Philippe Coutinho scored a second half double and Everton added a cracking third as Brazil recovered from a sleepy start to beat Bolivia 3-0 in their Copa America opener on Friday.
Lionel Messi drew level with Diego Maradona's number of World Cup goals and appearances on Saturday, but the current No. 10 knows that only winning the trophy at long last will earn him the same eternal love of his fellow Argentines.
Diego Forlan, whose fine performances and five goals helped Uruguay finish fourth in the 2010 World Cup, announced his retirement.
Qatar will be the first team since Italy in the second World Cup in 1934 to participate in the finals for the first time as a host without having previously qualified for the tournament.
Barcelona must considerably reduce their wage bill in order to keep Lionel Messi, La Liga chief Javier Tebas said on Thursday, adding that the club would not be shown any leniency when it comes to obeying the league's strict financial control rules.
Messi is idolised the world over but said he does not enjoy giving advice
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Neymar will play in the Olympics in August and will miss the Centenary Copa America in the United States in June, his club Barcelona said on Wednesday to end months of speculation.
The Argentine Football Association (AFA) will appeal what it says is FIFA's decision to force Brazil and Argentina to replay their World Cup qualifier, which was cancelled after five minutes due to a breach of COVID-19 quarantine rules.
Here is a compilation of some of the best photos from 2021...
Former Argentina boss Marcelo Bielsa resigned as manager of Lazio after just two days in charge, the Italian Serie A club said in a statement on Friday.
Miguel Herrera, Mexico's national soccer team coach, was fired on Tuesday, a day after he allegedly punched a reporter who had criticized his team's performance in the recent Copa America and Gold Cup tournaments.
Argentina's Lionel Messi is used to being hacked down by desperate defenders but his statue in Buenos Aires has suffered even rougher treatment for the second time this year.
Sergio Aguero and other Argentina players could follow the lead of captain Lionel Messi and retire from international football after losing the final of the Copa America on penalties to Chile for the second straight year.
Corinthians manager Tite has accepted an offer to coach Brazil but his appointment was met with fury at his former club, who accused the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) of underhand tactics and unethical behaviour.
Following are the teams in eight groups for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, which will be held in Qatar from November 20-December 18.
And, since, pictures speak more than words, Rediff.com brings you images from these sporting events and others that made headlines in the week gone by.
Chile defender Gonzalo Jara's ban for provoking Edinson Cavani has been cut from three games to two, the governing body of South American football has said.
Brazil's disappointingly one-sided win over Argentina in the Copa America final was a victory for muscle over finesse and could prompt the losers to revert to a more physical, less entertaining, style.
The 2015 and 2016 Copa champions took the lead late in the first half with a towering header from midfielder Erick Pulgar.
A factbox on Barcelona and Argentina forward Lionel Messi
Paraguay coach Ramon Diaz has resigned after the team's elimination in the group phase of the Copa America Centenario, Paraguayan FA (APF) sources said on Sunday.
Brazil will not release Robinho to play for Real Madrid in Sunday's Spanish League decider but have asked him instead to join their Copa America training camp immediately.
Brazil midfielder Fred, no relation to the veteran striker of the same name who used to play for the same country, has been suspended from South American football for a year for failing a drugs test.
Juventus rehire Allegri.
The midfielder froze on the big occasion once again as Argentina were muscled out by the ruthless, physical Brazilians.
Queens Park Rangers striker Eduardo Vargas will be out of action for six weeks due to a knee ligament injury, the player's agent said on Monday.
Chile coach Juan Antonio Pizzi took great pride in steering his country to victory in Sunday's Copa America final against a team he believes to be the best side in the world with the best player in history.
Saudi Arabia stunned Lionel Messi's Argentina 2-1 with brilliant individual goals from Saleh Al-Shehri and Salem Al-Dawsari during the FIFA World Cup Group C match on Tuesday.
The US men's national soccer team will play their first friendly against Cuba in 69 years when they meet in Havana's Estadio Pedro Marrero on October 7, US Soccer said on Thursday.
Lionel Messi was sent off before half-time and then angrily hit out at "corrupt" tournament organisers after Argentina beat Chile 2-1 to win a bad-tempered third-place playoff at the Copa America on Saturday.
Jeison Murillo became Colombia's unlikely hero, scoring his first international goal to give his side a 1-0 victory over Brazil.
Lionel Messi is still the best player in the world despite never winning a major international trophy for Argentina, former Barcelona team mate and Brazil great Ronaldinho said on Sunday. The 29-year-old Messi, who retired from internationals last month after Argentina lost to Chile in the Copa America final, is his country's top scorer with 55 goals. The five times World Player of the Year has played in three Copa America finals and the 2014 World Cup final, but lost them all.
The AFA thanked 58-year-old Sampaoli and his assistants, who have also left their positions, for their services.
Media reports suggest Sevilla's Argentine coach Jorge Sampaoli, who has never disguised his ambition to take charge of the national team and steered neighbouring Chile to the Copa America title in 2015, will step into the vacancy.
Chile won the Copa America for the first time on Saturday.
'It's useless trying to make a leader out of a man who goes to the toilet 20 times before a game'
Cristiano Ronaldo-led Euro 2016 champions, Portugal inched closer to the top-five after climbing two places to 6th in the FIFA world rankings released on Thursday.
Argentina marked the revival of the Cup of Champions in style as an inspired Lionel Messi helped them outclass Italy 3-0 in a heavyweight clash billed as the 'Finalissima' at a raucous Wembley Stadium in London on Wednesday.
Argentina president Mauricio Macri has personally contacted star striker Lionel Messi and urged him not to call it quits to the national team.
