Argentine football star Lionel Messi has been hit with a fraud lawsuit in the United States just before World Cup preparations. The case was filed by Miami-based event management company VID, which accused Messi of breaching a contract related to an exhibition match held last October. Under a $7 million agreement with the Argentine Football Association, Messi was required to play at least 30 minutes if not injured. However, he did not appear at all in the match against Venezuela at Hard Rock Stadium, remaining in the stands throughout.

VID claims the situation worsened when Messi played for Inter Miami the following day against Atlanta United, suggesting he was fit and intentionally violated the contract. The company alleges that his absence reduced ticket sales and forced the venue to move from Chicago to Fort Lauderdale, causing losses exceeding $1 million.

Despite the legal dispute, Messi remains in strong form on the field, having scored 83 goals in 96 matches for Inter Miami since joining in 2023. It remains to be seen how this legal complication might affect his World Cup preparations.

A new phase of the trial investigating the death of Argentine football legend Diego Maradona has begun. The hearing resumed on Tuesday after the previous proceedings were halted due to controversy involving a judge. Maradona died shortly after returning home from brain surgery, and allegations were made that medical negligence led to his death. Following his death in November 2020, a seven-member medical team was charged and brought before the court.

The earlier trial, which lasted two and a half months, was abruptly stopped and later annulled in May 2025 after it emerged that a judge, Julieta Makinthakh, had participated in a documentary related to the case, violating judicial ethics. She was subsequently impeached. The restarted trial will hear testimony from at least 120 witnesses as the court examines the extent of responsibility borne by Maradona’s medical team.

The accused include doctors, a psychologist, and nurses who oversaw Maradona’s care after his hospital discharge. If found guilty, they could face prison sentences ranging from eight to twenty-five years. The case has once again drawn global attention as the football world awaits justice.

Tottenham Hotspur and Argentina have suffered a major setback as defender Cristian Romero has been ruled out for several weeks due to a knee injury. The incident occurred during Tottenham’s 1–0 defeat to Sunderland, when Romero collided with teammate goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky after being pushed by opposing striker Brian Brobbey. He was forced to leave the field in pain, and initial tests revealed ligament damage in his knee. Further examinations are planned to determine the full extent of the injury.

Multiple reports suggest Romero could be out for five to eight weeks, effectively ending his season with Tottenham. The club is expected to issue an official statement soon. The injury has raised concerns within the Argentina camp, as the World Cup is less than two months away. Despite the uncertainty, the Argentine team remains hopeful that Romero will recover in time to lead their defense at the tournament.

Argentina will play two final warm-up matches before the 2026 FIFA World Cup following a last-minute schedule change. The Argentine Football Association announced that Lionel Scaloni’s team will face Honduras on June 6 in College Station, Texas, and Iceland on June 9 in Auburn, Alabama. Both matches will be held in the United States, giving Argentina a chance to face at least one European opponent before the tournament begins.

The decision comes after Argentina had not played any European team since winning the 2022 Qatar World Cup. A planned match against Spain in the Finalissima was canceled, raising concerns about the team’s preparation. In March, Argentina played two friendlies at home, defeating Mauritania 2–1 and Zambia 5–0, but faced criticism for choosing weaker opponents. Coach Lionel Scaloni said the final World Cup squad would be selected based on performances in these matches.

The 2026 World Cup will start on June 11 across the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Argentina, placed in Group J, will open their campaign against Algeria on June 16, followed by matches against Austria and Jordan.

Argentina delivered a commanding 5–0 victory over Zambia in their final World Cup preparation match held at La Bombonera Stadium in Buenos Aires. The world champions dominated throughout, with goals from Julián Álvarez, Lionel Messi, Nicolás Otamendi, an own goal by Zambia’s Dominic Chanda, and a late strike from young Valentín Barco. Coach Lionel Scaloni made several lineup changes after expressing dissatisfaction with the team’s earlier performance against Mauritania. Messi played the full match, while goalkeeper Juan Musso replaced Emiliano Martínez late in the game.

