Argentina football legend Diego Maradona was unable to travel to Dubai because his passport was &quot;stolen&quot;, the World Cup winner&#39;s lawyer said. 
 
&quot;They (Buenos Aires airport authorities) told him his passport&nbsp;had been reported as stolen despite Diego holding it in his hands!&quot; Diego Morla, Maradona&#39;s lawyer said. 
 
&quot;Diego is really surprised by this saga, which has strangely happened right after he criticised the government,&quot; Morla told AFP. 
 
Maradona had recently slammed the new government. He had said the country had fallen to its knees ever since the Mauricio Macri administration had come to power. 
 
&quot;Logically, I&#39;d like for Macri to turn things around and give some joy to the people, but for now all I see is firings,&quot; Maradona had told Argentina&#39;s radio La Red.&nbsp; 
 
(WION with inputs from AFP)

The football legend was unable to travel to the Middle East despite him carrying his passport with him

Argentina football legend Diego Maradona was unable to travel to Dubai because his passport was "stolen", the World Cup winner's lawyer said. "They (Buenos Aires airport authorities) told him his passport had been reported as stolen despite Diego holding it in his hands!" Diego Morla, Maradona's lawyer said. "Diego is really surprised by this saga, which has strangely happened right after he criticised the government," Morla told AFP. Maradona had recently slammed the new government. He had said the country had fallen to its knees ever since the Mauricio Macri administration had come to power. "Logically, I'd like for Macri to turn things around and give some joy to the people, but for now all I see is firings," Maradona had told Argentina's radio La Red. (WION with inputs from AFP)

Maradona denied Dubai travel over 'stolen' passport

Sergio Aguero and other Argentina players could follow the lead of captain Lionel Messi and retire from international football after losing the final of the Copa America on penalties to Chile for the second straight year. 
 
The 29-year-old Messi, who sent his spot-kick in the penalty shootout over the bar, announced his decision shortly after the title game in New Jersey on Sunday. 
 
&quot;The likelihood is that Messi is not the only one that will leave the national team,&quot; said Aguero, who lost his third final with Argentina, as told to Ole newspaper. 
 
&quot;There are several players like me that are evaluating whether or not to continue.&quot; 
 
The Manchester City forward, who replaced Gonzalo Higuain in the 70th minute, was hugely disappointed after Argentina failed to end their 23-year trophy drought at senior level. 
 
&quot;One doesn&#39;t want to think about it but at times, there are things that happen and the thought (of retiring) comes into your mind,&quot; said Aguero, who won an Olympic gold in 2008. 
 
&quot;Afterwards, it&#39;s difficult to get it out.&quot; 
 
Aguero has played for Argentina&#39;s senior side since September, 2006 and empathised with Messi, a five times World Player of the Year. 
 
&quot;Unfortunately, the one that leaves most affected is Leo Messi after his penalty miss,&quot; the 28-year-old Aguero said. &quot;This is the worst that I&#39;ve seen him in the changing room. 
 
&quot;We are all affected and we will try to think about something else and move forward. Again, luck was not on our side.&quot; 
 
Argentina&#39;s starting goalkeeper Sergio Romero hoped that Messi will reconsider his decision. 
 
Chile goalkeeper Claudio Bravo, who saved Lucas Biglia&#39;s penalty before Francisco Silva scored the crucial spot-kick to help his country retain the Copa, had praise for his Barcelona teammate Messi. 
 
&quot;In my opinion, he is the best player in the world and in history,&quot; Bravo told Marca. &quot;They have to enjoy him, value him and understand him. 
 
&quot;This is a team work, when you win, everyone wins, and when you lose, everyone loses. We had some criticism directed at Chilean players in our first few games (of the Copa America). 
 
&quot;Football is a team sport.&quot; 
 
(Reuters)

Lionel Messi announced his retirement shortly after their failure to end 23-year trophy drought at the final of the Copa America

Sergio Aguero and other Argentina players could follow the lead of captain Lionel Messi and retire from international football after losing the final of the Copa America on penalties to Chile for the second straight year. The 29-year-old Messi, who sent his spot-kick in the penalty shootout over the bar, announced his decision shortly after the title game in New Jersey on Sunday. "The likelihood is that Messi is not the only one that will leave the national team," said Aguero, who lost his third final with Argentina, as told to Ole newspaper. "There are several players like me that are evaluating whether or not to continue." The Manchester City forward, who replaced Gonzalo Higuain in the 70th minute, was hugely disappointed after Argentina failed to end their 23-year trophy drought at senior level. "One doesn't want to think about it but at times, there are things that happen and the thought (of retiring) comes into your mind," said Aguero, who won an Olympic gold in 2008. "Afterwards, it's difficult to get it out." Aguero has played for Argentina's senior side since September, 2006 and empathised with Messi, a five times World Player of the Year. "Unfortunately, the one that leaves most affected is Leo Messi after his penalty miss," the 28-year-old Aguero said. "This is the worst that I've seen him in the changing room. "We are all affected and we will try to think about something else and move forward. Again, luck was not on our side." Argentina's starting goalkeeper Sergio Romero hoped that Messi will reconsider his decision. Chile goalkeeper Claudio Bravo, who saved Lucas Biglia's penalty before Francisco Silva scored the crucial spot-kick to help his country retain the Copa, had praise for his Barcelona teammate Messi. "In my opinion, he is the best player in the world and in history," Bravo told Marca. "They have to enjoy him, value him and understand him. "This is a team work, when you win, everyone wins, and when you lose, everyone loses. We had some criticism directed at Chilean players in our first few games (of the Copa America). "Football is a team sport." (Reuters)

More Argentina players may retire from international football : Aguero

Chile beat Colombia 2-0 in the Copa America semi-final on Wednesday and will face Argentina in Sunday&#39;s final after surviving a tumultuous match in Chicago that was halted for more than two hours due to a torrential rain storm. 
 
Chile were already two goals up at half time, but the second half was delayed as an electrical storm powered towards Soldier Field and drenched the stadium with rain. 
 
The teams came back to a waterlogged pitch and Colombia, who had a man sent off early in the second period, could not reduce the deficit. 
 
&quot;We played well but Chile are a very strong side,&quot; Colombian midfielder Juan Cuadrado said after the final whistle. 
 
&quot;We thought a comeback was possible but sometimes things don&#39;t work out like you want.&quot; 
 
The result takes Chile into a mouth-watering final against Argentina in New Jersey on Sunday. The game will be a repeat of last year&#39;s final in Santiago that the host nation won on penalties. 
 
The reigning champions came into the game on a high after beating Mexico 7-0 and took only six minutes to make their mark again. 
 
Former Chelsea midfielder Cuadrado misdirected a header across his own goal straight to Charles Aranguiz and the Leverkusen midfielder had the straightforward task of sidefooting past David Ospina. 
 
Chile doubled their lead four minutes later after an Alexis Sanchez shot rebounded off the post into the path of Jose Pedro Fuenzalida. 
 
With Ospina beaten, the Universidad Catolica full back scored one of the easiest goals of his career by sidefooting into the empty net. 
 
Chile, who were already missing midfielders Arturo Vidal and Marcelo Diaz, lost Pedro Pablo Hernandez after half an hour when he limped off injured and the resulting reshuffle took the wind out of their sails. 
 
Colombia came back into the game, with James Rodriguez coming close with two shots and creating chances for Roger Martinez and Edwin Carmona. 
 
However, Claudio Bravo was in fine form and it stayed 2-0 at the break. 
 
Colombia pushed on after the restart with a lively Rodriguez leading the attack but were dealt a huge blow in the 56th minute when influential midfielder Carlos Sanchez was sent off for a second yellow card offence. 
 
Colombia did not give up and came close on several occasions but conditions underfoot were difficult for both sides and the score remained 2-0. 
 
The Andean side will now play hosts United States in the third-fourth place playoff on Saturday. 
 
Argentina beat the United States 4-0 on Tuesday night to reach their second consecutive Copa America final. 
 
(Reuters)

Chile were already two goals up at half time, but the second half was delayed as an electrical storm powered towards Soldier Field

Chile beat Colombia 2-0 in the Copa America semi-final on Wednesday and will face Argentina in Sunday's final after surviving a tumultuous match in Chicago that was halted for more than two hours due to a torrential rain storm. Chile were already two goals up at half time, but the second half was delayed as an electrical storm powered towards Soldier Field and drenched the stadium with rain. The teams came back to a waterlogged pitch and Colombia, who had a man sent off early in the second period, could not reduce the deficit. "We played well but Chile are a very strong side," Colombian midfielder Juan Cuadrado said after the final whistle. "We thought a comeback was possible but sometimes things don't work out like you want." The result takes Chile into a mouth-watering final against Argentina in New Jersey on Sunday. The game will be a repeat of last year's final in Santiago that the host nation won on penalties. The reigning champions came into the game on a high after beating Mexico 7-0 and took only six minutes to make their mark again. Former Chelsea midfielder Cuadrado misdirected a header across his own goal straight to Charles Aranguiz and the Leverkusen midfielder had the straightforward task of sidefooting past David Ospina. Chile doubled their lead four minutes later after an Alexis Sanchez shot rebounded off the post into the path of Jose Pedro Fuenzalida. With Ospina beaten, the Universidad Catolica full back scored one of the easiest goals of his career by sidefooting into the empty net. Chile, who were already missing midfielders Arturo Vidal and Marcelo Diaz, lost Pedro Pablo Hernandez after half an hour when he limped off injured and the resulting reshuffle took the wind out of their sails. Colombia came back into the game, with James Rodriguez coming close with two shots and creating chances for Roger Martinez and Edwin Carmona. However, Claudio Bravo was in fine form and it stayed 2-0 at the break. Colombia pushed on after the restart with a lively Rodriguez leading the attack but were dealt a huge blow in the 56th minute when influential midfielder Carlos Sanchez was sent off for a second yellow card offence. Colombia did not give up and came close on several occasions but conditions underfoot were difficult for both sides and the score remained 2-0. The Andean side will now play hosts United States in the third-fourth place playoff on Saturday. Argentina beat the United States 4-0 on Tuesday night to reach their second consecutive Copa America final. (Reuters)

Copa America Centenario report: Chile beats Colombia 2-0 to set up final against Argentina

Argentinian striker Lionel Messi became his country&#39;s all-time top goalscorer on Tuesday when he scored in the Copa America semi-final against the United States to take his international tally to 55 goals. 
 
The five-time world player of the year scored in the 32nd minute of the match in Houston to give Argentina a 2-0 lead. 
 
The goal in his 112th international lifts him above Gabriel Batistuta, who scored 54 goals in 78 games for the two-time world champions. 
 
Messi&#39;s goal was a glorious free kick from 25 yards out that gave U.S. goalkeeper Brad Guzan little chance. He took the kick after being cynically felled as he burst forward by Chris Wondolowski, the American receiving a yellow card. 
 
It doubled Argentina&#39;s lead after Ezequiel Lavezzi put them one up in just three minutes. 
 
The Barcelona striker now has five goals in the Centenary Copa America and is one behind Chilean Eduardo Vargas in the race to become the tournament&#39;s top goalscorer. 
 
He has achieved his tally despite not starting in Argentina&#39;s first three games because of a back injury. 
 
His form has nevertheless been outstanding with the 28-year old scoring a hat-trick in 19 minutes after coming on as a substitute in a 5-0 win over Paraguay last week. 
 
Argentina are hot favourites to win the Copa and end a trophy drought that extends back to 1993, when they won the Copa in Ecuador. 
 
They reached the finals of the Copa America in 2015 and the World Cup in 2014 but narrowly lost both matches. 
(Reuters)&nbsp;

The goal in his 112th international lifts him above Gabriel Batistuta who scored 54 goals in 78 games

Argentinian striker Lionel Messi became his country's all-time top goalscorer on Tuesday when he scored in the Copa America semi-final against the United States to take his international tally to 55 goals. The five-time world player of the year scored in the 32nd minute of the match in Houston to give Argentina a 2-0 lead. The goal in his 112th international lifts him above Gabriel Batistuta, who scored 54 goals in 78 games for the two-time world champions. Messi's goal was a glorious free kick from 25 yards out that gave U.S. goalkeeper Brad Guzan little chance. He took the kick after being cynically felled as he burst forward by Chris Wondolowski, the American receiving a yellow card. It doubled Argentina's lead after Ezequiel Lavezzi put them one up in just three minutes. The Barcelona striker now has five goals in the Centenary Copa America and is one behind Chilean Eduardo Vargas in the race to become the tournament's top goalscorer. He has achieved his tally despite not starting in Argentina's first three games because of a back injury. His form has nevertheless been outstanding with the 28-year old scoring a hat-trick in 19 minutes after coming on as a substitute in a 5-0 win over Paraguay last week. Argentina are hot favourites to win the Copa and end a trophy drought that extends back to 1993, when they won the Copa in Ecuador. They reached the finals of the Copa America in 2015 and the World Cup in 2014 but narrowly lost both matches. (Reuters)

Messi becomes Argentina's all-time top goalscorer

Lionel Messi scored a record-equalling 54th international goal as Argentina outclassed Venezuela 4-1 to book their place in the semi-finals of the Copa America Centenario on Saturday. 
 
The Barcelona superstar scored his fourth goal of the tournament in the 60th minute at the Gillette Stadium to equal Gabriel Batistuta&#39;s long-time Argentina international goalscoring record. 
 
Messi also created a goal for Gonzalo Higuain, who scored twice, and second half substitute Erik Lamela as Argentina set up a semi-final against the United States in Houston on Tuesday. 
 
Afterwards Messi played down his goalscoring milestone. 
 
&quot;I&#39;m happy for what it means and it&#39;s nice to be next to &#39;Batigol&#39; (Batistuta), but for me tonight the most important thing is the result,&quot; Messi said. 
 
Messi is determined to lead Argentina to their first trophy in 23 years after a series of agonizing near-misses which include defeats in the finals of last year&#39;s Copa America and the 2014 World Cup final. 
 
&quot;I think people sometimes overlook that we got to two finals, and only focus on the fact that we lost,&quot; Messi said. 
 
&quot;For us to be back in another semi-final of a big tournament like this one is a great achievement for these players.&quot; 
 
Inspirational display 
 
Few would bet against Messi achieving his goal after an inspirational display that left Venezuela chasing shadows in the early part of Saturday&#39;s quarter-final. 
 
Messi&#39;s genius created the opening goal after eight minutes, with the playmaker lofting a sublime curling pass to pick out Higuain&#39;s run into the area. 
 
Napoli forward Higuain still had plenty to do but skillfully directed a first time strike past Venezuela goalkeeper Dani Hernandez for a wonderful goal. 
 
Argentina remained firmly in control but were jolted in the 27th minute when Nicolas Gaitan picked up a needless yellow card for a kick on Alexander Gonzalez that will see him suspended for the semi-final. 
 
Argentina&#39;s dominance clearly had Venezuela rattled, and the Vinotinto&#39;s defensive unease led to the next goal. 
 
A slack backpass from Arquimedes Figuera went straight to Higuain in space, and the striker coolly rounded Hernandez to stroke home his second of the night to make it 2-0 after 29 minutes. 
 
But just when it looked as if the floodgates would open, Venezuela rallied impressively and had Argentina rocking with a series of chances. 
 
Rondon threat 
 
West Bromwich Albion striker Salomon Rondon forced a save from Sergio Romero and hit the woodwork in quick succession. 
 
Romero was left scrambling to save once again just before half-time, when fullback Rolf Feltscher&#39;s long-range shot deflected off Gabriel Mercado and looped up and over the Argentina keeper. 
 
Venezuela looked to have a justifiable claim for a penalty when Higuain brought down Josef Martinez in the box but Mexican referee Roberto Garcia was unmoved. 
 
Seconds later though Garcia was pointing to the spot after Romero clumsily bundled over Martinez for a clear penalty. 
 
But Venezuela&#39;s pressure went unrewarded when Luis Manuel Seijas tried a risky &quot;Panenka&quot; down the middle which Romero read and gathered with ease. 
 
Venezuela were unable to renew their period of pressure in the second half, and Messi effectively put the contest to bed with his record-equalling goal in the 60th minute, which came after Argentina pressed high to force a turnover. 
 
Gaitan won the tackle and passed to Messi, who quickly played a one-two with the Benfica winger before poking his finish between Hernandez&#39;s legs. 
 
