NEWS

16Sep By Silver Emmanuel1 Comment

NEWS

Argentina legend drops huge 2026 FIFA World Cup prediction for Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi was back in action on Sunday, and scored a brace in Inter Miami's 3-1 win vs Philadelphia Union. Before this match, the attacker was on the sidelines, having sustained an ankle injury during Argentina's win against Colombia in the Copa America final, on July 14. With Argentina set to defend their FIFA World Cup title in 2026, many fans have been left wondering about the former Barcelona's star's availability, as he is already 37-years-old. Messi's former teammate and Argentina legend Juan Roman Riquelme feels that the Inter Miami star will feature in the tournament in 2026. Speaking on AZZ channel, he said, "Messi is reinventing himself. You never know what he can do. And I have no doubt that he will play in the next World Cup, he has to play. We will all be rooting for him...

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15Sep By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

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Lionel Messi scores for Inter Miami in his first game in three months

Lionel Messi made a statement in his return game with Inter Miami, scoring two goals in four minutes for his MLS side. Messi stepped back on the pitch for the first time since suffering an ankle injury in Argentina's Copa America title-winning game over Colombia in July. The Argentine sent South Beach fans on their feet scoring a quick brace to help his Miami take the lead over the Philadelphia Union. His first goal came in the 26th minute with the Herons down 1-0. Jordi Alba dribbled the ball down the middle before connecting with Luis Suarez. The former Barcelona trio completed the play after Suarez played a perfect one-touch pass around a Union defender. The ball ended up on Messi's feet, who touched the ball into space, spun his defender, and slotted the ball to the bottom-left corne...

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12Sep By Silver Emmanuel2 Comments

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Mourinho ‘I will die and never forget Roma Final, Osimhen dives too much’

José Mourinho says he ‘will die and never forget’ the 2022-23 Europa League Final his Roma side lost against Sevilla and insists he has no problems with Victor Osimhen: ‘But he dives too much.’ ISTANBUL, TURKEY - AUGUST 13: Head coach of Fenerbahce looks on during the UEFA Champions League Third Qualifying Round match between Fenerbahce and Lille FC at Ulker Stadium on August 13, 2024 in Istanbul, Turkey. (Photo by Ahmad Mora/Getty Images) Fenerbahce coach Mourinho released an extended interview with Turkish media HT Spor, where he discussed several things related to Italian football. Evidently, he still hasn’t forgotten about the 2022-23 Europa League Final that his Roma side lost against Sevilla, especially after a recent referee controversy that saw his Fenerbahce side elimin...

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12Sep By Silver Emmanuel3 Comments

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Paul Pogba’s brother to stand trial in extortion case involving France football star

A brother of World Cup winner Paul Pogba will stand trial with five other men as part of an extortion case that targeted the footballer two years ago, the Paris prosecutor's office said Tuesday. A judge ordered the six men to appear before a court following an investigation into whether Pogba was the target of extortion by his brother, Mathias Pogba, and childhood friends, the office said. The prosecutor's office said Mathias Pogba, 34, was ordered to stand trial “for the offences of attempted extortion and criminal conspiracy."The court date has not been announced. The five others — identified by their first names only — allegedly demanded €13 million ($14.3 million) from the France midfielder, and repeatedly intimidated him, claiming he didn't support them after he became an int...

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12Sep By Silver Emmanuel1 Comment

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Argentina’s Emiliano Martínez accused of slapping cameraman

A TV cameraman said Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez "slapped me" after Colombia's 2-1 home win in a World Cup qualifying match. Jhonny Jackson told Colombian reporters he approached Martínez after the final whistle in Barranquilla on Tuesday as the goalkeeper greeted another player. Footage he captured shows the World Cup winner, who Argentines know as Dibu, hitting the camera, which quickly falls to the ground. "Out of the blue he slapped me," Jackson told RCN Deportes on Wednesday. "I felt angry, very angry. I was working, just like he was. He was playing and I was shooting with my camera."He also sent a message to Martínez: " Dibu, my brother, how are you? I am Jhonny Jackson, the cameraman you assaulted in the match against Colombia. I wanted to tell you it is all good,...

