Rain spoiled India's party as they struggled in heavy pitch conditions to lose 0-1 to Olympic champions Argentina and crash out of title race in the Hockey World League (HWL) Final, in Bhubaneswar, on Friday.
Lionel Messi stepped out of Diego Maradona's shadow by leading Argentina to World Cup victory last year and a statue of the diminutive forward will stand alongside those of his predecessor and Brazil great Pele at the South American federation's museum.
Lionel Messi scored his 55th international goal to become his country's all-time leading scorer as Argentina thrashed hosts the United States 4-0 to ease into the final of the Centenary Copa America on Tuesday.
Argentina's World Cup winning captain Lionel Messi was named the Laureus Sportsman of the Year, while sprint champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce bagged the top women's honour.
The 62-year-old former defender, who was also at the helm from 1991 to 1994, replaces Jose Pekerman.
Alfio Basile was appointed coach of Argentina for the second time.
Argentina's Lionel Messi failed to score but his team outplayed Sweden to seal a 3-2 win in an entertaining friendly in Stockholm.
Argentina's star player Lionel Messi on Monday announced his retirement from international football after missing a penalty in the team's 2-4 defeat against Chile in the Copa America Centenario final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Following Messi's retirement from international football, Rediff.com lists the highs and lows from the player's Argentina career...
Argentina president Mauricio Macri has personally contacted star striker Lionel Messi and urged him not to call it quits to the national team.
Delhi Crime, Rocket Boys and Vir Das: Landing won Shefali Shah, Jim Sarbh and Vir Das Emmy nominations.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Chile have never beaten Argentina in open play in 27 Copa America meetings in 100 years yet have twice in 12 months dashed the hopes of Lionel Messi's team of lifting a major trophy.
Lionel Messi will play his last game for Paris St Germain against Clermont on Saturday
After underwhelming early performances, traditional Latin American top dogsArgentina and reigning African champions Nigeria have something to prove when they meet in their final World Cup Group F match on Wednesday.
The 'Noodle' has broken again with Angel Di Maria injured during a third consecutive major tournament playing for Argentina at the end of a busy club season.
Former England and Tottenham Hotspur defender Ledley King on Tuesday said though Indian football has progressed extensively in the last few years, the country needed to spread the sport more effectively at the grassroots.
Barcelona striker Lionel Messi has returned home to Argentina but remains doubtful for World Cup qualifiers against Uruguay and Venezuela with his club confirming the 29-year-old is struggling with a sore left hamstring.
Argentines begged Lionel Messi not to abandon the national team before the 2018 World Cup after he tearfully announced his retirement in frustration at another last-gasp international defeat. As Chileans danced in the streets and honked their horns to hail their team's victory by penalties in the Copa American Centenario, the rainy streets of Buenos Aires were deserted.
Chile face Argentina in Sunday's Copa America final for the right to call themselves South America's dominant team but perhaps an even bigger question for football fans the world over regards whether Lionel Messi can finally win a major international title. The Barcelona forward has won every trophy possible with the Spanish club but he has lost three finals with Argentina, including in 2014 World Cup Final in 2014 and the Copa America last year. Sunday's game against Chile in New Jersey gives Messi a chance to end both his personal hoodoo and that of Argentina, who have not won a major title since lifting the Copa America in Ecuador in 1993.
A threatening message was left for Lionel Messi at a supermarket belonging to the family of Antonela Roccuzzo, the Argentine captain's wife.
Argentina suffered a blow to their 2018 World Cup qualifying plans when Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero withdrew on Monday from their squad to face Uruguay and Venezuela. Aguero and Paris St-Germain midfielder Javier Pastore both have calf muscle injuries and will miss Thursday's home clash with Uruguay and the visit to Venezuela next Tuesday, the Argentine FA said.
Lionel Messi does not need a Copa America win to feel like the king of the world. He captured that crown a long ago, says Dhruv Munjal.
'Victims of terrorism do not sit together with its perpetrators to discuss terrorism.'
Argentina's experimental line-up proved too strong for an outclassed Singapore in their international friendly on Tuesday, with the South Americans swatting aside their hosts 6-0 and the opening five goals coming from first-time scorers.
A round-up Wednesday's football news on and off the field.
A lot was expected from Lionel Messi but it was Real Madrid's Angel Di Maria who scored in the 118th minute on Tuesday to give Argentina a 1-0 win over Switzerland. Images from the match.
Voting for the eighth annual awards opened on Thursday on FIFA.com and closes in mid-October. National team coaches, captains, journalists and fans make up the list of voters.
Lionel Messi came off the bench to score a hat-trick in just 18 minutes on Friday as Argentina hammered Panama 5-0 and eased into the quarter-finals of the Copa America.
'For India For Indian comedy. Every breath, every word.'
Argentina shrugged off the injury absence of Lionel Messi to launch their Copa America Centenario campaign with a 2-1 defeat of defending champions Chile in Santa Clara, United States on Monday. Goals from Angel Di Maria and Ever Banega secured a deserved three points for Argentina, who exacted sweet revenge for their defeat to the Chileans in last year's Copa America final. Chile substitute Jose Fuenzalida scored an injury time consolation for the holders. The Argentines will now be firm favorites to progress to the quarter-finals as Group D winners with games against Panama and Bolivia to come. Injured Argentina captain Messi watched from the substitutes' bench at Levi's Stadium after failing to recover in time from a sore back suffered in a friendly win over Honduras last month. But the Barcelona superstar's absence was barely noticeable, with Nicolas Gaitan slotting into Argentina's attack and making an instant impression, hitting the woodwork with a header after only two minutes.
India may be 15th among the top 25 Artificial Intelligence nations, but it has the 'the greatest upward potential' according to research by Tufts University's business school, the Fletcher School. At the top is the US, followed by China, fighting for global leadership in AI followed by the UK, Japan, and Germany. In the 15th spot, India is ahead of Brazil, Argentina, Indonesia, Mexico, Turkey, Indonesia and Thailand.
The message of support from Newell's was posted on social media hours before Saturday's home game against Barracas Central in the Argentine league.
Saudi Arabia announced it would bid only minutes after soccer's global governing body called for Asia and Oceania bids on October 4.
Argentina beat Belgium 4-2 to claim the Olympic title and win their country's first Games medal in men's hockey, edging a close-fought match between two teams few expected to make the final.
The South Americans beat Italy 84-69 to win the Olympic men's basketball title for the first time.
'There's no pro-China tilt in BRICS.' 'All these countries want to be close to China, but they are all good friends of India also.'
Chile produced an inspired performance to beat disjointed Argentina 1-0 win their World Cup qualifier on Wednesday.
They were two small Argentina players with the same enormous challenge -- to meet the expectations of a soccer-mad country. Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi have both proved themselves to be skilful giants on the world soccer stage despite their diminutive frames of 1.65 and 1.70 metres respectively.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances