Tag: Argentina

Messi: I’ll keep playing as long as I still enjoy the game

It sounds like the Argentina superstar isn’t going away anytime soon

Lionel Messi has said age won’t be a factor in his eventual decision to retire, instead saying he’ll only hang up his boots when he is no longer enjoying the sport.

The Inter Miami star will turn 37 in July, but has continued to be a high-impact player for club and for Argentina even in the latter stages of his career.

Messi has started the 2024 season in strong form again for Miami, tallying five goals and two assists across five matches in all competitions. He is, however, currently sidelined due to a hamstring injury.

The World Cup winner spoke about his playing future in an appearance on the Big Time podcast, which was broadcast on Saudi Arabian TV this week.

“I know that as soon as I believe that I can no longer perform, or no longer enjoy the game, or I’m not able to help my teammates, then I will stop,” Messi said.

“I am really self-critical; I know when I am good and when I am bad. So for my retirement, it will not matter what age I am. If I feel good, I will keep playing.”

Messi added that he hasn’t thought about retirement yet, saying: “I hope to continue playing for a while longer, that is my plan. After that, I will try to do something I like in a new role.”

Messi learns to love the other football

The Argentina international also said that living in the U.S. has opened his eyes to that other football that’s so popular in his new home country.

Asked about his favorite non-soccer sports, Messi said: “Tennis, padel, basketball, and also American football. I am learning a lot about American football and have come to understand it more and I’m enjoying it!”

It sounds like the Miami Dolphins need to roll out the red carpet to get Messi out to a game this fall.

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Argentina vs. Costa Rica: How to watch international friendly, live stream

The World Cup champions close out their two-game U.S. tour in Los Angeles

Argentina will conclude a two-game tour of the United States on Tuesday with a match against Costa Rica at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

The World Cup champions defeated El Salvador 3-0 on Friday in Philadelphia, before flying to the west coast for their second match against Concacaf opposition.

Lionel Messi is out for this international window due to a hamstring injury, but plenty of Argentina’s other big names have made the trip to the USA, including Enzo Fernández, Alexis Mac Allister, Ángel Di María, Julián Álvarez and more.

[afflinkbutton text=”Watch Argentina vs. Costa Rica on Fanatiz” link=”https://fanatiz.jbbfvx.net/xkKdgO”]

Costa Rica is coming off a huge 3-1 win against Honduras on Saturday, with the victory seeing the Ticos qualify for this summer’s Copa América.

Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the match.

Argentina vs. Costa Rica (international friendly)

  • When: Tuesday, March 26
  • Where: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
  • Time: 10:50 p.m. ET
  • Channel/streaming: Fanatiz (Watch LIVE)

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Argentina vs. El Salvador: How to watch international friendly, live stream

The World Cup champions face the Concacaf nation in the first of two U.S. friendlies in March

Argentina may be without its biggest star, but there will be plenty of talent still on display when the World Cup champion faces El Salvador in a friendly on Friday in Philadelphia.

Fans were disappointed when Argentina announced this week that Lionel Messi would miss this match, as well as the team’s friendly against Costa Rica in Los Angeles next week, after suffering a “minor injury” in his right hamstring.

But some of Argentina’s biggest stars from its World Cup-winning squad will be present for the two matches, including Enzo Fernández, Alexis Mac Allister, Ángel Di María, Julián Álvarez and more.

[afflinkbutton text=”Watch the Argentina vs. El Salvador on Paramount Plus” link=”https://paramountplus.qflm.net/217Nxg”]

The first of the two games will pit the Albiceleste against El Salvador, which drew Bonaire 1-1 on Wednesday in a friendly just two days before its matchup against the World Cup winners.

Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the match.

Argentina vs. El Salvador (international friendly)

  • When: Friday, March 22
  • Where: Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia, PA)
  • Time: 8 p.m. ET
  • Channel/streaming: Paramount+ (WATCH LIVE). CBS Sports Golazo Network, Fox Deportes

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Messi ruled out for Argentina friendlies in Philadelphia and Los Angeles

The Inter Miami star will be forced out of matches against El Salvador and Costa Rica

Lionel Messi has been ruled out for a pair of upcoming Argentina friendlies in the United States due to injury.

