World Cup
Messi ruled out of World Cup qualifiers against Brazil, Uruguay
Lionel Messi was not included in Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni’s squad for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Uruguay and Brazil, with the forward missing out due to a muscle strain.
Messi scored a stunning goal in Inter Miami’s 2-1 win at Atlanta United in Major League Soccer (MLS) on Sunday but felt a muscle discomfort, local media reported.
Argentina, who lead the CONMEBOL qualifying standings with 25 points after 12 games, travel to second-placed Uruguay on Friday.
They then host a Brazil side, on March 25, without forward Neymar, who was set to make his return to the national team after more than a year but has been ruled out after sustaining a muscle injury.
-Reuters
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The Super Eagles camp at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Kigali is nearing a full house. As of Tuesday morning, nine more players have joined the initial six, taking the number of players to 15.
William Ekong, Wilfred Ndidi, Calvin Bassey, Ademola Lookman, and Alex Iwobi are the latest arrivals. Joseph Aribo, Igoh Ogbu, Bright Osayi-Samuel, and Ola Aina are the others.
As of 9. am Nigerian time, only two players, Sadiq Umar and Alhassan Yusuf were still being expected ahead of the Friday World Cup Qualifying Group C match with hosts, Rwanda.
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The Super Eagles assembling in Kigali will hold training at the Amahoro Stadium on Thursday, the eve of their 2026 World Cup qualifying match with hosts, Rwanda.
As of Monday morning six of the 23, players are already at the Radisson Blu Hotel camp. More players are being expected in the evening.
Rwandans, according to a news report in the local leading newspaper, The New Times, believe that their national team had become a bogey side to the Super Eagles, having drawn all their previous three matches in Rwanda.
The newspaper erroneously reported that both teams had played against each other five times since June 4, 2004. “Each side won once while the other three games ended in a draw.”
Sports Village Square reports that both teams had played seven times, including an African Nations Championship match. Nigeria won twice.
The first was a World Cup qualifying match in Abuja in which Obafemi Martins’ brace gave Nigeria a 2-0 victory. The second time was an Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match in Calabar when Nigeria again won 2-0.
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Ahead of a potentially blockbuster World Cup qualifying duel with Rwanda on Friday, the Nigeria Super Eagles’ camp has started to bubble.
On Sunday, Eric Chelle, the new coach who will be having his first baptism with Nigeria, arrived at the Radisson Blu hotel in Kigali with the full complement of his crew, backroom staff and the two home-based players, Kayode Bankole and Papa Daniel Mustapha.
Victor Osimhen and Bruno Onyemaechi were on the ground with them. The number of players swelled to six early Monday morning with the arrival of Amas Obasogie and Tolu Arokodare.
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