Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said the World champions will stick to the same winning formula that delivered glory at the Qatar 2022 World Cup after on Friday finding out their group opponents for next year's global tournament.
Lionel Messi on Thursday confirmed his participation in the much-anticipated GOAT Tour of India 2025, calling it an "honour" to revisit the "passionate football nation" where he last played 14 years ago.
Argentina's national team unveiled a revamped 31-man squad on Monday, led by Lionel Messi, for the South American qualifiers against Venezuela and Ecuador for the 2026 World Cup.
Argentine superstar Lionel Messi has sent his signed 2022 World Cup victorious jersey to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his 75th birthday.
The match will take place between November 10 and 18, and is likely to be played Kochi.
Lionel Messi was not included in Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni's squad for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Uruguay and Brazil
Reigning world champions Argentina have kept top spot in the final FIFA men's world ranking of 2024 for a second consecutive year, with no changes in the top 10 of the latest list published on Thursday.
Scaloni also spoke about former Argentina forward Angel Di Maria's decision to retire from international football after winning his second Copa America trophy last year.
Argentina host Chile at the Monumental stadium in Buenos Aires on September 5 before facing Colombia five days later in Barranquilla.
A stunning bicycle kick from Antonio Sanabria and a second-half header from Omar Alderete gave Paraguay a well earned 2-1 home win over Argentina.
Brazil pulled off a last-gasp 2-1 away victory over Chile in the South American World Cup qualifiers on Thursday.
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.
World Cup winner Argentina topped the FIFA rankings on Thursday for the first time in six years.
Messi named FIFA player of 2022, England women rewarded for Euro campaign
In the last two World Cup meetings between Argentina and the Netherlands, in the group stage in 2006 and a semi-final in 2014 which the Albiceleste won on penalties, neither side was able to score a goal in normal or extra time.
"We saw what happened yesterday (when Germany and Belgium were knocked out in the group stage) but this is not surprising. When you say big national teams deserve to be in the next stage, that doesn't always happen."
Scenes from the champion team's homecoming...
Antonella Roccuzzo and her children stole the show during Argentina's 2022 World Cup last 16 clash against Australia on Saturday night.
Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni would love to see the superstar -- who is one of only six players to compete in five World Cups -- suit up for the next World Cup.
Scaloni has helped get one over the Dutch Master at least once before when he was at Deportivo, who pipped Van Gaal's Barcelona to the 1999-2000 La Liga title.
Lionel Scaloni picked the same starting line-up from the World Cup final win over France as they looked dominant from the start
Lionel Messi has surpassed Diego Maradona as the greatest player of all time, Argentina's World Cup winning coach Lionel Scaloni said.
Argentina clinched a comfortable win in a friendly against Indonesia, making it two wins from two for the world champions on their short tour of Asia.
Neymar injured as Brazil lose 2-0 in Uruguay
A threatening message was left for Lionel Messi at a supermarket belonging to the family of Antonela Roccuzzo, the Argentine captain's wife.
Many flocked to Buenos Aires's tattoo parlors to commission designs depicting Lionel Messi.
Lautaro said Argentina dominated the match against the Saudis and did not deserve to lose, having three goals ruled out for close offside calls by VAR.
For Argentina players and captain Messi, who netted twice in the 120 minutes before also scoring in the shoot-out, it was the biggest title of their careers.
Argentina and Australia have only two full days to rest, a factor Argentine manager Lionel Scaloni called 'madness'.
Real Madrid's Karim Benzema, who won the 2022 Ballon d'Or award, is also in the shortlist.
Argentina captain Lionel Messi said defending champions France and Brazil are the favourites to win the World Cup in Qatar as they have a core group of players who have played together for a long time.
Lionel Messi says Argentina have felt the presence of the late, great Diego Maradona throughout their World Cup campaign, including on Friday when they beat the Netherlands on penalties to reach the semi-finals.
Messi's World Cup chase takes centre stage in quarter-final clash
Argentina are on a 36-match unbeaten run with top scorer and captain Messi playing his fifth and last World Cup in search of the elusive honour
The three match-ups which are likely to have a strong bearing on the result in Sunday's FIFA World Cup final.
Croatia were not the favourites to reach the last four again but they came through two penalty shootouts in a repeat of their 2018 exploits.
The comparison with Maradona for the title of the greatest Argentine player of all time cannot be complete without a world title, which the late Maradona won almost single-handedly 36 years ago.
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 quarter-final.
Argentina won the 2021 Copa America but despite always being one of the World Cup favourites they have not lifted football's most precious trophy in the last 36 years.
'We wanted to compensate for the defeat (against Saudi Arabia). Today it was a great game, we played very well collectively'
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