'But I think this is going to be cleared up as soon as possible and I believe in Neymar's innocence. We the players and the backroom staff are going to support him so that it doesn't have any effect on the field'
Messi doesn't need to win a World Cup to prove his greatness, feels iconic former Argentine striker Hernan Crespo.
Arsenal trio Alexis Sanchez, Danny Welbeck and Tomas Rosicky will miss next week's Premier League Asia Trophy.
Argentina coach Gerardo Martino expects Lionel Messi to be fit for his team's second Copa America Centenario fixture this week -- even if he is satisfied that the two-time world champions are adjusting to life without their injured superstar.
Brazilian police said on Tuesday they had recommended no rape charges against soccer star Neymar, after a woman he met online said he flew her to Paris and assaulted her in a hotel there.
Neymar went off injured 12 minutes into Brazil's 1-1 draw with Nigeria in a friendly in Singapore on Sunday.
Brazil coach Dunga launched a stinging attack on referee Enrique Osses after the Chilean whistler sent Neymar off.
Argentina's new coach Edgardo Bauza has set his mind to wooing Lionel Messi back from international retirement as he ponders his squad for next month's South American 2018 World Cup qualifiers. Bauza was named on Monday to replace Gerardo Martino, who resigned a month ago after steering Messi's side to two successive Copa America finals which ended in penalty shootout defeats to Chile.
Brazil have decided not to appeal against the four-game ban that will keep Neymar out of the Copa America but the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) hit out at CONMEBOL for their harsh treatment of the forward.
Argentina coach Gerardo Martino resigned on Tuesday citing a leadership vacuum at the Argentine FA (AFA) and problems trying to pick an 18-man squad for the Olympic soccer tournament in Rio de Janeiro in August, the AFA said.
A summary of Thursday's South American World Cup qualifiers.
With immense pressure on him to match the late great Diego Maradona and send the trophy back to Buenos Aires, Lionel Messi has lit up the Qatar tournament while others in the superstar stratum - Neymar, Cristiano Ronaldo - have underwhelmed and gone home.
Brazil's failure to claim an Olympic soccer gold medal, the one major tournament they have never won, is all because Pele never played in the competition, the soccer great joked on Thursday.
Only four teams are left in the Copa America and whichever lifts the trophy next weekend, one thing is guaranteed -- the winning coach will be an Argentine.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
The decision was partly swayed by an "unfavourable opinion" from the French Athletics Federation medical commission after it evaluated potential risks for spectators and officials.
The crowd in Tel Aviv cheered Messi throughout and it was the forward who helped Argentina draw level in the 63rd.
Peru moved into the semi-finals of the Copa America in dramatic fashion on Friday by beating Paraguay 4-3 on penalties after the two sides drew 3-3 over 90 minutes in an action-packed encounter in Goiania.
The vanishing spray used by referees to mark the 10 yards distance between a free kick and the defensive wall of players made its debut at World Cup level in Thursday's opening game between Brazil and Croatia.
Di Maria to retire from international soccer after World Cup
Lionel Messi does not need a Copa America win to feel like the king of the world. He captured that crown a long ago, says Dhruv Munjal.
The current generation of Argentina players is one of the best ever even though the team have not won a major trophy in 22 years, coach Gerardo Martino said on Friday.
The gifted 23-year-old attacking midfielder is moving to Anfield from Germany's Hoffenheim, where he played since 2010, scoring 47 goals in 151 appearances.
A week before they kick off their Copa America campaign against Peru, Brazil dominated a poor warm up match though there was a moment of brilliant by Philippe Coutino when they opened the scoring after 27 minutes.
'But when I arrived in Barcelona, I was told that it was no longer possible, that I could not stay and that I had to find another club, because Barca could not afford to extend my contract. That changed my plans.'
The Ballon d'Or will not be awarded this year for the first time in its 64-year history after the COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc on the football calendar, organisers France Football magazine said on Monday. The prestigious award, voted for by journalists, is an annual prize given to the best male footballer in the world since 1956. The women's Ballon d'Or was first awarded in 2018.
Argentina have reached three major finals in three years but the team who came so close to winning the 2014 World Cup face crunch games against Peru and Ecuador that will determine if they miss out on the global showpiece event for the first time since 1970.
Lionel Messi scored his 55th international goal to become his country's all-time leading scorer as Argentina thrashed hosts the United States 4-0 to ease into the final of the Centenary Copa America on Tuesday.
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.
The Olympics from July 24-August 9 in Tokyo have not been postponed or suspended. The Copa America from June 12-July 12 in Argentina and Colombia is set to go ahead.
Lionel Messi struggled in the thin air of La Paz, fluffing a gilt-edged chance to end his goal drought against Bolivia, while Colombia marksman Radamel Falcao was kept scoreless in Venezuela on Tuesday.
Luis Suarez scored an equaliser and was just wide with what could have been a spectacular winner as Uruguay were held to a 3-3 draw by Costa Rica in a friendly.
No amount of preparation is enough to snuff out the threat of Argentina's "assassin" Lionel Messi, Panama coach Hernan Dario Gomez said ahead of Friday's Copa America clash between the teams. Messi was an unused substitute in Argentina's 2-1 win over holders Chile in their opening Group D match in Santa Clara, California on Monday after a back injury but will reappear when they face Panama in Chicago. "Leo trained normally, he will play," coach Gerardo Martino told a news conference on Thursday. Both sides have three points after Panama marked their first appearance in the world's oldest international tournament with a surprise 2-1 win over Bolivia, who face Chile in Foxborough on Friday.
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.
Shakhtar Donetsk coach Mircea Lucescu admitted he went against UEFA's wishes in fielding midfielder Fred in Tuesday's Champions League qualifier despite being aware of a possible doping violation hanging over the Brazilian international.
After the disappointing show at the Copa America, Argentina's recently-appointed football coach Alejandro Sabella is keen to rebuild the team around Lionel Messi that will begin their campaign for the 2014 World Cup with Wednesday's FIFA international friendly against Venezuela.
The win lifted Copa America holders Uruguay into second place in the South American group, a point behind leaders Chile and one ahead of Argentina, while Ecuador's win in Quito saw them climb to fourth.
Alejandro Sabella has been confirmed as coach of Argentina until the 2014 World Cup finals after Sergio Batista had his contract rescinded following a disappointing Copa America.
Brazil's teenage striker Neymar, who won the Copa Libertadores with Santos, has been voted South American soccer's Footballer of the Year.
Infantino warns against re-starting football too early.