Rondon pulled a goal back with a header in the 70th minute, but Messi&#39;s response was instant, threading a pass to Lamela whose shot crept in at Hernandez&#39;s near post. 
(AFP)

Messi seems determined to lead Argentina to its first trophy in 23 years after a series of misses

Lionel Messi scored a record-equalling 54th international goal as Argentina outclassed Venezuela 4-1 to book their place in the semi-finals of the Copa America Centenario on Saturday. The Barcelona superstar scored his fourth goal of the tournament in the 60th minute at the Gillette Stadium to equal Gabriel Batistuta's long-time Argentina international goalscoring record. Messi also created a goal for Gonzalo Higuain, who scored twice, and second half substitute Erik Lamela as Argentina set up a semi-final against the United States in Houston on Tuesday. Afterwards Messi played down his goalscoring milestone. "I'm happy for what it means and it's nice to be next to 'Batigol' (Batistuta), but for me tonight the most important thing is the result," Messi said. Messi is determined to lead Argentina to their first trophy in 23 years after a series of agonizing near-misses which include defeats in the finals of last year's Copa America and the 2014 World Cup final. "I think people sometimes overlook that we got to two finals, and only focus on the fact that we lost," Messi said. "For us to be back in another semi-final of a big tournament like this one is a great achievement for these players." Inspirational display Few would bet against Messi achieving his goal after an inspirational display that left Venezuela chasing shadows in the early part of Saturday's quarter-final. Messi's genius created the opening goal after eight minutes, with the playmaker lofting a sublime curling pass to pick out Higuain's run into the area. Napoli forward Higuain still had plenty to do but skillfully directed a first time strike past Venezuela goalkeeper Dani Hernandez for a wonderful goal. Argentina remained firmly in control but were jolted in the 27th minute when Nicolas Gaitan picked up a needless yellow card for a kick on Alexander Gonzalez that will see him suspended for the semi-final. Argentina's dominance clearly had Venezuela rattled, and the Vinotinto's defensive unease led to the next goal. A slack backpass from Arquimedes Figuera went straight to Higuain in space, and the striker coolly rounded Hernandez to stroke home his second of the night to make it 2-0 after 29 minutes. But just when it looked as if the floodgates would open, Venezuela rallied impressively and had Argentina rocking with a series of chances. Rondon threat West Bromwich Albion striker Salomon Rondon forced a save from Sergio Romero and hit the woodwork in quick succession. Romero was left scrambling to save once again just before half-time, when fullback Rolf Feltscher's long-range shot deflected off Gabriel Mercado and looped up and over the Argentina keeper. Venezuela looked to have a justifiable claim for a penalty when Higuain brought down Josef Martinez in the box but Mexican referee Roberto Garcia was unmoved. Seconds later though Garcia was pointing to the spot after Romero clumsily bundled over Martinez for a clear penalty. But Venezuela's pressure went unrewarded when Luis Manuel Seijas tried a risky "Panenka" down the middle which Romero read and gathered with ease. Venezuela were unable to renew their period of pressure in the second half, and Messi effectively put the contest to bed with his record-equalling goal in the 60th minute, which came after Argentina pressed high to force a turnover. Gaitan won the tackle and passed to Messi, who quickly played a one-two with the Benfica winger before poking his finish between Hernandez's legs. Rondon pulled a goal back with a header in the 70th minute, but Messi's response was instant, threading a pass to Lamela whose shot crept in at Hernandez's near post. (AFP)

Messi scores record goal as Argentina thrash Venezuela

Argentinian football legend Diego Armando Maradona urged Lionel Messi not to follow through on his vow to quit the national team after its defeat in the Copa America Centenario. 
 
&quot;Messi has to stay in the national team. He has to stay because he still has playing days ahead of him,&quot; Maradona was quoted as saying by the Argentinian online newspaper La Nacion. 
 
&quot;He will go to Russia in form to be world champion&quot; at the 2018 World Cup, he added. 
 
Messi, 29, told reporters in the US he had decided to quit after Argentina&#39;s defeat on penalties to Chile on Sunday. 
 
He is widely rated as the best player in the world, but it was his fourth defeat in an international final with the Argentinian jersey. 
 
The 1986 World Cup winner Maradona, 55, blamed Argentina&#39;s recent lack of trophies on the Argentina Footbal Association. 
 
He accused them of not supporting Messi and letting him take the blame for Sunday&#39;s defeat to cover up their shortcomings in managing the sport. 
 
&quot;The lads have to be supported more to help him take the team forward,&quot; Maradona was quoted saying. &quot;Those who are saying he should quit are doing it so that we won&#39;t see what a disaster Argentinian football has become,&quot; he added. 
 
(AFP)

El Pibe de Oro urges Lionel Messi to keep playing on the national team and blames the Argentina Football Association for the recent defeats

Argentinian football legend Diego Armando Maradona urged Lionel Messi not to follow through on his vow to quit the national team after its defeat in the Copa America Centenario. "Messi has to stay in the national team. He has to stay because he still has playing days ahead of him," Maradona was quoted as saying by the Argentinian online newspaper La Nacion. "He will go to Russia in form to be world champion" at the 2018 World Cup, he added. Messi, 29, told reporters in the US he had decided to quit after Argentina's defeat on penalties to Chile on Sunday. He is widely rated as the best player in the world, but it was his fourth defeat in an international final with the Argentinian jersey. The 1986 World Cup winner Maradona, 55, blamed Argentina's recent lack of trophies on the Argentina Footbal Association. He accused them of not supporting Messi and letting him take the blame for Sunday's defeat to cover up their shortcomings in managing the sport. "The lads have to be supported more to help him take the team forward," Maradona was quoted saying. "Those who are saying he should quit are doing it so that we won't see what a disaster Argentinian football has become," he added. (AFP)

Maradona: Messi has to stay

Lionel Messi will bid to gild his legacy as the greatest footballer of his generation on Sunday, by ending Argentina&#39;s 23-year wait for a major title in a dream final against holders Chile in the Copa America Centenario.&nbsp; 
 
For Messi&#39;s many millions of admirers, the five-time world footballer of the year has already achieved enough in his glittering career to be considered in the same bracket as Pele and Diego Maradona.&nbsp; 
 
Yet the only hole in the Barcelona superstar&#39;s CV is a major tournament title with Argentina, which is invariably, and somewhat unfairly, cited as a justification to delay his elevation to football&#39;s pantheon.&nbsp; 
 
That could all change on Sunday before a sell-out crowd of 81,000 at East Rutherford&#39;s MetLife Stadium, the home of the NFL&#39;s New York Giants, when Argentina face the Chileans in a rematch of last year&#39;s Copa America final.&nbsp; 
 
It is the third final in as many years for Messi and his teammates, who suffered agonizing defeats in the 2014 World Cup final against Germany and to the Chileans on penalties in Santiago. 
 
On each occasion, Messi has borne the brunt of the backlash from critics in Argentina, who trot out a familiar laundry list of grievances. He has no passion. He doesn&#39;t sing the anthem. He doesn`t &quot;feel&quot; the shirt.&nbsp; 
 
Barely a ball had been kicked in this Copa America before Maradona, a regular sniper, accused him of lacking &quot;personality&quot; and &quot;leadership.&quot; Maradona amped up the rhetoric this week shortly after Argentina booked their place in the final with a 4-0 demolition of the United States.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;We will certainly win on Sunday... and if we don&#39;t win, they shouldn&#39;t come back,&quot; Maradona told an Argentinian television network. 
&nbsp; 
Although Messi admits that losing another final would be a &quot;great disappointment&quot;, so far in the tournament he has shown no sign of being overburdened by pressure.&nbsp; 
 
After missing Argentina&#39;s opening group match - a 2-1 win over Sundayss opponents Chile -- he scored an electrifying 19-minute hat-trick against Panama after coming on as a substitute before going on to equal Gabriel Batistuta&#39;s Argentina goals record in the 4-1 quarter-final win over Venezuela.&nbsp; 
 
Against the US on Tuesday, he scored a magnificent curling freekick to become his country&#39;s leading international goalscorer with 55, while setting up two more goals in a magical all-round display.&nbsp; 
 
He even found the time to sign the shirt of an autograph-hunting fan who sprinted onto the pitch at the start of the second half. His smiling, laid back demeanor however masks a fierce determination to lift the title, revealing that Argentina have become a more formidable unit since suffering the pain of multiple final defeats. 
 
&quot;We have grown a lot as a team in the past year, and as a result we are stronger,&quot; Messi said. 
 
&quot;We&#39;ve been in spectacular form up to now, now it&#39;s up to us to do it again on Sunday. We don`t feel any pressure; we&#39;re used to playing in finals -- unfortunately we haven`t won one yet,&quot; he added. 
 
Yet while Argentinian fans -- and many neutrals -- will be willing Messi to victory, Chile have shown that they are more than capable of pulling off another ambush.&nbsp; 
 
Since the opening loss to Argentina on June 6, the Chileans have improved with each game to compile their best run of results since Juan Antonio Pizzi replaced Jorge Sampaoli as manager in January.&nbsp; 
 
They humiliated Mexico with a 7-0 thrashing in the quarter-finals and polished off Colombia 2-0 in the semi-finals.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;They are a team that presses you, and don&#39;t let you play,&quot; Messi warned on Friday. &quot;And when they have the ball they play very well.&quot; 
A dynamic, combative midfield led by Bayern Munich star Arturo Vidal will ensure that Argentina`s skilled attackers such as Messi, Nicolas Gaitan and Ever Banega have nothing like the freedom to operate they have enjoyed so far.&nbsp; 
 
And Chile&#39;s razor sharp attack, which features tournament top scorer Eduardo Vargas (six goals) and Arsenal star Alexis Sanchez, should also pose more questions than Argentina&#39;s back four has been required to answer en route to the final. 
 
