Lionel Messi isn’t giving up on his home country just yet.
After a trying World Cup and suggestions of his international retirement, Messi was named to the Argentina team for its March friendlies. It will be the first time the Barcelona maestro will appear for his country since the 2018 World Cup.
During a match between Altos and River in Brazil’s Campeonato Piauiense, the league of the state of Piauí, Altos’ Humberto was clocked by River’s Biro Biro with a high boot to the face.
Thankfully, medical tests ruled out a fracture, but Humberto did suffer a concussion and is still under observation following Sunday’s incident. The Brazilian midfielder says he has no recollection of the event itself, but he returned to the pitch after the match looking like Quasimodo.
Last Saturday, Sporting Cristal defeated Sport Huancayo 2-0 in the Peruvian Primera División, but the game was marred by some Stephen King tomfoolery in the 39th minute.
With Cristal already leading 1-0, the club’s striker, Emanuel Herrera, chased a long ball over the top while clashing with Huancayo defender Luis Maldonado. Luckily for us, we’re also simultaneously treated to a classic moment in South American football: there’s a good boy flying down the wing in hot pursuit of the action.
Legendary American wide man DaMarcus Beasley began his 20th year as a professional on Tuesday, and the 36-year-old started with an almighty bang.
Following his $26 million transfer from Atlanta United to Newcastle United, expectations are high for Miguel Almirón on Tyneside. A large part of that is because St James’ Park has been desperate for an inspirational attacker to idolize, but also because the club sits only two points above the drop zone — a predicament that’s thanks in large part due to a haul of only 21 goals in 25 games (the second-worst total in the division).
You’ve heard this before: A broken foot is threatening to prematurely end Neymar’s club season, and he could be facing a race for fitness ahead of a major international tournament.
Last season, Neymar sustained a crack to the fifth metatarsal bone in his right foot during a match against Marseille on Feb. 25. The injury was worse than first expected, required surgery and Neymar missed PSG’s Champions League Round of 16 return leg against Real Madrid before sitting out the rest of the season.
After preaching the verb “compete” as one of the mantras of his new leadership, Gregg Berhalter began his reign as USMNT manager with a 3-0 victory over Panama on Sunday night. The first starting eleven of Berhalter’s tenure included five players making their international debuts, and three of them — Real Salt Lake’s Corey Baird, Chicago’s Djordje Mihailovic and San Jose’s Nick Lima — played huge roles in the opening two goals.
The third was created and finished by two more players making their international debuts — NYCFC's Jonathan Lewis and LAFC's Christian Ramirez.
Brazil clinched qualification into the final stage of the South American U-20 Championship with a 1-0 victory over Bolivia on Friday afternoon in Chile.
The win completed a difficult group stage for the young Seleção, who have a prodigious amount of talent at their disposal, including Real Madrid-bound Rodrygo, who scored twice in a win over Venezuela earlier in the competition.
Last week, the South American U-20 Championship kicked off in Chile, with the top four finishers earning qualification to this summer’s U-20 World Cup in Poland.
On Saturday, 28-year-old Argentine forward Emiliano Sala confirmed his $20 million transfer from Ligue 1 side Nantes to Premier League strugglers Cardiff City. The transfer made Sala the Welsh club’s record signing.
“It gives me great pleasure and I can’t wait to start training, meet my new teammates and get down to work,” said Sala when announcing his move.