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12Sep By Silver Emmanuel1 Comment

NEWS

‘No hope’: China coach under pressure with World Cup hopes in peril

China coach Branko Ivankovic was under pressure Wednesday to quit after less than seven months in the job with their hopes of reaching the 2026 World Cup in danger. China are bottom of their group in the third round of Asian qualifying following two defeats in as many games, the latest a 2-1 home loss to Saudi Arabia on Tuesday. The Saudis played much of the game in Dalian with 10 men following the 19th-minute dismissal of Mohamed Kanno, but they were the better side in the second half and scored the winner at the death through Hassan Kadish's second header of the night. Boos rang around the stadium at the final whistle with Croatian coach Ivankovic the target of much of the home fans' anger. On the social media platform Weibo, the hashtags "Chinese football. No hope" and "Ivan...

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12Sep By Silver Emmanuel1 Comment

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Christian Pulisic urges Mauricio Pochettino to ‘change the culture’ in USMNT

Like most of their fans, players on the U.S. men’s national soccer team had heard the rumors of the incoming coach. On Saturday night, during a team meal in Kansas City, U.S. Soccer’s sporting director, Matt Crocker, told the players that the federation was finalizing a deal with Mauricio Pochettino. But it wasn’t until the pregame meal in Cincinnati on Tuesday that they were told it was done. A few hours later, U.S. Soccer told the public. It was officially time to move forward under arguably the highest-profile coach in the history of the U.S. men’s team. For the players, who have spent the past week or so dancing around questions about Pochettino, there seemed to be a sense of relief that the moment had come. In the wake of yet another disappointing result -- this time a...

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12Sep By Silver Emmanuel2 Comments

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Lacklustre Brazil slump to 1-0 defeat in Paraguay

Brazil slumped to a fourth defeat in their last five World Cup qualifiers on Tuesday after a first-half goal by Diego Gomez gave Paraguay a 1-0 win in Asuncion. Five-times world champions Brazil, who scraped a 1-0 home win over Ecuador on Friday, are fifth in South American qualifying for the 2026 World Cup with 10 points, ahead of Venezuela on goal difference. The top six qualify directly for the World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada, with the seventh place offering passage via further rounds of qualifiers. Manager Dorival Jr, who took over from Tite after Brazil’s quarter- final exit at the 2022 World Cup, looked forlorn on the sidelines as his side were comprehensively outplayed and fortunate not to lose by more. Brazil failed to record a shot on target in the ...

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11Sep By Silver Emmanuel1 Comment

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Cristiano Ronaldo says Erik Ten Hag’s attitude too negative for Manchester United

Cristiano Ronaldo says Erik ten Hag's attitude is too negative, urging the Manchester United manager to target the Premier League title even though the club need to "rebuild from the bottom". The Portugal star, who now plays for Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia, fell out with Ten Hag before his second spell at Old Trafford ended late in 2022. Ronaldo believes his former club needs sweeping changes but that Ten Hag should not rule out winning major trophies in the meantime. The Dutchman has said he is "quite confident" of claiming more silverware this campaign after lifting the League Cup and FA Cup over the past two seasons. But he said in July his team are a "long way away" from being ready to win the Premier League, which they have not won since Alex Ferguson's final season in char...

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11Sep By Silver Emmanuel1 Comment

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Saudi Arabia’s 10 men fight back to beat China in World Cup qualifying

China face a struggle to qualify for the 2026 World Cup as they followed their 7-0 drubbing in Japan last week with a 2-1 defeat against 10-man Saudi Arabia on Tuesday. China went ahead in the 14th minute in Dalian through an Ali Lajami own goal but failed to take advantage of Saudi midfielder Mohamed Kanno being red-carded a few minutes later. Hassan Kadish equalised with a header from a corner before half-time and repeated the feat in the last minute of the 90 to spark wild celebrations from the visitors. China, who had registered just one shot in their match with Japan, struggled to carve out chances despite their numerical advantage. They paid the price when the Saudis, managed by former Manchester City and Italy coach Roberto Mancini, equalised through Kadish before half-time. ...

