Argentina

FIFA is showing their appreciation for Messi on Thanksgiving.

Lionel Messi made headlines on Thanksgiving Day after making the nominee list for FIFA’s The Best Award, honoring the players with the best individual performances in the past year.

The 37-year-old made the list as the only player currently outside of Europe, with the rest of the nominees playing inside of Europe’s top-five leagues. Toni Kroos (who retired at the end of the 2024 European Championship) is the only exception.

ASUNCION — A stunning bicycle kick from Antonio Sanabria and a second-half header from Omar Alderete gave Paraguay a well earned 2-1 home win over Argentina in the South American World Cup qualifiers on Thursday.

Argentina took the lead 11 minutes into the game when Enzo Fernandez's deep pass found Lautaro Martinez, whose thunderous shot was initially ruled out for offside, but was eventually awarded after a VAR review.

BUENOS AIRES — Lionel Messi scored his 10th international hat-trick and had a hand in two more goals as Argentina thrashed Bolivia 6-0 in South American qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup in front of an adoring home crowd at the Monumental Stadium on Tuesday.

Lionel Messi vs Bolivia highlights

Making only his second international appearance since recovering from an injury sustained at the Copa America in July, Messi capitalized on a mistake by defender Marcelo Suarez to open the scoring in the 19th minute.

Venezuela pulled off a fantastic result in CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying with a 1-1 draw vs. Argentina on Thursday. During a pause in the game for an injury there was a small skirmish between Lionel Messi and Venezuela’s Yeferson Soteldo.

When we say “small skirmish” we’re not talking about the heights of the players as Soteldo stands at 5 feet 3 inches tall and Messi is 5 feet 7 inches.

A former referee has admitted to have spared Lionel Messi from a second yellow card in return for his match-worn shirt.

Chilean refereee, Carlos Chandía, has confessed to having purposefully avoided giving Messi a booking. And all in the plan to receive the Argentine’s jersey at the end of a match.

Chandía was in charge of the 2007 Copa America semifinal match between Argentina and Mexico, with the Albiceleste blowing past El Tri with a 3-0 scoreline. 20-year-old Messi scored a beautiful lob to seal his country’s spot in the final.

Injured Argentina captain Lionel Messi was left out of the squad announced on Monday by the Argentine FA for next month's South American World Cup qualifiers against Chile and Colombia.

The 37-year-old Messi was not included in the 28-man squad following an ankle injury sustained during last month's Copa America final in the United States.

The Inter Miami player is currently recovering at his club.

Messi not playing for Argentina this September

PARIS — Hosts France reached the Olympic men's football semi-finals for the first time in 40 years with a 1-0 win over Argentina thanks to Jean-Philippe Mateta's first-half goal in a grudge match in Bordeaux on Friday.

France will face Egypt for a place in the final and Morocco meet Spain in the other semi.

France vs Argentina fight after the game

¡EL PARTIDO ACABÓ EN EMPUJONES!

Argentinian midfielder Angel Di Maria said death threats against his family in Rosario had forced him to change his mind about returning to his boyhood club Rosario Central.

Di Maria was targeted in what Argentine authorities have previously described as an attempted display of power by criminal organizations in Rosario, which has seen an increase in drug and gang related violence.