A round-up of Wednesday's action in the UEFA Champions League.
Lionel Messi became Argentina's youngest World Cup captain when he led his country for the first time two days before his 23rd birthday against Greece in Group B on Tuesday.
A spot of fatherly advice could be just the thing to help Gonzalo Higuain overcome the jitters which marked his World Cup debut. The striker missed two chances he would have put away with his eyes closed in the Spanish league season, in Argentina's 1-0 win over Nigeria in Johannesburg on Saturday.
A round-up of Wednesday's action in the UEFA Champions League.
Lionel Messi answered the key question for Argentina with a display full of artistry and guile in Saturday's 1-0 win over Nigeria, showing even without scoring himself he can carry the team at this World Cup.
Juan Sebastian Veron never looks back, only ahead, and way off in the distance is the presidency of his club Estudiantes de La Plata and even the Argentine Football Association.The immediate future, though, holds for him a World Cup comeback that once seemed impossible after he was vilified for Argentina's failure at the 2002 finals in Asia.
Lionel Messi may lack a World Cup for Argentina but his 10 years with Barcelona have seen him rewrite the history books and become symbolic with the club's golden era.
Argentina stumbled again in World Cup qualifying, losing to Paraguay 1-0 in Asunsion on Wednesday night and falling out of the top four in the South American standings.
Five-time champions Brazil qualified for the World Cup finals on Saturday after beating arch-rivals Argentina 3-1. Sevilla striker Luis Fabiano scored twice after Benfica skipper Luisao opened the scoring for the Brazilians in a fast, hard-tackling match.
Lionel Messi, who turns 23 on Thursday, captained his country for the first time on Tuesday and gave another virtuoso performance as Argentina beat Greece 2-0 to reach the second round of the World Cup.
Lionel Messi, who turns 23 on Thursday, captained his country for the first time on Tuesday and gave another virtuoso performance as Argentina beat Greece 2-0 to reach the second round of the World Cup.
News of all that transpired on and off the football field.
Lionel Messi will play against Greece in an Argentina team full of changes for their final World Cup Group B match on Tuesday, coach Diego Maradona said.
The favourites to win next year's World Cup in Russia were given navigable paths to the last 16 with the coaches of Germany, Brazil, Argentina and Spain having reason to feel reasonably optimistic after Friday's draw.
The French coach, who took over Real Madrid following Rafael Benitez's sacking in January is in the city to promote a Mumbai-based real estate brand Kanakia Group, known for its themed residences.
Belgium and France meet in the World Cup semi-final at the Saint Petersburg Stadium on Tuesday.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field.
Lionel Messi scored a goal reminiscent of Diego Maradona's famous strike for Argentina against England in the 1986 World Cup as Barcelona romped to a 5-2 win over Getafe in their King's Cup semi-final first leg on Wednesday.
Thierry Henry came to Mumbai and left his fans in a daze as he showed off that famed, magical footwork while he trained budding talent from the city.
'Generations of football fans will eternally be grateful to Johan Cruyff and what he did for the beautiful game,' says Aabhas Sharma.
Lionel Messi says he is retiring from international soccer after Argentina lost to Chile in Copa America final.
He might be travelling halfway across the globe to promote youth football through Subroto Cup but Brazilian legend Pele on Friday declared that there won't be another like him and the man who draws constant comparisons with him, the inimitable Diego Maradona.
Images from La Liga matches played on Saturday.
Diego Simeone may not have the stomach to reinvent Atletico Madrid again after they suffered another morale-shattering loss to Real Madrid in Saturday's Champions League final.
News of all that transpired on and off the football field.
Arsenal coach Arteta has said that Granit Xhaka will stay at the London club while United have new headaches with injuries to Paul Pogba and Scott McTominay.
Officially timed at 52 seconds, Jose Batista remains the fastest sending off in World Cup history.
Chile defender Gonzalo Jara will miss the rest of the Copa America after being suspended for three matches for sticking his finger up an opponent's backside and feigning injury during a match.
The election to replace outgoing Sepp Blatter will take place at an extraordinary congress on February 26 in Zurich.
Neymar, who has scored twice so far to help Brazil into the World Cup quarter-finals in Russia where they will face Belgium on Friday, has been sharply criticised for a string of exaggerated reactions when clashing with an opponent.
Johan Cruyff, the legendary Dutch soccer striker and coach, died aged 68, according to a message posted on his website.
Barcelona received a welcome boost on Tuesday when forward Lionel Messi was given the all-clear by medical staff and included in the squad for Wednesday's King's Cup last 16, first leg at home to Getafe.
Football legend Pele has termed Argentine forward Lionel Messi as the "best in last 10 years", but also spoke highly of his fellow Brazilian Neymar and Portugal's Ronaldo.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Indian American Sunil Gulati, who is currently serving a record third term as President of the US Soccer Federation, could be in the race to replace Sepp Blatter as the new FIFA chief.
>The World Cup captain was a remarkable species: Always trying, pushing, lifting, harassing, delivering; the kind who would unhesitatingly jump into the deep end to save the day. They're all gone now, says Dhruv Munjal.
Carlos Tevez has been included in the squad for the first time in three years for next month's friendlies in England against Croatia and Portugal.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Reaction to the death of football great Johan Cruyff, who died in Barcelona on Thursday following a five-month battle with lung cancer.
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