Argentina controlled 76 percent of possession and registered nine shots, five of which were on target, while Zambia managed only three attempts with one on target. The match showcased Argentina’s attacking rhythm and defensive stability, providing a morale boost ahead of the World Cup.

With this emphatic home win, Argentina concluded their pre-tournament schedule on a confident note, reinforcing their readiness for the upcoming global competition.

World champions Argentina secured a 2-1 victory over Mauritania in a friendly match held at La Bombonera Stadium in Buenos Aires. The hosts took a two-goal lead in the first half through Enzo Fernández and 21-year-old midfielder Nico Paz. Mauritania pulled one back in stoppage time when defender Jordan Lefort scored from close range after Argentina failed to clear a free-kick.

Captain Lionel Messi entered the field at the start of the second half but did not score, despite several promising moments. Argentina dominated possession with 64 percent and had seven shots, four on target, while Mauritania managed eleven shots, also with four on target, showing competitive balance in the match.

The result provided both encouragement and caution for coach Lionel Scaloni’s side as they prepare for their final home warm-up match against Zambia before the upcoming World Cup.

Argentina will play a friendly match against Mauritania as part of their preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The match is scheduled for Saturday at 5:15 a.m. Bangladesh time. Under coach Lionel Scaloni, the defending champions are focusing on fine-tuning their squad before the main tournament. Despite the friendly nature of the game, Argentina aims to demonstrate their dominance on the field.

According to the FIFA rankings, Argentina holds the second position, while Mauritania stands at 115th, highlighting a significant gap in strength. Scaloni’s team has shown remarkable consistency, winning 24 of their 30 matches since he took charge in 2018. Argentina last lost a friendly in March 2019 against Venezuela and has since remained unbeaten in 23 consecutive friendlies, including 15 straight wins. Their most recent victory came against Angola on November 14, 2025.

For this match, Scaloni will be without two injured players. Nahuel Molina replaces Gonzalo Montiel, and Lucas Martínez Quarta returns to the squad in place of Leonardo Balerdi. Despite these changes, Argentina is expected to field a balanced lineup.

Argentine football star Lionel Messi has revealed that his biggest regret is not paying enough attention to his studies as a child, particularly not learning English. Speaking on the Mexican podcast 'Miro de Atras' with former Argentina goalkeeper Nahuel Guzman, Messi said he had time to study but failed to use it properly. The 2022 World Cup winner admitted that he often feels uncomfortable when language barriers arise, especially in conversations with prominent people, making him realize how much time he wasted.

Messi, who has won a record eight Ballon d'Or awards, said he now uses this life lesson to guide his three children. He encourages them to seize every opportunity and value education, emphasizing that they have even more chances than he did. Despite his unmatched football success, Messi’s reflection highlights a personal side rarely seen in public.

During the same podcast, Messi also mentioned that his participation in the 2026 FIFA World Cup is still uncertain but expressed a wish to avoid facing Mexico in the tournament.

Argentina and Inter Miami have been hit by a major setback as Lionel Messi sustained a left hamstring injury during a friendly match against Ecuadorian club Barcelona last Saturday. The injury forced Messi to miss Miami’s Wednesday training session, prompting concern from Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni and Miami coach Javier Mascherano. The club has not yet announced a timeline for his return, while Messi confirmed on social media that the team postponed its next friendly due to his condition.

According to Argentine outlet TyC Sports, Messi is expected to recover before Argentina’s March 27 Finalissima match against Spain, though uncertainty remains about how quickly the 38-year-old can regain full fitness. The injury occurred late in Miami’s pre-season, a period Messi had planned to use to decide whether to play in the 2026 World Cup. The setback may influence that decision.

Inter Miami, owned by David Beckham, stated that Messi’s return to training will depend on his physical progress in the coming days. The club’s friendly against Independiente del Valle in Puerto Rico has been rescheduled to February 26.