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11Sep By Silver Emmanuel1 Comment

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UEFA NATIONS LGE: Captain Kane celebrates 100th England cap with both goals against Finland

Harry Kane struck his 67th and 68th international goals to celebrate having become the 10th man to make 100 national team appearances for England as they defeated Finland 2-0 in their UEFA Nations League tie at Wembley. England started on the front foot but their 31-year-old captain was frustrated in a scoreless first half in pursuit of the goal to add to the golden cap presented to him before kickoff. The last centurion, almost 10 years ago, was Wayne Rooney who had also marked the occasion with a goal. Kane finally broke through decisively twice after the interval. His goals were his 26th and 27th in 35 England appearances at Wembley adding up go 11 in his last eight matches at the national stadium. Victory was no more than England deserved after dominating in front of a 70,221 crowd; ...

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11Sep By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

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Pochettino named new boss of US with 2026 World Cup hosting in mind

Former Tottenham and Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino has been named as the new manager of the United States men’s team. The Argentine replaces Gregg Berhalter, who was sacked in July following the USA’s group-stage elimination from the Copa America. The United States will co-host the 2026 World Cup along with Canada and Mexico. They are ranked 16th in the world by Fifa, one place below Euro 2024 quarter-finalists Switzerland. Pochettino’s appointment means the US men’s and women’s teams are both now managed by former Chelsea bosses, after Emma Hayes took charge of the women’s team earlier this year. Pochettino, 52, said it was an opportunity “I couldn’t pass up”. “The decision to join US Soccer wasn’t just about football for me; it’s about the journey that this team and this country...

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11Sep By Silver Emmanuel2 Comments

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Colombia avenge Copa América loss with victory over Argentina

World champions Argentina suffered their second defeat in CONMEBOL qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup with a James Rodríguez penalty condemning them to a 2-1 loss to Colombia on Tuesday. The victory was sweet revenge for a Colombia team who had lost to Argentina in July's final of the Copa América. Colombia, backed by a passionate crowd at the Metropolitano Stadium, took the lead in the 25th minute when, from a short corner, Rodríguez chipped a cross to the back post where Yerson Mosquera rose to head home. With Rodríguez prompting in midfield and Luis Díaz a threat with his pace down the flanks, Colombia were well on top in the opening half against a sluggish Argentina, without the injured Lionel Messi. But three minutes after the interval, the visitors drew level when a misplaced pass...

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10Sep By Silver Emmanuel1 Comment

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Bastoni: ‘Italy feel strong’ after Nations League success

Alessandro Bastoni is happy to take on the mantle of the Italy defence and confirms they ‘feel strong’ after back-to-back Nations League victories. The Azzurri are flying in the Nations League, topping Group A2 with six points after their 3-1 win in France and 2-1 victory over Israel. Les Bleus beat Belgium 2-0 this evening, so they go into joint second place on three points apiece. “It was very important to follow up the win over France, which boosted our confidence so much and made us feel strong,” Bastoni told RAI Sport. “We want to continue like this and leave the embarrassment of the Euros behind us.” The Azzurri were determined to prove what they can do after a disastrous European Championship result, crashing out in the Round of 16 against Switzerland with a soulless performanc...

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10Sep By Silver Emmanuel2 Comments

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France and Italy cruise to win in Nations League as Norway’s Haaland scores decisive goal

Les Bleus breathed a sigh of relief with their 2-0 win against Belgium after a loss last week. Meanwhile Italy are on a winning streak with a victory over Israel. Italy kept up their perfect start to the UEFA Nations League on Monday, while France got the better of Belgium and Erling Haaland struck a late winner for Norway against Austria. The Italians built on an impressive win away in France at the weekend as they beat Israel 2-1 in a game played on neutral territory in Budapest due to the security situation in the Middle East. Goals in each half from Davide Frattesi and Moise Kean were enough for Italy to win in a subdued atmosphere at the Bozsik Arena, home of Honved. Luciano Spalletti's team have reacted well to their disastrous European Championship title defence, which ended at...