(AFP)

It is the third final for Messi and his teammates, who suffered defeats in the 2014 World Cup final against Germany and Chile on penalties

Lionel Messi will bid to gild his legacy as the greatest footballer of his generation on Sunday, by ending Argentina's 23-year wait for a major title in a dream final against holders Chile in the Copa America Centenario. For Messi's many millions of admirers, the five-time world footballer of the year has already achieved enough in his glittering career to be considered in the same bracket as Pele and Diego Maradona. Yet the only hole in the Barcelona superstar's CV is a major tournament title with Argentina, which is invariably, and somewhat unfairly, cited as a justification to delay his elevation to football's pantheon. That could all change on Sunday before a sell-out crowd of 81,000 at East Rutherford's MetLife Stadium, the home of the NFL's New York Giants, when Argentina face the Chileans in a rematch of last year's Copa America final. It is the third final in as many years for Messi and his teammates, who suffered agonizing defeats in the 2014 World Cup final against Germany and to the Chileans on penalties in Santiago. On each occasion, Messi has borne the brunt of the backlash from critics in Argentina, who trot out a familiar laundry list of grievances. He has no passion. He doesn't sing the anthem. He doesn`t "feel" the shirt. Barely a ball had been kicked in this Copa America before Maradona, a regular sniper, accused him of lacking "personality" and "leadership." Maradona amped up the rhetoric this week shortly after Argentina booked their place in the final with a 4-0 demolition of the United States. "We will certainly win on Sunday... and if we don't win, they shouldn't come back," Maradona told an Argentinian television network. Although Messi admits that losing another final would be a "great disappointment", so far in the tournament he has shown no sign of being overburdened by pressure. After missing Argentina's opening group match - a 2-1 win over Sundayss opponents Chile -- he scored an electrifying 19-minute hat-trick against Panama after coming on as a substitute before going on to equal Gabriel Batistuta's Argentina goals record in the 4-1 quarter-final win over Venezuela. Against the US on Tuesday, he scored a magnificent curling freekick to become his country's leading international goalscorer with 55, while setting up two more goals in a magical all-round display. He even found the time to sign the shirt of an autograph-hunting fan who sprinted onto the pitch at the start of the second half. His smiling, laid back demeanor however masks a fierce determination to lift the title, revealing that Argentina have become a more formidable unit since suffering the pain of multiple final defeats. "We have grown a lot as a team in the past year, and as a result we are stronger," Messi said. "We've been in spectacular form up to now, now it's up to us to do it again on Sunday. We don`t feel any pressure; we're used to playing in finals -- unfortunately we haven`t won one yet," he added. Yet while Argentinian fans -- and many neutrals -- will be willing Messi to victory, Chile have shown that they are more than capable of pulling off another ambush. Since the opening loss to Argentina on June 6, the Chileans have improved with each game to compile their best run of results since Juan Antonio Pizzi replaced Jorge Sampaoli as manager in January. They humiliated Mexico with a 7-0 thrashing in the quarter-finals and polished off Colombia 2-0 in the semi-finals. "They are a team that presses you, and don't let you play," Messi warned on Friday. "And when they have the ball they play very well." A dynamic, combative midfield led by Bayern Munich star Arturo Vidal will ensure that Argentina`s skilled attackers such as Messi, Nicolas Gaitan and Ever Banega have nothing like the freedom to operate they have enjoyed so far. And Chile's razor sharp attack, which features tournament top scorer Eduardo Vargas (six goals) and Arsenal star Alexis Sanchez, should also pose more questions than Argentina's back four has been required to answer en route to the final. (AFP)

Messi ready for crowning glory in Copa final

Hundreds of Argentine soccer fans rallied under the pouring rain at Buenos Aires&#39; landmark obelisk on Saturday to call on national soccer star Lionel Messi to return to the team following his recent decision to leave. 
 
Messi announced last week that he would no longer play for Argentina after the side lost the Copa America final to Chile on penalty kicks. 
 
His decision caused an uproar throughout Argentina with soccer fans pleading for him to change his mind. 
 
&quot;The truth is it&#39;s very painful, what a shame. We have to encourage him and cover the mouths of everyone who criticises him,&quot; said fan Patricio Marquez. 
 
&quot;I see him play and it moves me. He must return. Sorry to get all emotional but it is what I feel. To me, he is out of this world, a god, and if he doesn&#39;t return, he is forgiven.&quot; said fan Juan Alberto Salas. 
 
Saturday&#39;s demo was organised via social media with some 70,000 &nbsp;saying they would attend, but the heavy rain affected turn-out. 
 
Messi, a five times World Player of the Year, missed Argentina&#39;s opening penalty kick in the shootout after the game ended 0-0 and he was shown in tears afterwards while sitting in the team dugout. 
 
The 29-year-old Barcelona striker has played in three Copa America finals in 2007, 2015 and 2016 and the 2014 World Cup final, and was on the losing side every time. Argentina failed to score in all four matches. 
 
Messi currently is on vacation in the Bahamas with his family. 
 
(Reuters)

'I see him play and it moves me. He must return,' a fan said.

Hundreds of Argentine soccer fans rallied under the pouring rain at Buenos Aires' landmark obelisk on Saturday to call on national soccer star Lionel Messi to return to the team following his recent decision to leave. Messi announced last week that he would no longer play for Argentina after the side lost the Copa America final to Chile on penalty kicks. His decision caused an uproar throughout Argentina with soccer fans pleading for him to change his mind. "The truth is it's very painful, what a shame. We have to encourage him and cover the mouths of everyone who criticises him," said fan Patricio Marquez. "I see him play and it moves me. He must return. Sorry to get all emotional but it is what I feel. To me, he is out of this world, a god, and if he doesn't return, he is forgiven." said fan Juan Alberto Salas. Saturday's demo was organised via social media with some 70,000 saying they would attend, but the heavy rain affected turn-out. Messi, a five times World Player of the Year, missed Argentina's opening penalty kick in the shootout after the game ended 0-0 and he was shown in tears afterwards while sitting in the team dugout. The 29-year-old Barcelona striker has played in three Copa America finals in 2007, 2015 and 2016 and the 2014 World Cup final, and was on the losing side every time. Argentina failed to score in all four matches. Messi currently is on vacation in the Bahamas with his family. (Reuters)

Argentines rally to bring Messi back to national team

Born June 24, 1987 in Rosario, Argentina. 
 
Early Career 
 
* Joined Barcelona as a 13-year-old in 2000 and shone in the youth ranks before then-coach Frank Rijkaard gave him his senior debut at the age of 16 in a friendly against Porto in 2003.&nbsp; 
 
* Made his La Liga debut in October 2004 and scored his first La Liga goal the following May in a match against Albacete at the Nou Camp.&nbsp; 
 
* Scored six goals in 17 appearances in 2005-06 as Barca won La Liga for the second year in a row but did not feature in their 2-1 victory over Arsenal in the Champions League final.&nbsp; 
 
* Messi played a key role as Barca claimed six trophies in the calendar year of 2009 including the Champions League, La Liga, the King`s Cup and the Club World Cup.&nbsp; 
 
* Won the first of four consecutive World Player of the Year awards.&nbsp; 
 
* Won La Liga again in 2010 and retained the World Player award, beating shortlisted Spanish World Cup winners and Barca team mates Andres Iniesta and Xavi.&nbsp; 
 
* Inspired Barcelona to a 3-1 win against Manchester United in the 2011 Champions League final, scoring one goal and creating another.&nbsp; 
 
* Helped Barca to a third consecutive La Liga title in 2010-11 and was on the scoresheet as they beat Santos 4-0 to win the Club World Cup.&nbsp; 
 
* While Barcelona failed to retain either La Liga or the Champions League, Messi completed 2012 with an extraordinary total of 91 goals in all competitions, a record for a calendar year.&nbsp; 
 
* He smashed the La Liga scoring record for one season in 2011-12 with 50 goals.&nbsp; 
 
* Equalled the Champions League scoring record of 71 goals set by former Real Madrid and Schalke 04 forward Raul when he struck twice against Ajax Amsterdam at the end of 2014. Has since been overtaken by current Real forward Cristiano Ronaldo.&nbsp; 
 
* Turned in a series of scintillating performances in 2014-15 as Barca romped to a treble of Champions League, La Liga and King`s Cup titles.&nbsp; 
 
* Won his eighth La Liga title and fourth Spanish Cup with Barcelona in 2015-16&nbsp; 
 
Argentina 
 
* Led Argentina to the title at the 2005 World Youth Championship, scoring two penalties in a 2-1 victory over Nigeria in the final.&nbsp; 
 
* Made his debut for the senior side in a friendly against Hungary in August 2005 but was sent off less than a minute after coming on as a substitute for elbowing an opponent who had pulled his shirt.&nbsp; 
 
* Played only a bit-part role at the 2006 World Cup. Argentina were knocked out in the quarter-finals by hosts Germany after a penalty shootout.&nbsp; 
 
* Led Argentina to &nbsp;Gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. 
 