Messi suffered what the Argentina Football Federation (AFA) called a “minor injury” in his right hamstring last Wednesday during Inter Miami’s Concacaf Champions Cup match against Nashville SC.

After missing Inter Miami’s game against D.C. United over the weekend, Messi has now been ruled out for Friday’s game against El Salvador in Philadelphia and a March 26 match against Costa Rica in Los Angeles.

“Argentina captain Lionel Messi won’t be able to be in the squad for the friendlies in the USA due to a minor right hamstring injury suffered in Inter Miami’s match against Nashville SC,” an AFA statement read.

Messi has struggled with injury on multiple occasions so far in 2024, with a preseason muscle injury limiting him during Inter Miami’s tour of Asia.

After recovering in time for the MLS regular season, Messi returned to his usual outstanding form by tallying five goals and two assists across five matches in all competitions.

Though Messi won’t be part of Argentina’s squad for its March friendlies, fans in the U.S. will still have plenty more chances to see the legendary figure if he is healthy this summer.

Argentina will face Ecuador at Soldier Field in Chicago on June 9, before a June 14 match against Guatemala at FedEx Field in Landover, Md. Those two friendlies will take place just before the 2024 Copa América, which could see Argentina play up to six more games in the United States.

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Out of jail, former Masters and U.S. Open champ Angel Cabrera plays first competitive round in Argentina

The two-time major champion played at Abierto del Litoral, or the Coast Open on Wednesday.

Angel Cabrera, nicknamed “El Pato” or “The Duck” for the way he walks, is back quacking.

The two-time major champion, who spent 30 months in jail in Brazil and Argentina and last played PGA Tour Champions in 2020, shot an even-par 71 on Wednesday, at Abierto del Litoral, or the Coast Open, a tournament held in his native Argentina that has been a fixture on the PGA Tour Latinoamerica Developmental Series and dates to 1932.

Cabrera made three birdies and three bogeys during his opening round of what is his first 72-hole tournament since the 2020 Bridgestone Senior Players Championship. A source on the ground reported that he was “great from the tee, rusty in the short game but in great spirit.”

Cabrera was released from jail on Aug. 4, after he completed more than two years in custody over gender violence cases against two of his ex-girlfriends. Brazil’s federal police arrested him on an Interpol warrant in January 2021. Cabrera, winner of the 2007 U.S. Open and 2009 Masters, was sentenced in July 2021 to two years in prison for threats and harassment of Cecilia Torres Mana, his partner between 2016 and 2018.

In November 2022, he was also on trial for threats and harassment against Micaela Escudero, another of his ex-girlfriends. Cabrera pleaded guilty, the court made the two sentences concurrent and gave him three years and 10 months in prison.

Golfweek previously reported that his longtime coach Charlie Epps said he is seeking a visa so he can travel to the U.S. and then will need to apply for reinstatement to PGA Tour Champions, which according to Epps, suspended him, and inquire whether Augusta National will honor his lifetime invitation as a past champion to the Masters in April.

Cabrera won the Abierto del Litoral in 1995. The Argentina Open, of which Cabrera also is a past champion, is scheduled for late February and is part of the 2024 Korn Ferry Tour season for the first time.

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Twitter reacts to Chiefs TE Travis Kelce’s busy weekend with Taylor Swift in Argentina

#Chiefs TE Travis Kelce’s excursion to South America for Taylor Swift’s “Eras” tour was all the rage on Twitter over the weekend.

Travis Kelce was a busy man during the Kansas City Chiefs’ bye week. The All-Pro tight end traveled thousands of miles to be in Argentina with his romantic interest, 12-time Grammy winner Taylor Swift, as she kicked off her “Eras” tour.

The happy couple seemed to make the most of the limited time they had this weekend. Kelce attended at least one show, and Swift changed some of her lyrics to reference the prolific tight end in one of her songs.

Videos surfaced of their interactions off-stage, and from an outsider’s perspective, everything seems to be going great for both lovebirds as Kelce prepares to get back on the gridiron this week.

