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 marked his first match as Argentina captain with a win as they beat an ultra defensive Greece side 2-0 and cruised into the World Cup second round as Group B winners putting the Greeks out on Tuesday.
Brazil have sacked head coach Dorival Jr, the country's football confederation (CBF) said on Friday, after the five-times World champions were thrashed 4-1 away to fierce rivals Argentina in a humiliating qualifying loss in Buenos Aires.
'I think obviously my choice would be England to win the competition, but that's me being biased and passionate about my country'
The Qatar World Cup has delivered a rich feast of soccer for the past month
Argentina's injured captain Lionel Messi has been named in a squad missing the suspended Javier Mascherano and Gonzalo Higuain for next month's World Cup qualifier against South America's bottom side Paraguay.
Beyond the three host nations, the highest number of applications came from Germany, England, Brazil, Spain, Portugal, Argentina and Colombia.
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 marked his retirement about face with a goal to give 10-man Argentina a 1-0 win over Uruguay on Thursday that lifted them to the top of the South American qualifying group for the 2018 World Cup finals in Russia.
Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz are among the world's top players calling for the Davis Cup to return to its traditional home-and-away format and be staged over two years, a proposal backed by ATP chairman Andrea Gaudenzi.
Angel Di Maria unleashed a stunning long-range strike in the 41st minute to draw Argentina level at 1-1 against France at halftime of their round of 16 World Cup clash on Saturday.
Argentina's decision to play their four world class forwards was fully justified in a crushing 4-0 win over Ecuador that put them top of the South American World Cup qualifiers on Saturday.
The collection included the shirt Messi wore during the first half of the final against France in Qatar.
Photos of the World Cup semi-final game between Argentina and Netherlands
Argentina and holders Brazil, who between them have 11 titles, will miss this year's Under-20 World Cup in Turkey after abysmal results in the South American qualifying tournament.
The 51-year-old, who was associated with the Indian women's team from 2017 to 2021, will be supported by Matias Vila as analytical coach.
The first edition of FIFA's new 32-team Club World Cup will be held in the United States in 2025, world soccer's governing body said on Friday.
The 35-year-old forward confirmed this would be his last World Cup
Bengaluru to host India-Netherlands Davis Cup tie on February 7-8
Saudi Arabia announced it would bid only minutes after soccer's global governing body called for Asia and Oceania bids on October 4.
Rediff.com's Norma Godinho captures classic moments from the planet's greatest sports competition: The FIFA World Cup.
Lionel Messi would trade all his Barcelona success for a World Cup winners' medal with Argentina to sit alongside the game's greats, according to compatriot Ossie Ardiles.
Back as chief coach of the Indian women's hockey team after a four-year hiatus, Sjoerd Marijne is focussed on bringing back unity, discipline and culture in the side, with eyes firmly set on creating a group to qualify for 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
As hosts Russia and Saudia Arabia kick off the extravaganza, Harish Kotian and Ashish Narsale assemble a fascinating FIFA World Cup quiz.
Midfield stalwart Manpreet Singh is the biggest name missing from the list of 33 probables announced by Hockey India for the senior men's national coaching camp ahead of the upcoming FIH Pro League season, set to begin in Rourkela next month.
The Indian men's hockey team, led by new captain Hardik Singh, is looking to rebound from recent losses as they begin the FIH Pro League's overseas leg against Spain in Hobart. The team aims to use these matches to refine their strategy and build momentum for upcoming major tournaments.
Argentina lifted the gloom from a poor Copa America by routing Chile 4-1 in their opening 2014 World Cup qualifier on Friday, while Uruguay also scored four to get their campaign off to a good start.
A Lionel Messi masterclass, netting a brilliant free kick before laying on two more goals, put Argentina's World Cup qualifying campaign back on track with a resounding 3-0 win over Colombia in San Juan on Tuesday.
Argentina coach Alejandro Sabella is to step down after Sunday's World Cup final against Germany regardless of the result, his agent told Argentine radio on Friday.
Mario Goetze of Germany slips the ball past Argentina goalkeeper Sergio Romero in the World Cup final on Sunday. Germany won the World Cup for the fourth time on Sunday after substitute Mario Goetze volleyed in a brilliant goal seven minutes from the end of extra-time to secure a 1-0 victory over Argentina at the Maracana.
Australia midfielder Cameron Devlin did not play a minute of the World Cup but left Qatar with one of its biggest prizes after exchanging jerseys with Argentina's Lionel Messi.
India, the eight-time Olympic champions, won their only World Cup in Kuala Lumpur in 1975 defeating Pakistan 2-1 with Surjit Singh Randhawa and Ashok Kumar netting the goals.
Argentina reached the World Cup semi-finals for the first time in 24 years on Saturday when an early goal by Gonzalo Higuain and a strong defensive display proved enough to beat a disappointing Belgium side 1-0.
The World Cup pre-quarter-finals line-up.
Diego Maradona's Argentina finally clinched a place in the 2010 World Cup finals following a tortuous qualifying campaign with a 1-0 away win over bitter rivals Uruguay on Wednesday. Substitute midfielder Mario Bolatti stabbed home the only goal five minutes from the end of a tense, foul-riddled match at the Centenario, ending Uruguay's hopes of a victory that would have put them through.
Hardik Singh has been named captain of the Indian men's hockey team for the FIH Pro League matches in Hobart, following Harmanpreet Singh's withdrawal due to personal reasons.
Belgium pointed to Eden Hazard as a potential match winner as they laid out a strategy to combat Lionel Messi and Argentina when they meet in their World Cup quarter-final in Brasilia on Saturday.
Spain bounced back from an opening singles defeat on Thursday to beat the Czech Republic 2-1 and reach the Davis Cup semi-finals for the first time in six years where they will face Germany, who earned their own comeback win over Argentina.
Morocco coach Walid Regragui said Saudi Arabia's victory had given him belief.