* Part of the Argentina side coached by Diego Maradona at the 2010 World Cup that was beaten 4-0 by Germany in the quarter-finals. Messi failed to score and struggled to find his best form at the tournament in South Africa.&nbsp; 
 
* After a season disrupted by injury, captained Argentina to the final of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, where they lost 1-0 to Germany. Messi, who scored four goals at the finals, won the Golden Ball award for the tournament`s best player. 
 
* Played his second Copa America final for Argentina in Chile in 2015, losing the final on penalties to the host nation. 
 
* Scored a hat-trick in 18 minutes after coming off the bench in Argentina`s 5-0 win over Panama in the 2016 Centenary Copa America in 
Chicago. 
 
* Set a record of 55 goals for Argentina when he scored in the 4-0 win over the United States in the semi-finals. 
 
* Was on the losing side again after a penalty shootout defeat by Chile in the centenary final and said he was retiring from internationals. 
 
(Reuters)

Messi led Argentina to Gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games

Born June 24, 1987 in Rosario, Argentina. Early Career * Joined Barcelona as a 13-year-old in 2000 and shone in the youth ranks before then-coach Frank Rijkaard gave him his senior debut at the age of 16 in a friendly against Porto in 2003. * Made his La Liga debut in October 2004 and scored his first La Liga goal the following May in a match against Albacete at the Nou Camp. * Scored six goals in 17 appearances in 2005-06 as Barca won La Liga for the second year in a row but did not feature in their 2-1 victory over Arsenal in the Champions League final. * Messi played a key role as Barca claimed six trophies in the calendar year of 2009 including the Champions League, La Liga, the King`s Cup and the Club World Cup. * Won the first of four consecutive World Player of the Year awards. * Won La Liga again in 2010 and retained the World Player award, beating shortlisted Spanish World Cup winners and Barca team mates Andres Iniesta and Xavi. * Inspired Barcelona to a 3-1 win against Manchester United in the 2011 Champions League final, scoring one goal and creating another. * Helped Barca to a third consecutive La Liga title in 2010-11 and was on the scoresheet as they beat Santos 4-0 to win the Club World Cup. * While Barcelona failed to retain either La Liga or the Champions League, Messi completed 2012 with an extraordinary total of 91 goals in all competitions, a record for a calendar year. * He smashed the La Liga scoring record for one season in 2011-12 with 50 goals. * Equalled the Champions League scoring record of 71 goals set by former Real Madrid and Schalke 04 forward Raul when he struck twice against Ajax Amsterdam at the end of 2014. Has since been overtaken by current Real forward Cristiano Ronaldo. * Turned in a series of scintillating performances in 2014-15 as Barca romped to a treble of Champions League, La Liga and King`s Cup titles. * Won his eighth La Liga title and fourth Spanish Cup with Barcelona in 2015-16 Argentina * Led Argentina to the title at the 2005 World Youth Championship, scoring two penalties in a 2-1 victory over Nigeria in the final. * Made his debut for the senior side in a friendly against Hungary in August 2005 but was sent off less than a minute after coming on as a substitute for elbowing an opponent who had pulled his shirt. * Played only a bit-part role at the 2006 World Cup. Argentina were knocked out in the quarter-finals by hosts Germany after a penalty shootout. * Led Argentina to Gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. * Part of the Argentina side coached by Diego Maradona at the 2010 World Cup that was beaten 4-0 by Germany in the quarter-finals. Messi failed to score and struggled to find his best form at the tournament in South Africa. * After a season disrupted by injury, captained Argentina to the final of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, where they lost 1-0 to Germany. Messi, who scored four goals at the finals, won the Golden Ball award for the tournament`s best player. * Played his second Copa America final for Argentina in Chile in 2015, losing the final on penalties to the host nation. * Scored a hat-trick in 18 minutes after coming off the bench in Argentina`s 5-0 win over Panama in the 2016 Centenary Copa America in Chicago. * Set a record of 55 goals for Argentina when he scored in the 4-0 win over the United States in the semi-finals. * Was on the losing side again after a penalty shootout defeat by Chile in the centenary final and said he was retiring from internationals. (Reuters)

Lionel Messi: A peek into the career of La Pulga

Lionel Messi announced his retirement from international football here on Sunday after Argentina crashed to an upset defeat against Chile in the final of the Copa America. 
 
&quot;For me the national team is over. I&#39;ve done all I can, it hurts not to be a champion,&quot; the 29-year-old Barcelona superstar told reporters after his fourth defeat in a major final with Argentina. 
 
Lionel&#39;s Messi`s apparent last act in international soccer was to blast his penalty over the bar as Chile won the Copa America for the second successive year following a 4-2 penalty shootout victory over Argentina on Sunday. 
 
It was the second successive year Chile had beaten Argentina on penalties in the final. Last year&#39;s Copa America title was their first. 
Messi cut a dejected figure after Argentina&#39;s trophy drought at senior level was extended to 23 years. It was the fourth final he had lost with his country and he said later he was retiring from international soccer.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;It&#39;s tough, it`s not the time for analysis,&quot; he said. &quot;In the dressing room, I thought that this is the end for me with the national team, it&#39;s not for me. I tried so hard to be champion with Argentina. Now I am leaving without having managed it.&quot; 
 
The two sides were deadlocked 0-0 after 90 minutes and also after another half an hour of extra time in a match where both teams were reduced to 10 men in the first half. 
 
Chilean substitute Francisco Silva placed his penalty low and to the right of Sergio Romero to score the decider after Messi and Lucas Biglia missed for Argentina and Arturo Vidal missed for Chile. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s not easy to explain what happened,&quot; said Argentina coach Gerardo Martino. &quot;Argentina should have won that game. It hurts.&quot; 
 
Disappointing final 
The tension of the penalty shootout barely made up for a disappointing game with few memorable moments for the announced sellout 82,000 crowd. 
 
The bulk of first half action involved referee Heber Lopes, who sent off Chile&#39;s Marcelo Diaz on 27 minutes for a second crude challenge on Messi, before Argentina&#39;s Marcos Rojo was given a straight red for a rough tackle on Vidal about 15 minutes later. 
 
Three others were booked, including Messi for diving, in a first half that had as many cards as shots on goal. 
 
The second half provided more of the same and although Chile, who have never beaten Argentina in open play in 26 previous Copa America encounters, at least managed to call Romero into action, neither side created any clear cut chances. 
 
The 30 minutes of extra time was similar, though Vargas came close for Chile and substitute Sergio Aguero had a header tipped over by Claudio Bravo. 
 
Messi, who surpassed Gabriel Batistuta as Argentina&#39;s top scorer in the semi-final against the United States, was heavily marked and had few chances to show his brilliance. 
 
The tournament was played in the US for the first time to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the inaugural competition and expanded to include six teams from North and Central America along with the 10 from South America. 
 
