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PSG coach says no bad blood between Messi-Mbappé, but Emi Martínez is another story

After sending 11 players to the World Cup, Paris Saint-Germain's season resumes Wednesday with the Ligue 1 leaders needing to find motivation for a home match against 19th-place Strasbourg.

PSG manager Christophe Galtier gave his pre-match press conference Tuesday and outlined how many of the club's World Cup stars would be available for selection — including France's Kylian Mbappé, Morocco's Achraf Hakimi and Brazil's Neymar — but Argentina's Lionel Messi had been given extended leave until early January.

Messi: "I wanted to close my career with this, I can no longer ask for anything else"

LUSAIL, Qatar - As fireworks exploded and some 80,000 people roared, Lionel Messi smiled. His Argentina soccer shirt covered by the bisht the Emir of Qatar had just draped him in — the cape reserved for top officials and sheikhs. He smiled, he paused, then he hoisted high the World Cup, a lifetime’s dream realized.

For all the accolades, all the awards, the riches, titles and silverware, there had been one stain on his career resume, and it was one he erased forever on a magical World Cup night for Argentina.

Widow of U.S. soccer journalist Grant Wahl confirms cause of death and no foul play involved

An aortic aneurysm caused the death of Grant Wahl, an American sportswriter who collapsed and died last week while covering a World Cup match in Qatar, his widow said on Wednesday.

"Grant died from the rupture of a slowly growing, undetected ascending aortic aneurysm with hemopericardium," his widow, physician Celine Gounder, wrote in a statement.

An aortic aneurysm is a balloon-like bulge in the aorta, the large artery that carries blood from the heart through the chest and torso, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's website.

Nearly 50,000 Morocco fans expected to greet France with wall of noise in World Cup semifinal

When Morocco takes to the pitch Wednesday night against France in the World Cup semifinals, they'll do so as 6/1 outsiders against the defending world champions. But one advantage the record-setting African side will have is nearly the entire backing of the 68,895 capacity Al-Bayt Stadium.

¿Cristiano Ronaldo se retira de Portugal?: “Fue lindo mientras duró”

Con el dolor aún en las venas, Cristiano Ronaldo dejó el refugio del silencio y habló por primera vez desde la eliminación que sufrió Portugal a manos de Marruecos, en los cuartos de final del Mundial de Catar 2022.

El Bicho está triste y en un mensaje en Instagram vació todo lo que siente en el alma, dejando además un críptico mensaje sobre su futuro en la selección lusa. 

Pepe complains about referee selection vs. Morocco and says the WC has been fixed for Argentina

With the pain of the elimination still burning inside, the veteran Portuguese defender Pepe made a bold claim, saying that the World Cup has been set to give Argentina the title. 

Minutes after the 0-1 defeat against Morocco, Pepe elaborated his conspiracy theory talking with Portuguese broadcaster RTP3. And a lot had to do with the referee selection for the game against the Atlas Lions, Facundo Tello, who is Argentine. 

Vinícius Jr. gets unexpected feline visitor during press conference in Catar… sorry, Qatar

There was a humorous moment during Brazil’s World Cup press conference on Wednesday when a cat crashed the party while Vinícius Jr. was speaking. The Vini Jr. cat moment left the Brazilian superstar cracking up.

Vini Jr. Cat Press Conference Moment

While talking to the press a cat decided that the podium looked like a great place to sit. The feline is most likely a stray. The person writing this article spent a week in Doha, Qatar, and will say that there are tons of stray cats that roam the streets.

Messi and Argentina expect classic quarterfinal against old rivals Netherlands

AL RAYYAN, Qatar - Argentina captain Lionel Messi and coach Lionel Scaloni predicted a tough but beautiful encounter with the Netherlands when the sides meet in Friday's World Cup quarterfinal.

Argentina beat Australia 2-1 while the Netherlands defeated the United States 3-1 on Saturday to set up a tantalizing clash between two of the great teams of world football who famously met in the 1978 World Cup final which the South Americans won.

‘El Diablo’ Luis Suárez refuses to apologize for role in Ghana's 2010 exit ahead of rematch

AL RAYYAN, Qatar - Uruguay's Luis Suárez refused to apologize to Ghanaians on Thursday for his role 12 years ago in their biggest World Cup setback, arguing it wasn't his handball that denied Ghana a quarterfinal winner but their missed penalty that followed.

A win for Ghana against Uruguay in Friday's final Group H match could avenge their acrimonious defeat by the South Americans in 2010, when Suárez used his hand to block an extra-time winner for Ghana, who missed the resulting spot-kick and lost the penalty shootout that followed.

Netherlands need to show they're not all talk against USA in round of 16

DOHA - After much posturing, the Netherlands now need to deliver if they are to fulfill their own prophecy at the World Cup, starting with the opening clash of the knockout stage against the United States on Saturday.

There has been much talk — all from the Dutch camp — of the team's potential to go all the way in the tournament in Qatar, principally from veteran coach Louis van Gaal, who enjoys a little mental coaxing and sparring.

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