […]

Cristian Romero was injured over the weekend and will probably join the World Cup squad as a last-minute addition Leer

The Argentina international left the field crying at Sunderland over the weekend in what could end up being his final game in a Tottenham shirt

Javier Mascherano is out as Inter Miami’s coach, a stunning move that comes only four months after leading Lionel Messi’s club to the MLS Cup title, Guillermo Hoyos will coach in the interim.

Bournemouth defender Marcos Senesi will be a free agent at the end of the season, and he is a target for Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur. According to a report from talkSPORT, the Premier League clubs are keen on signing a 28-year-old on a bargain, and the player is hoping to sort out his future […] The post Man United lead race for 28-year-old South American as Spurs face major hurdle appeared first on CaughtOffside.

DOCTORS charged with the death of Diego Maradona have been accused of abandoning the Argentine football icon to his fate as the retrial gets underway. Prosecutors claim the defendants were a "bunch of amateurs" and that there were "multiple warning signs" they ignored. Fernando Burlando, the lawyer for Dalma and Gianinna Maradona - two of...

Cristian Romero may have played his last game for Tottenham Hotspur, talkSPORT understands. Romero will miss the rest of the season after leaving the field in tears with a knee injury sustained dur…

Adidas honours Argentina captain Lionel Messi with another gleaming signature F50 boot

Alejandro Garnacho could be the latest Argentine to be sanctioned by Chelsea after engaging in cryptic social media activity. The winger arrived at Stamford Bridge last summer in a £40million deal …

By Martin Graham Julian Alvarez’s journey began in Calchin, a small town in Argentina’s Cordoba province, where his talent quickly set him apart. Nicknamed “La Aranita” by his brother because of his elusive movement on the pitch, he became a local attraction, with opponents eager to see him play. Even at a young age, […]

A new trial over the death of Argentine soccer legend Diego Maradona will begin on Tuesday, with seven members of his medical team charged with negligent homicide nearly a year after a previous case collapsed in a mistrial.

Which team tops the FIFA World Rankings as Argentina look to defend their crown at World Cup 2026?

Diego Maradona would be happy, his fans say. The childhood home of the late Argentine football legend has been transformed into a soup kitchen for people squeezed by President Javier Milei’s austerity policies. The needy can also ask for clothing at 523 Amazor street in the Buenos Aires suburb of Fiorito, where the player dubbed […] The post Maradona’s birthplace repurposed as soup kitchen for Argentina’s hungry appeared first on Soccer America.

Jamie Carragher was left in disbelief over tonight’s officiating in Manchester United’s defeat to Leeds United. Namely, the fact that Lisandro Martinez was sent off for pulling on Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s hair. DOWNLOAD THE OFFICIAL STRETTY NEWS APP FOR ALL THE LATEST UPDATES & BREAKING NEWS – STRAIGHT TO YOUR PHONE! ON APPLE & GOOGLE PLAY […] The post ‘Behave yourself’: Carragher left in absolute disbelief over what he saw at Old Trafford tonight, Carrick agrees appeared first on Stretty News.

Lisandro Martinez was sent off for violent conduct against Leeds with the Manchester United star set to miss the next three games.

Pulisic has yet to score in 2026, and that's doesn't bode well for his form and confidence ahead of the World Cup

'It's madness. Common sense isn't always common, is it?'

With the 2026 MLS season already underway, questions are being raised about when Argentina and Inter Miami star Lionel Messi will play his next game. Lionel Messi is still making history at 38 years old, remaining a cornerstone and captain for both Inter Miami and the Argentina national team. With the 2026 Major League Soccer season now underway, fans are wondering when they’ll see the forward back in action. Lionel Messi’s next match with Inter Miami is scheduled for Saturday, April 18, when the Herons will be visiting the Colorado Rapids in the MLS at the Empower Field at Mile High. He heads into the fixture after a 2-2 draw at the Nu Stadium against New York Red Bulls. As for international duty with Argentina national team, Lionel Messi is set to return to action during the June international window. Before the World Cup gets underway, the Albiceleste will be facing Honduras on June 6th, and Iceland on June 9, leaving Messi and company just one week to regroup before their tournament opener against Algeria on the 16th. The 2026 MLS campaign has just begun for Messi, who has featured in eight official matches so far across all competitions, scoring six times without registering an assist. The opener came against LAFC, who handed Inter Miami a 3-0 defeat in front of a packed crowd at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Lionel Messi #10 of Inter Miami CF during the MLS match against LAFC. Lionel Messi and the task of defending the World Cup title The year 2026 will be especially significant for Messi, not only because of Inter Miami’s ambitions but also because he’ll head into the 2026 World Cup aiming to defend the title. The triumph in Qatar in 2022 marked one of the defining peaks of his career, and now in North America he’ll enter another tournament wearing the champions’ badge for the first time. Drawn into Group J, Argentina will open its campaign against Algeria on Tuesday, June 16, in Kansas City at Arrowhead Stadium. The second match will be against Austria on Monday the 22nd in Arlington at AT&T Stadium, before closing the group stage against Jordan on Saturday the 27th, also in Texas. The Argentina FA has announced that the national team will base itself in Kansas City during the tournament, though training facilities have yet to be confirmed. Expected to be his final World Cup appearance, Messi will have a chance to add to his record haul with a squad coached by Lionel Scaloni that remains one of the strongest in international soccer after winning the last World Cup and back-to-back Copa América titles.

Defender thought to have medial knee ligament damage Argentine may still recover in time for World Cup Tottenham’s deepening relegation concerns appear to have been heightened by the loss of their captain, Cristian Romero, for the remainder of the season. Romero was reduced to tears as he left the pitch after 70 minutes of Sunday’s 1-0 loss at Sunderland, following a coming together with the striker Brian Brobbey that led to the Argentinian clattering into his own goalkeeper, Antonin Kinsky. Romero, it is believed, has sustained medial knee ligament damage that will take around eight weeks to heal.

Bournemouth defender Marcos Senesi is hoping to agree terms with a new club before the season ends, talkSPORT understands. The Argentine is out of contract at the Vitality Stadium in the summer, an…

Another huge fitness blow for Spurs