(AFP and Reuters)

Lionel announces he's leaving after losing to Chile in the Copa final, his fourth defeat in a major final with Argentina

Lionel Messi announced his retirement from international football here on Sunday after Argentina crashed to an upset defeat against Chile in the final of the Copa America. "For me the national team is over. I've done all I can, it hurts not to be a champion," the 29-year-old Barcelona superstar told reporters after his fourth defeat in a major final with Argentina. Lionel's Messi`s apparent last act in international soccer was to blast his penalty over the bar as Chile won the Copa America for the second successive year following a 4-2 penalty shootout victory over Argentina on Sunday. It was the second successive year Chile had beaten Argentina on penalties in the final. Last year's Copa America title was their first. Messi cut a dejected figure after Argentina's trophy drought at senior level was extended to 23 years. It was the fourth final he had lost with his country and he said later he was retiring from international soccer. "It's tough, it`s not the time for analysis," he said. "In the dressing room, I thought that this is the end for me with the national team, it's not for me. I tried so hard to be champion with Argentina. Now I am leaving without having managed it." The two sides were deadlocked 0-0 after 90 minutes and also after another half an hour of extra time in a match where both teams were reduced to 10 men in the first half. Chilean substitute Francisco Silva placed his penalty low and to the right of Sergio Romero to score the decider after Messi and Lucas Biglia missed for Argentina and Arturo Vidal missed for Chile. "It's not easy to explain what happened," said Argentina coach Gerardo Martino. "Argentina should have won that game. It hurts." Disappointing final The tension of the penalty shootout barely made up for a disappointing game with few memorable moments for the announced sellout 82,000 crowd. The bulk of first half action involved referee Heber Lopes, who sent off Chile's Marcelo Diaz on 27 minutes for a second crude challenge on Messi, before Argentina's Marcos Rojo was given a straight red for a rough tackle on Vidal about 15 minutes later. Three others were booked, including Messi for diving, in a first half that had as many cards as shots on goal. The second half provided more of the same and although Chile, who have never beaten Argentina in open play in 26 previous Copa America encounters, at least managed to call Romero into action, neither side created any clear cut chances. The 30 minutes of extra time was similar, though Vargas came close for Chile and substitute Sergio Aguero had a header tipped over by Claudio Bravo. Messi, who surpassed Gabriel Batistuta as Argentina's top scorer in the semi-final against the United States, was heavily marked and had few chances to show his brilliance. The tournament was played in the US for the first time to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the inaugural competition and expanded to include six teams from North and Central America along with the 10 from South America. (AFP and Reuters)

Messi says it's over, retires from international football

Lionel Messi marked his comeback from a short-lived international retirement with a goal that gave Argentina a 1-0 win over Uruguay on Thursday and lifted them to the top of the South American qualifying group for the 2018 World Cup finals in Russia. 
 
Messi scored the goal three minutes before half-time while he was surrounded by defenders, his shot from outside the box took a deflection off Jose Maria Gimenez and wrong-footed goalkeeper Fernando Muslera. 
 
Uruguay, who had spent virtually the entire first half defending, took the game to Argentina in the second but hardly troubled goalkeeper Sergio Romero. Their only chance came in the 34th minute when Suarez&rsquo;s long-range free kick beat the Argentine wall only to be gathered safely by Romero. 
 
Messi had dramatically announced the end of his international career in June following Argentina&#39;s Copa America Centenario final defeat to Chile. 
 
Argentina&rsquo;s &nbsp;victory is &nbsp;the first under new coach Bauza but it was a tough one. 
 
The team played &nbsp;the second half with only 10 men after Juventus striker Paulo Dybala was sent off just before halftime after a second yellow card. 
 
(WION with inputs from agencies) 
 
&nbsp;
&nbsp;

They go top of the South American qualifying group for the 2018 World Cup finals in Russia

Lionel Messi marked his comeback from a short-lived international retirement with a goal that gave Argentina a 1-0 win over Uruguay on Thursday and lifted them to the top of the South American qualifying group for the 2018 World Cup finals in Russia. Messi scored the goal three minutes before half-time while he was surrounded by defenders, his shot from outside the box took a deflection off Jose Maria Gimenez and wrong-footed goalkeeper Fernando Muslera. Uruguay, who had spent virtually the entire first half defending, took the game to Argentina in the second but hardly troubled goalkeeper Sergio Romero. Their only chance came in the 34th minute when Suarez’s long-range free kick beat the Argentine wall only to be gathered safely by Romero. Messi had dramatically announced the end of his international career in June following Argentina's Copa America Centenario final defeat to Chile. Argentina’s victory is the first under new coach Bauza but it was a tough one. The team played the second half with only 10 men after Juventus striker Paulo Dybala was sent off just before halftime after a second yellow card. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Messi returns, scores to give Argentina 1-0 win over Uruguay

Barcelona have launched a campaign in support of Lionel Messi and his father Jorge after the Argentine pair were sentenced to prison terms this week over tax fraud. 
 
The campaign, under the hashtag #WeAreAllLeoMessi, asks Barcelona fans to &quot;express their sympathy for the greatest footballer in the world by voicing their unconditional support on social networks.&quot; 
 
Messi, 29, has played his entire club career for Barcelona. 
 
&quot;We want Leo to know that he is not alone,&quot; the club said on their website (www.cfbarcelona.com). &quot;All members, supporters clubs, fans, athletes, media and everyone else are invited to participate.&quot; 
 
Club president Josep Maria Bartomeu also tweeted: &quot;Leo, those who attack you are attacking Barca and its history. We&rsquo;ll defend you to the end. Together forever!&quot; 
 
A Barcelona city court sentenced Messi and his father on Wednesday to prison terms of 21 months after they were found guilty of three counts of tax fraud, although it is unlikely they will spend time behind bars. 
 
Spanish law is such that any sentence under two years for a non-violent crime rarely requires a defendant without previous convictions to serve jail time and a spokeswoman for the court confirmed Messi was unlikely to be imprisoned. 
 
It is the second campaign in support of Messi in the last two weeks. 
 
Argentines have called on him to reverse his retirement from international football, a decision he took after his country&#39;s loss on penalties to Chile in the Copa America Centenario final in the United States on June 26. 
 
It was the fourth final in a major international tournament and third as Argentina captain that Messi has been on the losing side, including the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. 
 
(Reuters)

Under the hashtag #WeAreAllLeoMessi, the campaign asks Barcelona fans to voice their support 'for the greatest footballer in the world'

Barcelona have launched a campaign in support of Lionel Messi and his father Jorge after the Argentine pair were sentenced to prison terms this week over tax fraud. The campaign, under the hashtag #WeAreAllLeoMessi, asks Barcelona fans to "express their sympathy for the greatest footballer in the world by voicing their unconditional support on social networks." Messi, 29, has played his entire club career for Barcelona. "We want Leo to know that he is not alone," the club said on their website (www.cfbarcelona.com). "All members, supporters clubs, fans, athletes, media and everyone else are invited to participate." Club president Josep Maria Bartomeu also tweeted: "Leo, those who attack you are attacking Barca and its history. We’ll defend you to the end. Together forever!" A Barcelona city court sentenced Messi and his father on Wednesday to prison terms of 21 months after they were found guilty of three counts of tax fraud, although it is unlikely they will spend time behind bars. Spanish law is such that any sentence under two years for a non-violent crime rarely requires a defendant without previous convictions to serve jail time and a spokeswoman for the court confirmed Messi was unlikely to be imprisoned. It is the second campaign in support of Messi in the last two weeks. Argentines have called on him to reverse his retirement from international football, a decision he took after his country's loss on penalties to Chile in the Copa America Centenario final in the United States on June 26. It was the fourth final in a major international tournament and third as Argentina captain that Messi has been on the losing side, including the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. (Reuters)

Barcelona launch campaign backing sentenced Messi

Argentina&rsquo;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&rsquo;s South American 2018 World Cup qualifiers. 
 
Bauza was named yesterday to replace Gerardo Martino, who resigned a month ago after steering Messi&rsquo;s side to two successive Copa America finals which ended in penalty shootout defeats to Chile. 
 
The more recent of those results in the Copa America Centenario in the United States in June led to Messi deciding to quit the team. It was his fourth defeat in a major final with Argentina. 
 
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m optimistic about Messi,&rdquo; Bauza said. &ldquo;I hope the chat with him will help for him to carry on in the national team. I want to explain to Messi what my (tactical) idea is. The least of my worries is his position on the pitch,&rdquo; Bauza was quoted as saying in the Argentine daily La Nacion today. 
 
&ldquo;There&rsquo;s no need to convince Messi of anything, the plan is to talk about football,&rdquo; said Bauza, speaking in Brazil where he has coached Sao Paulo for eight months. Bauza, who quit his job with Sao Paulo to accept the Argentina vacancy and will sign his contract in Buenos Aires on Friday, has only a couple of weeks to decide on his squad for qualifiers at home to Uruguay and away to Venezuela in the first week of September. 
 
&ldquo;There isn&rsquo;t much time. My first squad won&rsquo;t have many changes but I want to talk with five or six of the leading players,&rdquo; Bauza said, no doubt referring to the likes of Javier Mascherano, Angel Di Maria and Gonzalo Higuain. He also opened the door for Carlos Tevez, overlooked by Martino since a World Cup qualifier against Paraguay in Asuncion last October where he won his 76th cap. 
 
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m thinking of Tevez as I am about other players ... Tevez is a player good enough for the national team,&rdquo; Bauza said. Bauza, a former central defender, rejected a tag as a defensive coach, saying: &quot;I&rsquo;m one of those who think that all (the team) have to defend. Football today is like that. 
 