Argentine football legend Lionel Messi has expressed uncertainty about participating in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, despite his strong wish to be part of the tournament. In an interview with ESPN ahead of the World Cup draw in Washington D.C., the 38-year-old star said he hopes to be there but admitted that circumstances could prevent his participation. Messi, who fulfilled his lifelong dream by winning the 2022 Qatar World Cup, stated that even if he cannot play, watching the event as a spectator would still be a special experience. His comments have sparked mixed emotions among fans, many of whom are eager to see him lead Argentina once again on the global stage. The uncertainty stems from his age and the physical demands of top-level football, raising questions about whether the iconic forward will extend his international career to one more World Cup.

As anticipation builds for the 2026 FIFA World Cup group draw in Washington, Argentina midfielder Rodrigo De Paul expressed his excitement and determination to defend the team’s title. Speaking to Argentine journalist Gaston Edul, De Paul revealed he recently discussed preparations with Lionel Messi, emphasizing that the World Cup draw marks the tournament’s true beginning. Reflecting on Argentina’s 2022 triumph under Messi’s leadership, De Paul said the team is ready to face the challenge of retaining the trophy, acknowledging the difficulty of the task. He highlighted Argentina’s strong qualifying performance and stressed unity as the key to success. De Paul, who recently joined Messi at Inter Miami, will also compete in the MLS final against Vancouver Whitecaps before turning full focus to the World Cup. Meanwhile, Messi’s participation in the 2026 tournament remains uncertain, though he expressed hope to play if conditions allow. Regardless, Messi remains central to Argentina’s World Cup plans.

Argentina secured a dominant eight-wicket victory over Brazil in the first T20 of a five-match series held in Buenos Aires on Friday, November 28. Batting first, Brazil managed only 109 runs for eight wickets, with opener Luis Morais scoring an unbeaten 51 off 55 balls. Argentina’s bowlers, led by Lucas Rossi with 3 wickets for just 8 runs and Agustin Rivero with 2 for 18, restricted Brazil effectively. In reply, Argentina chased down the target in just 14.5 overs, thanks to captain Pedro Baron’s 53 off 42 balls. The win gave Argentina a 1–0 lead in the series and extended their unbeaten record against Brazil in T20s to three matches. Both teams began playing international T20 cricket in 2019, with Argentina now holding 17 wins in 29 matches, while Brazil has managed only 4 victories in 16 games. The second match is scheduled for Saturday evening local time.

Two of world football’s most celebrated teams, Brazil and Argentina, are set to meet not on the football field but on the cricket pitch. Brazil has traveled to Argentina for a five-match T20 cricket series, marking a rare bilateral encounter between the two South American nations in this sport. The first T20 match will begin tomorrow, followed by the second and third matches on November 28 at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. local time, respectively. The fourth and fifth matches are scheduled for November 30 at the same times. While both countries are globally known for their football rivalry, their cricketing history is limited, making this series a unique event for fans and a potential boost for cricket’s growth in the region.

Powerful explosions rocked an industrial complex in Ezeiza, near Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Friday night, injuring at least 15 people and triggering a massive fire that firefighters struggled to contain. The blasts, which occurred across several factories including a chemical and a plastics plant, sent thick smoke billowing into the air, severely reducing visibility in the area. As a result, flights at Ministro Pistarini International Airport, Argentina’s main international gateway located nearby, were delayed or diverted. Local authorities deployed multiple fire engines and ambulances to the site, while hospitals in the Buenos Aires region activated emergency protocols to treat the injured. Most victims reportedly suffered burns and injuries from shattered glass caused by the shock wave. Officials have not yet determined the cause of the explosions, but the fire was described as complex and expected to take a long time to extinguish. Civil defense and health agencies continue to coordinate response efforts.

Argentina’s President Javier Milei narrowly escaped injury after being attacked with stones, bottles, and other projectiles by an angry crowd during a rally in Buenos Aires on Wednesday. He was campaigning for upcoming local and midterm elections alongside his sister, Karina Milei, when the incident occurred.
Several objects struck the president, though he managed to flee the scene with his team. The attack comes at a time when Milei is facing public outrage over a corruption scandal that has fueled widespread criticism of his administration.