Social media was abuzz with reactions to all the developments in South America over the weekend, with Chiefs fans and “Swifties” alike taking to Twitter to voice their opinions on everything that happened.

Check out the best reactions below:

Messi looking forward to Copa América: ‘I don’t want to think about’ retirement

“I want to continue enjoying playing, I have the luck to do a job that I love”

Don’t ask Lionel Messi about retirement.

The Inter Miami star, speaking to the “Soñé que Volaba” show on the Olga YouTube channel, said that he is focusing on the present moment and enjoying his life rather than any thoughts of a career off the field.

“I didn’t think (about retirement),” said Messi on his summer decision to leave Paris Saint-Germain for south Florida. “I don’t want to think about it either, because I want to continue enjoying what I do. I took an important step by leaving Europe and coming here, and I don’t want to continue thinking about the next step.

“I want to continue enjoying playing. I have the luck to do a job that I love and, although I have responsibilities and objectives, it is still something that I enjoy.”

Whenever Messi decides to hang his boots up, he says he doesn’t plan on going too far away from the pitch.

“What I am going to do? I don’t know. I like everything related to football,” said Messi. “I like being with kids, teaching, [but could be a] sporting director also.”

Messi has unsurprisingly taken MLS by storm, producing 11 goals and five assists in just 12 appearances since joining Miami this summer. The Herons have already lifted a trophy, with Messi starring as the club claimed the 2023 Leagues Cup, and are somehow still in the mix for an MLS playoff spot despite being eight points adrift before the Argentine icon arrived.

That said, a heavy schedule may put those hopes on ice. Messi was given a game off last weekend, yet had to leave Wednesday’s home win over Toronto FC with what manager Gerardo “Tata” Martino maintained was just “muscular fatigue.”

Messi at the 2026 World Cup? ‘We will see’

Messi had previously said that a triumphant 2022 World Cup would be his last. A few months later, though, and now the legend isn’t so sure.

“I do think about the Copa América,” said Messi, who said that he’s looking forward to the 2024 tournament, which will be held in the United States. “It will be nice because the Centenario match that we played here was very nice. Although we lost the final, we enjoyed the process a lot.

“After the Copa América we will see, it depends on how I feel… We have to see how I feel. I will see how I feel day-by-day, there are three years left [on his Miami contract].”

Messi added that he hasn’t spent much time pondering whether he’s a lesser player than he was while starring with Barcelona, but admitted that Father Time remains undefeated.

“I don’t think about if I’m lowering my level, I…play as always,” said Messi. “But there is a reality: I’m older, a thousand games behind me, and time passes for everyone.”

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Messi left out as Argentina beats Bolivia in World Cup qualifier

With Messi watching on, Argentina cruised to a 3-0 win

Lionel Messi was left out of Argentina’s squad for Tuesday’s 2026 World Cup qualifier at Bolivia, but the defending champions still cruised to a 3-0 win.

Messi’s status for the match in La Paz was in doubt after he did not train with his teammates on Monday.

In Argentina’s opening World Cup qualifier against Ecuador on Friday, Messi scored a stunning free-kick winner and later requested to be substituted due to what he called fatigue.

Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said after the game that Messi “felt something” and would undergo further tests ahead of the match at Bolivia.

Though Messi travelled with his teammates to Bolivia, the Inter Miami star was ultimately not risked for the game at Estadio Hernando Siles.

Messi watched on from the bench as Argentina emerged victorious, with goals from Enzo Fernández, Nicolás Tagliafico and Nicolás González carrying the World Cup champions.

After the game, Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni said Messi tried to pass a late fitness test, but ultimately was deemed too much of an injury risk.

“Leo wasn’t ready to play. Today he tried to recover but he didn’t feel comfortable so we didn’t want to risk him,” Scaloni said after the game.

“It wasn’t necessary because important games are coming. And it was a difficult game, even him coming from the bench could be an injury risk.”

(Photo by Jorge Bernal / AFP)

Messi is currently tied with his longtime Barcelona teammate Luis Suárez on 29 South American World Cup qualifying goals, which is the most of all time.