&quot;You can defend in your opponents&rsquo; half if the pressure is high (up the field) but it&rsquo;s easier when you have players of the quality of the Argentina team. The options they offer you are many.&quot; 
 
Argentina are third in the 10-nation South American World Cup qualifying group with 11 points from six matches, two points behind leading pair Uruguay and Ecuador. The top four teams after 18 matches go through to the Russia finals while the fifth-placed team goes into an intercontinental playoff for one more berth. 
 
(Reuters)

'I hope the chat with him (Messi) will help for him to carry on in the national team,' Edgardo Bauza said today

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 yesterday 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. The more recent of those results in the Copa America Centenario in the United States in June led to Messi deciding to quit the team. It was his fourth defeat in a major final with Argentina. “I’m optimistic about Messi,” Bauza said. “I hope the chat with him will help for him to carry on in the national team. I want to explain to Messi what my (tactical) idea is. The least of my worries is his position on the pitch,” Bauza was quoted as saying in the Argentine daily La Nacion today. “There’s no need to convince Messi of anything, the plan is to talk about football,” said Bauza, speaking in Brazil where he has coached Sao Paulo for eight months. Bauza, who quit his job with Sao Paulo to accept the Argentina vacancy and will sign his contract in Buenos Aires on Friday, has only a couple of weeks to decide on his squad for qualifiers at home to Uruguay and away to Venezuela in the first week of September. “There isn’t much time. My first squad won’t have many changes but I want to talk with five or six of the leading players,” Bauza said, no doubt referring to the likes of Javier Mascherano, Angel Di Maria and Gonzalo Higuain. He also opened the door for Carlos Tevez, overlooked by Martino since a World Cup qualifier against Paraguay in Asuncion last October where he won his 76th cap. “I’m thinking of Tevez as I am about other players ... Tevez is a player good enough for the national team,” Bauza said. Bauza, a former central defender, rejected a tag as a defensive coach, saying: "I’m one of those who think that all (the team) have to defend. Football today is like that. "You can defend in your opponents’ half if the pressure is high (up the field) but it’s easier when you have players of the quality of the Argentina team. The options they offer you are many." Argentina are third in the 10-nation South American World Cup qualifying group with 11 points from six matches, two points behind leading pair Uruguay and Ecuador. The top four teams after 18 matches go through to the Russia finals while the fifth-placed team goes into an intercontinental playoff for one more berth. (Reuters)

Argentina's new coach plans to woo Messi back from retirement

President Mauricio Macri on Saturday defended his move to hike Argentinas energy rates as a &quot;painful&quot; but necessary part of fixing the economy after years of mismanagement under his leftist predecessor. 
 
Macri&#39;s remarks came two days after an Argentine court halted price increases for gas and electricity, hurting his drive to narrow the fiscal deficit by cutting energy subsidies. 
 
The dispute will likely end up in the Supreme Court. 
 
&quot;If there had been an alternative I would have taken it, but there was no alternative,&quot; 
 
Macri said in a speech marking the countrys bicentennial independence day celebration. 
 
Macri cut energy subsidies and hiked power rates in January shortly after taking office, saying that frozen tariffs during the government of former President Cristina Fernandez had left the grid on the brink of collapse. 
 
Macri said the decision, which raised tariffs by more than 1,000 percent in some places, &quot;still pains me.&quot; 
 
&quot;All transitions are hard. We took over a country beaten down by lies and corruption,&quot; Macri said from the northern province of Tucuman, the cradle of Argentinas independence. 
 
&quot;Lets learn to consume the least amount of energy possible,&quot; 
 
Macri added, touting the environmental benefits of doing so. 
 
Macri, who assumed power in December, promised to double down on efforts to slow inflation while pulling the economy out of recession. 
 
He asked Argentines celebrating their countrys bicentennial for patience. 
 
&quot;Seven months is nothing out of 200 years,&quot; Macri said. 
 
(Reuters)

Macri?had cut?energy subsidies and hiked power rates only a month after taking office but a court recently halted the price increase

President Mauricio Macri on Saturday defended his move to hike Argentinas energy rates as a "painful" but necessary part of fixing the economy after years of mismanagement under his leftist predecessor. Macri's remarks came two days after an Argentine court halted price increases for gas and electricity, hurting his drive to narrow the fiscal deficit by cutting energy subsidies. The dispute will likely end up in the Supreme Court. "If there had been an alternative I would have taken it, but there was no alternative," Macri said in a speech marking the countrys bicentennial independence day celebration. Macri cut energy subsidies and hiked power rates in January shortly after taking office, saying that frozen tariffs during the government of former President Cristina Fernandez had left the grid on the brink of collapse. Macri said the decision, which raised tariffs by more than 1,000 percent in some places, "still pains me." "All transitions are hard. We took over a country beaten down by lies and corruption," Macri said from the northern province of Tucuman, the cradle of Argentinas independence. "Lets learn to consume the least amount of energy possible," Macri added, touting the environmental benefits of doing so. Macri, who assumed power in December, promised to double down on efforts to slow inflation while pulling the economy out of recession. He asked Argentines celebrating their countrys bicentennial for patience. "Seven months is nothing out of 200 years," Macri said. (Reuters)

Argentina's Macri defends energy rate hikes after court injunction

Argentina President Mauricio Macri has personally contacted star striker Lionel Messi and urged him not to call it quits on the national team. 
 
Twenty-nine-year-old Messi announced his retirement from international football after missing his spot-kick in the decisive shootout, as Argentina once again lost to Chile for a second straight year in the Copa America final at Met Life Stadium, the United States on Sunday. 
 
According to the goal.com, Macri said that he was really proud of the national team&#39;s performance and requested the Barcelona star ignore the criticism. The Argentina President also took to micro-blogging website Twitter, asking Messi not to leave the team.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;I never feel greater pride in our team. I hope the joy of seeing the best in the world will continue for many years more. #NoTeVayasLio,&quot; he tweeted. 
 
Meanwhile, Legendary Argentina footballer Diego Maradona also appealed to the Barcelona talisman to reconsider his retirement plans for the national team&#39;s benefit. &quot;He has to rely more on boys who can help take the team forward and less on those who say they have to go. Those who are saying he should quit are doing it so that we won&#39;t see what a disaster Argentine football has become,&quot; Maradona said. 
 
Following the 4-2 loss on penalties, a visibly distraught Messi said that it hurts not to be a champion despite reaching four finals before adding that &quot;The national team is over for me&quot;. 
 
Despite winning eight La Liga titles and four Champions Leagues with Barcelona, Messi&#39;s only major international honour is Olympic gold at the 2008 Games. In addition to losing three Copa America finals (2007, 2015, 2016), Messi&#39;s Argentina were beaten by Germany in the 2014 World Cup final. 
 
(ANI)&nbsp;

Legendary Argentina footballer Diego Maradona also appealed to the Barcelona star to reconsider his retirement plans

Argentina President Mauricio Macri has personally contacted star striker Lionel Messi and urged him not to call it quits on the national team. Twenty-nine-year-old Messi announced his retirement from international football after missing his spot-kick in the decisive shootout, as Argentina once again lost to Chile for a second straight year in the Copa America final at Met Life Stadium, the United States on Sunday. According to the goal.com, Macri said that he was really proud of the national team's performance and requested the Barcelona star ignore the criticism. The Argentina President also took to micro-blogging website Twitter, asking Messi not to leave the team. "I never feel greater pride in our team. I hope the joy of seeing the best in the world will continue for many years more. #NoTeVayasLio," he tweeted. Meanwhile, Legendary Argentina footballer Diego Maradona also appealed to the Barcelona talisman to reconsider his retirement plans for the national team's benefit. "He has to rely more on boys who can help take the team forward and less on those who say they have to go. Those who are saying he should quit are doing it so that we won't see what a disaster Argentine football has become," Maradona said. Following the 4-2 loss on penalties, a visibly distraught Messi said that it hurts not to be a champion despite reaching four finals before adding that "The national team is over for me". Despite winning eight La Liga titles and four Champions Leagues with Barcelona, Messi's only major international honour is Olympic gold at the 2008 Games. In addition to losing three Copa America finals (2007, 2015, 2016), Messi's Argentina were beaten by Germany in the 2014 World Cup final. (ANI)

Argentina President urges Messi not to call it quits

&nbsp;As she has done for most of the past 18 summers, Venus Williams on Monday took a large, languid stride into the second round of Wimbledon. 
 
The oldest woman in the main singles draw, five-times champion Williams was at times sublime as she beat Croatian Donna Vekic 7-6(3) 6-4 on a sunny Court One. 
 
