World Cup
Skipper Messi skips Argentina’s last practice before World Cup qualifier in Bolivia
Lionel Messi skipped Argentina’s last practice session on the eve of a World Cup qualifying match in Bolivia.
he 36-year-old Inter Miami striker left Argentina’s match against Ecuador late last week complaining of fatigue, which could impact coach Lionel Scaloni’s selections for Tuesday’s match in challenging conditions at La Paz’ altitude of 3,000 meters.
Scaloni told a news conference Sunday that he could leave a decision on Messi until a few hours before the match.
During Monday’s training, Messi sat on a chair close to Scaloni and watched his teammates practice. He spoke to the coach as other players tried to adapt to the altitude and the quicker speed of the ball, which is a characteristic that makes it so hard for visitors to win at Bolivia.
Scaloni gave no hints at the practice session on what he will do if Messi doesn’t play at the Hernando Siles Stadium against a team that was battered 5-1 by Brazil last week in its opening game of South American qualifying.
Messi scored from a free kick to give Argentina a 1-0 home win against Ecuador in its first official international since winning the World Cup last December.
The 2026 edition of the World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada is expanding to a 48-team format. The leading six teams in South America will secure a direct spot. The seventh-place team will contest an intercontinental playoff for another spot at the finals.
If Messi doesn’t play on Tuesday it will disappoint many Bolivians, including hundreds of local fans who turned out to welcome him to the country Sunday evening.
La Paz’ city hall sponsored a sign close to the venue of the match with the Spanish inscription “Sos grande Messi” (You’re great, Messi). The decision brought criticism to mayor Iván Arias.
Messi has never scored in La Paz, but has eight goals in 11 matches against Bolivia. If the star striker plays and scores on Tuesday, he will overcome Luis Suárez of Uruguay as the all-time leading goal scorer in South American World Cup qualifying.
-AP
World Cup
Uruguay’s Suarez bids farewell in goalless draw with Paraguay
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Paraguay held Uruguay to a goalless draw in their South American World Cup qualifier on Friday, with striker Luis Suarez bringing his 17-year international career to an end at the Centenario stadium in Montevideo.
The 37-year-old forward reached 143 appearances for his country, finishing as their all-time leading scorer with 69 goals.
Marcelo Bielsa’s side, who finished third in the Copa America, played without five players from their starting line-up, including Darwin Nunez, who were suspended for their involvement in clashes with fans following the defeat to Colombia in the continental showpiece in July.
Uruguay wasted several chances, most notably a first-half right-footed volley from Suarez that struck the post after Facundo Pellistri’s cross.
Paraguay also created clear-cut opportunities, with Miguel Almiron coming closest only to be denied by goalkeeper Sergio Rochet, but neither side managed to capitalise.
Uruguay remain second in the World Cup qualifying standings on 14 points, four behind leaders Argentina. They face Venezuela on Tuesday, while Paraguay take on Brazil.
-Reuters
World Cup
Brazil return to winning ways with dreary win over Ecuador
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Brazil got back to winning ways in the South American World Cup qualifiers with a drab 1-0 victory over Ecuador on Friday thanks to first-half goal by Real Madrid forward Rodrygo.
After its first streak of losses in three successive qualifiers, Brazil did just enough to earn the win that lifted the struggling five-time World Cup champions to fourth in the standings with 10 points.
They are eight points behind leaders Argentina and only two points over Ecuador in sixth, the last spot guaranteed a berth at the 2026 finals.
Playing their first match after a disappointing Copa America defeat to Uruguay in the quarter-final, Brazil had another lacklustre performance, dominating possession but failing to create clear chances throughout the match.
Brazil misplaced too many passes and struggled to connect up front, out of ideas on how to beat Ecuador’s rock solid defensive block.
Ecuador were relentless while applying a physically aggressive pressure high with three hardworking forwards, making the locals uncomfortable when putting the ball in play. They Brazil almost no room to get inside their box either, forcing them to roam the ball horizontally around their penalty area and resort to strikes from long range.
Brazil’s only two shots on target on the first half were made by Rodrygo, who, after stinging the goalkeeper’s hands from a free kick early, were lucky to break the deadlock in the 29th minute. His effort fired from the edge of the box deflected off a defender and arched around the wrong-footed goalkeeper before hitting the right post and finding the back of the net.
Ecuador almost levelled in a counterattack right before the break, but defender Gabriel Magalhaes denied Moises Caicedo’s effort with a last-minute goal-line clearance.
Brazil came back even worse in the second half, with an uninspired Vinicius Jr creating their only shot on target in an absolutely morose 45 minutes, with boos greeting the final whistle.
“We needed this win, doesn’t matter if it was ugly or not. I’m happy with the victory and to have scored, and I hope it helps us getting better and progressing to the level that we want to reach moving forward,” Rodrygo told Brazilian TV Globo. Brazil will face Paraguay at Asuncion on Tuesday while Ecuador is set to host Peru in Quito on Monday.
-Reuters
World Cup
Home grounds of Barcelona, Real Madrid among 11 proposed World Cup 2030 venues
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Spain’s soccer federation (RFEF) has proposed 11 stadiums as candidates to host matches during the 2030 World Cup, including the home arenas of LaLiga clubs Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid.
Spain, who will co-host the tournament with Portugal and Morocco as well as centenary hosts Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay, will also have 45 additional grounds as team bases, the RFEF said on Friday.
Other LaLiga clubs whose home arenas have made the list include Sevilla, Malaga, Real Sociedad, Athletic Bilbao, Las Palmas and promoted Espanyol.
Valencia’s Mestalla Stadium, despite being the fifth-largest stadium in LaLiga with a capacity of 49,430, was not included in the list of potential venues.
“In order to define the venues, all the possibilities have been analysed, including the option of expanding to 13, an option that must be taken unanimously by the three federations,” the RFEF said in a statement.
The tournament will have a maximum of 20 venues, the RFEF added.
Co-hosts Morocco last year announced plans to build a stadium near Casablanca and upgrade six others before the World Cup.
-Reuters
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