Messi, 36, has already played 11 matches with Inter Miami after only joining the MLS club less than two months ago. That heavy fixture pile-up was increased by Miami’s run to the Leagues Cup title last month.

Inter Miami is next in action on Saturday against Atlanta United, with Messi’s status unclear for the match at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

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How to watch Argentina vs. Bolivia: CONMEBOL 2026 World Cup qualifier TV and streaming

How to catch Argentina in action against Bolivia in World Cup qualifying

Argentina will continue its march to defend its World Cup title when it travels to face Bolivia in a 2026 qualifier in the altitude of La Paz.

Bolivia will be an especially motivated opponent. With an expanded 48-team field, La Verde have plenty of reason to believe they can crack the World Cup for the first time since 1994.

But there is no doubting the fact that Argentina will be a tough test for Bolivia, which opened up qualifying with a 5-1 loss to Brazil last week.

Of course, the name on everyone’s mind has had an impact already for Argentina in qualifying: Lionel Messi.

[afflinkbutton text=”Watch Argentina vs. Bolivia” link=”https://fanatiz.jbbfvx.net/21VrMz”]

The Argentines won their first qualifier 1-0 over Ecuador, with Messi’s curling free kick in the second half the difference.

Messi’s status for the match against Bolivia is unclear. He was removed from the match against Ecuador due to fatigue, but head coach Lionel Scaloni said after the game that the superstar “felt something” and would need to undergo tests.

But Messi is only the tip of the iceberg for Bolivia. Can the underdogs also handle the likes of Angel Di Maria, Enzo Fernández, Lautaro Martínez and more?

Here’s everything you need to know to catch the action:

Bolivia vs. Argentina (World Cup qualifying)

World Cup Qualifying Starting Lineups

Bolivia possible lineup:
Viscarra; Medina, Quinteros, Jusino, Suarez, Fernandez; Bejarano, Villamil, Ursino, Arrascaita; Moreno

Argentina possible lineup:
Martinez; Molina, Romero, Otamendi, Tagliafico; De Paul, Fernandez, Mac Allister; Di Maria, Gonzalez, Martinez

World Cup Qualifying Odds and betting lines

World Cup Qualifier odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook. Odds were last updated Monday at 11:50 a.m. 

Bolivia (+500) vs. Argentina (-185)

Draw: (+310)

[afflinkbutton text=”Watch Argentina vs. Bolivia on Fanatiz” link=”https://fanatiz.jbbfvx.net/21VrMz”]

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MLS player saves Argentina with stunning free-kick winner

Argentina needed a hero. You can probably guess what happened next

Argentina needed a hero as its opening 2026 World Cup qualifier against Ecuador neared its latter stages still scoreless.

If Lionel Messi wasn’t already the most likely person to fill that role, it became nearly inevitable when Argentina was given a free kick right at the top of the box in the 78th minute.

It was the kind of range from which Messi stepped up in his Inter Miami debut against Cruz Azul in July.

And just like he did in that Leagues Cup match in Fort Lauderdale, and as he’s done countless other times when the pressure was at its highest, Messi delivered.

Ecuador goalkeeper Hernán Galíndez wasn’t able to even offer a courtesy dive as Messi’s free kick sent the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires into raptures.

The legend’s free kick would be the game’s only goal, as Argentina’s run to a World Cup title defense got off to a winning start with a 1-0 victory.

It was the kind of moment that once again underscored how wild it truly is to have a player of Messi’s stature playing in MLS while he still possesses these kinds of powers.

“We know that they are difficult matches in the qualifiers,” Messi told reporters after the match. “Ecuador has very good players, they know what they are doing and they are very good physically. It was a very tough match, very physical.

“Not long ago, we were world champions, but it seems like a lot happened since then. We have to keep going, competing and qualifying for the next World Cup, take it game after game.”

Messi was given a standing ovation when he was substituted in the 89th minute. Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said that Messi “felt something” and asked to come off, though Messi himself insisted he was just tired.

“I was a bit tired. It just happened and it probably won’t be the last time I come off during a match,” Messi said. “But I felt very good, even though it was very difficult to play.”

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