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9Sep By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

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UEFA nations Lge: Ruiz double helps 10-man Spain sink Swiss in the rain

Spain’s Fabian Ruiz scored twice as his 10-man side defeated Switzerland 4-1 in the pouring rain in Geneva to earn their first victory in Nations League A Group Four and inflict a second successive defeat on the hosts. Euro 2024 winners Spain had been held to a dour 0-0 draw by Serbia in their pool opener but found their groove in a quick start at the Stade de Geneve as Joselu and Ruiz had them 2-0 up inside 13 minutes. A red card for Spain defender Robin Le Normand after 20 minutes was a setback and brought Switzerland into the game as Zeki Amdouni pulled a goal back before halftime. But as the Swiss pressed for an equaliser late on, Ruiz netted his second and Ferran Torres also got on the scoresheet as Spain hit the hosts with lightning counter-attacks. “If there’s one thing I like t...

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8Sep By Silver Emmanuel2 Comments

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S. Korea seeking redemption vs. Oman in World Cup qualifier after dismal showing at home

South Korea will look to redeem themselves in their next World Cup qualifying match against Oman on Tuesday following a disappointing performance on home soil to begin the ongoing round last week. South Korea and Oman will square off for their second Group B match in the third round of the Asian qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup at Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Muscat. The kickoff is 6 p.m. Tuesday local time, or 11 p.m. the same night in South Korea. South Korea, ranked 23rd, couldn't have scripted a more frustrating start to the third round last Thursday, when they were held to a goalless draw by No. 96 Palestine at Seoul World Cup Stadium. Captain Son Heung-min struck the woodwork in a wide-open chance in the late minutes, while midfielder Lee Kang-in also wasted a few op...

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8Sep By Silver Emmanuel1 Comment

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Germany captain Joshua Kimmich praises the team after resounding 5-0 Nations League victory

Germany kicked off the Nations League campaign with a 5-0 thumping of Hungary. Bayern Munich’s Jamal Musiala was magnificent, delivering a goal and three assists. Bayern teammate Aleksandar Pavlović linked up with Musiala to score Pavlović’s first international goal in the 77th minute. Today’s match also represented Joshua Kimmich’s first international match since being named captain for Die Mannschaft. In his postgame interview (via @iMiaSanMia), Kimmich said, “It was important that we won today. The first half was good, we could’ve scored more goals. The first 5-10 minutes of the second half were not easy. Rob [Andrich] made a great tackle to deny the equaliser. Then we scored the second through a counter from a corner and then the game became more open. Overall we controlled the...

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7Sep By Silver Emmanuel1 Comment

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Declan Rice and Jack Grealish give Lee Carsley winning start to England reign

After all the focus on the soundtrack, Lee Carsley’s first game as England manager was certainly loaded with narrative. The inevitable line is that you couldn’t script this but, well, it’s really the first thing you’d script. Declan Rice and Jack Grealish scored the goals in a 2-0 England win over Ireland, the national team they both left, to also overcome a constant chorus of boos. If anything, such a response seemed to counter-productively drive them on, in the way that often happens. At least for a time. This win really just evolved into the sort of win over a smaller country that England have long learned to expect under Gareth Southgate, albeit with one important twist. The attacking under Carsley was different throughout and, for a brief period, quite exciting. There was a sens...

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7Sep By Silver Emmanuel1 Comment

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Brazil edge Ecuador as Rodrygo strike ends winless World Cup qualifying run

Rodrygo scored the winning goal in the first half as Brazil defeated Ecuador 1-0 in Curitiba to end a four-game winless streak in World Cup 2026 qualifying. The 23-year-old Real Madrid swinger scored with a shot from outside the box in the 30th minute, which was deflected by a defender and went in off the right-hand post. Victory boosted the Seleçao’s qualifying campaign after they had lost to Uruguay, Colombia and Argentina at the end of 2023 after a 1-1 home draw with Venezuela. Seeking an early goal to settle their nerves, the hosts almost got it when Vinícius Júnior closed down keeper Hernán Galíndez, whose clearance ricocheted off the forward and into the side netting. After Rodrygo’s opener, Moisés Caicedo was denied a leveller, first by Alisson’s save and then by Gabri...

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