BCCI president Sourav Ganguly was among the first in the Indian sporting fraternity to take to Twitter to pay his tributes to Diego Maradona.
Argentina start as hot favourites to beat Iceland in their opening World Cup Group D match on Saturday but the toughest opponent for the runners-up four years ago may be themselves rather than the tiny tournament debutants.
'Our psychologists and physiotherapists are also at the disposition of the health service workers'
Emiliano Martinez said he had always wanted to come to India.
Argentina's failure to win the Copa America as hosts and end an 18-year wait for a major title cost coach Sergio Batista his job on Monday.
Reigning world champions Argentina continue to top the chart followed by 2022 World Cup runners-up France, England, Belgium and Brazil.
India's tryst with fourth-place Olympic heartbreaks
Ronaldo's 130 goals for his country is also way out on its own at the head of most scored in international football
I am not the best person to judge, I cannot separate sentiment from my objective decision. Whatever season Messi has had on footballing grounds, I would still vote for him.
'Obviously for me, it's the best sport in the world, so I think it should always be top of the list,' England's football ace David Beckham Beckham said on a visit for the closing of the Games on Sunday.
A round-up Wednesday's football news on and off the field.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
"We are a small country, the smallest to host the World Cup. We prepared ourselves for the possibility of an early exit, but this does not mean the end of the project."
The AFA thanked 58-year-old Sampaoli and his assistants, who have also left their positions, for their services.
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.
Colombia have scored more goals than Argentina and notched as many as the highly-rated Brazilians
Argentina came out on top over France in the FIFA World Cup 2022 final at Lusail by 4-2 on penalties after both teams finished 3-3 at extra time.
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.
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag will remain in the job for next season and has entered into talks with the Old Trafford club over a contract extension
Saudi Arabia announced it would bid only minutes after soccer's global governing body called for Asia and Oceania bids on October 4.
Mbappe and Benzema inspire France to 2-0 win against Finland
The 'sleeping giant' woke up to a new dawn with the Indian Super League putting Indian football on the global map, but the national team continued to paint a grim picture, plummeting to its worst-ever rankings in an eventful year for the sport.
Al-Nassr last week cancelled their two-game China tour due to the absence of the 38-year-old Ronaldo.
Spectators chanted "refund" after Messi stayed on the bench during the match.
'It is over and I can clearly state without fear of being contradicted that Maradona has never been a tax evader.'
Indian football captain Sunil Chhetri is highly impressed with the country's U-16 and U-20 sides, who have punched above their weight in recent times, and said they are capable of achieving bigger things in the future.
Argentina are seen at the World Cup as playing the beautiful game normally associated with Brazil but according to winger Jonas Gutierrez they simply want to produce no-frills, winning soccer in South Africa.
Lionel Messi says he is retiring from international soccer after Argentina lost to Chile in Copa America final.
'I hope Lionel Messi gets a little percentage of the shirt sales because I've never seen so many Argentine number 10 shirts in my life!'
Lionel Messi and Sergio Aguero struck two goals apiece in Argentina's 7-0 romp against an out-of-sorts Bolivia while Mexico were held 3-3 by Trinidad & Tobago in friendlies in the United States on Friday.
News of all that transpired on and off the football field.
Eight years is a long time in the life of an athlete. But just like Messi, Di Maria has preserved and persisted towards his childhood dream, points out Deepti Patwardhan.
Iceland's amiable coach Heimir Hallgrimsson found time to discuss dentistry and the Cod Wars on Friday as the rank outsiders prepared to face Argentina in their World Cup opener on Saturday.
'A dream moment', said the country's sports fraternity in unison as it celebrated the resurgence of Indian hockey at the Tokyo Olympics after the women's team advanced to its first ever semi-final, in Tokyo, on Monday.
These heart-rendering moments were grace personified and will stay in the memory of every football fan, irrespective of allegiances.
Packed soccer schedule is a major problem as players will struggle to deliver their best
Barcelona should manage Lionel Messi's playing time better, Argentina coach Edgardo Bauza has said following the forward's latest injury. Argentina captain Messi has started in five of Barca's six games this season, but was forced off in Wednesday's 1-1 home draw against Atletico Madrid with a groin injury that will keep him out of action for three weeks. The 29-year-old will miss Argentina's World Cup qualifiers in Peru on Oct. 6 and at home to Paraguay five days later, the Argentina Football Association (AFA) said in a statement.
Lionel Messi scored twice as Argentina beat Nigeria 3-2 in another entertaining World Cup match on Wednesday.
The forward was again the stand-out Brazil player and he coolly side-footed home his 60th international goal in the 76th minute after Diego Laxalt brought down Danilo, although Uruguay claimed there was a handball in the build-up.
More than 50 Africa-born or African-origin players are spread across 11 teams -- excluding sides from the continent -- that are part of the tournament in Qatar.