While the full Williams armoury had been on display, it was her mental strength which stood out -- perhaps no surprise given she is playing her 71st grand slam singles tournament, a record among current female players. 
 
Vekic produced startling groundstrokes at times, but eighth seed Williams maintained her composure, increasing the pressure when things got tight as her opponent wilted in the spotlight. 
 
There cannot be too many grand slam years left for Williams, who celebrated her 36th birthday this month, but she showed more than enough on Day One to suggest she could again go deep in her favourite major. 
 
(Reuters)

Donna Vekic produced startling groundstrokes, but eighth seed Williams beat her by 7-6(3) 6-4

As she has done for most of the past 18 summers, Venus Williams on Monday took a large, languid stride into the second round of Wimbledon. The oldest woman in the main singles draw, five-times champion Williams was at times sublime as she beat Croatian Donna Vekic 7-6(3) 6-4 on a sunny Court One. While the full Williams armoury had been on display, it was her mental strength which stood out -- perhaps no surprise given she is playing her 71st grand slam singles tournament, a record among current female players. Vekic produced startling groundstrokes at times, but eighth seed Williams maintained her composure, increasing the pressure when things got tight as her opponent wilted in the spotlight. There cannot be too many grand slam years left for Williams, who celebrated her 36th birthday this month, but she showed more than enough on Day One to suggest she could again go deep in her favourite major. (Reuters)

Venus vaults Vekic at Wimbledon

World number one Novak Djokovic and 17-time major winner Roger Federer get Wimbledon under way today with history beckoning for the two Grand Slam A-listers. 
 
Top seed Djokovic is halfway to the first calendar Grand Slam since 1969 after ending his agonising wait for a maiden French Open crown earlier this month. 
 
The 29-year-old defending champion currently holds all four majors and if he wins a third successive Wimbledon title and fourth in all, he will become just the second man in history to win five successive Slams. 
 
Only Don Budge, who won six straight from 1937 Wimbledon to the 1938 US Championships, has achieved the feat. 
 
Djokovic is such a hot favourite to triumph on July 10 that women&#39;s champion Serena Williams is already tipping the Serb for more greatness. 
 
&quot;I think he&#39;ll get it easy,&quot; said the American who will begin her bid for an Open era record-equalling 22nd Grand Slam on Tuesday. 
 
Djokovic has won six of the last eight Grand Slams, taking him to a career tally of 12 - within two of Rafael Nadal`s mark and five behind Federer`s record. 
 
Djokovic takes on British wild card James Ward in the opening match on Centre Court. 
 
Ward, the 29-year-old son of a London taxi driver, is ranked at 177 in the world and made the third round last year with Australian coach Darren Tandy. 
 
But Tandy was diagnosed with cancer of the colon later in the year and died on Christmas Eve. 
 
&quot;It`s been a tough time. Obviously the end of last year was very difficult,&quot; Ward told the Press Association. 
 
&quot;He was my tennis coach so every time I play tennis it reminds me of him.&quot; 
 
Federer, whose last major triumph was at Wimbledon in 2012 when he won his seventh title at the All England Club, against Argentina`s world number 51 Guido Pella. 
 
Federer, 34, has been runner-up to Djokovic for the last two years and is attempting to become the oldest ever Wimbledon champion in modern times. 
 
But the Swiss has been dogged by knee and back problems this year and his injury-enforced withdrawal from the French Open ended his streak of 65 successive Grand Slam appearances stretching back to 1999. 
 
He has since suffered semi-final losses on grass at Stuttgart and Halle, the last of which against Alexander Zverev was his first against a teenager in 10 years. 
 
Federer`s failure to win a title in 2016 means he will enter Wimbledon on his longest trophy drought since 2000.&quot;Clearly I`m not thinking of the title right away,&quot; said the Swiss when asked to assess his chances. 
 
&quot;Novak or Andy (Murray) are the big favourites.&quot; 
 
Pella, 26, was forced to retire from his first round match on his Wimbledon debut in 2013 while he fell in qualifying last year. 
 
The Centre Court programme also sees women`s second seed and French Open champion Garbine Muguruza taking on Camila Giorgi, the world number 68 from Italy. 
 
Muguruza was runner-up to Williams last year. Giorgi reached the fourth round in 2012. 
 
On Court One, 36-year-old Venus Williams, seeded eighth and a five-time champion, takes on Croatia`s Donna Vekic. 
 
Japanese fifth seed Kei Nishikori, who has yet to get beyond the fourth round, takes on big-serving Australian Sam Groth. 
 
Australian Open champion Angelique Kerber faces Britain`s Laura Robson in the same arena. 
 
Canadian sixth seed Milos Raonic, with John McEnroe in his corner, meets Spain`s Pablo Carreno Busta as he looks to improve on his 2014 semi-final showing. 
 
Meanwhile, armed police will patrol the tournament, both inside and outside the grounds while organisers have also increased the numbers of their private security staff. 
 
Armed officers were also used at Wimbledon last year but on a lower scale on the 10th anniversary of the 7/7 attacks in London. 
 
&quot;(There will be) significant numbers of officers patrolling the local area, firearms officers and a highly mobile reserve that can respond to emerging incidents,&quot; said a police spokesman. 
 
&quot;Officers will be working in uniform and in plain clothes during the event.&quot; 
 
Rain is also expected in the first week but forecasters are confident showers will pass by the time play gets under way. 
 
(AFP)

Roger Federer has been runner-up to Djokovic for the Past two years and is attempting to become the oldest ever Wimbledon champion

World number one Novak Djokovic and 17-time major winner Roger Federer get Wimbledon under way today with history beckoning for the two Grand Slam A-listers. Top seed Djokovic is halfway to the first calendar Grand Slam since 1969 after ending his agonising wait for a maiden French Open crown earlier this month. The 29-year-old defending champion currently holds all four majors and if he wins a third successive Wimbledon title and fourth in all, he will become just the second man in history to win five successive Slams. Only Don Budge, who won six straight from 1937 Wimbledon to the 1938 US Championships, has achieved the feat. Djokovic is such a hot favourite to triumph on July 10 that women's champion Serena Williams is already tipping the Serb for more greatness. "I think he'll get it easy," said the American who will begin her bid for an Open era record-equalling 22nd Grand Slam on Tuesday. Djokovic has won six of the last eight Grand Slams, taking him to a career tally of 12 - within two of Rafael Nadal`s mark and five behind Federer`s record. Djokovic takes on British wild card James Ward in the opening match on Centre Court. Ward, the 29-year-old son of a London taxi driver, is ranked at 177 in the world and made the third round last year with Australian coach Darren Tandy. But Tandy was diagnosed with cancer of the colon later in the year and died on Christmas Eve. "It`s been a tough time. Obviously the end of last year was very difficult," Ward told the Press Association. "He was my tennis coach so every time I play tennis it reminds me of him." Federer, whose last major triumph was at Wimbledon in 2012 when he won his seventh title at the All England Club, against Argentina`s world number 51 Guido Pella. Federer, 34, has been runner-up to Djokovic for the last two years and is attempting to become the oldest ever Wimbledon champion in modern times. But the Swiss has been dogged by knee and back problems this year and his injury-enforced withdrawal from the French Open ended his streak of 65 successive Grand Slam appearances stretching back to 1999. He has since suffered semi-final losses on grass at Stuttgart and Halle, the last of which against Alexander Zverev was his first against a teenager in 10 years. Federer`s failure to win a title in 2016 means he will enter Wimbledon on his longest trophy drought since 2000."Clearly I`m not thinking of the title right away," said the Swiss when asked to assess his chances. "Novak or Andy (Murray) are the big favourites." Pella, 26, was forced to retire from his first round match on his Wimbledon debut in 2013 while he fell in qualifying last year. The Centre Court programme also sees women`s second seed and French Open champion Garbine Muguruza taking on Camila Giorgi, the world number 68 from Italy. Muguruza was runner-up to Williams last year. Giorgi reached the fourth round in 2012. On Court One, 36-year-old Venus Williams, seeded eighth and a five-time champion, takes on Croatia`s Donna Vekic. Japanese fifth seed Kei Nishikori, who has yet to get beyond the fourth round, takes on big-serving Australian Sam Groth. Australian Open champion Angelique Kerber faces Britain`s Laura Robson in the same arena. Canadian sixth seed Milos Raonic, with John McEnroe in his corner, meets Spain`s Pablo Carreno Busta as he looks to improve on his 2014 semi-final showing. Meanwhile, armed police will patrol the tournament, both inside and outside the grounds while organisers have also increased the numbers of their private security staff. Armed officers were also used at Wimbledon last year but on a lower scale on the 10th anniversary of the 7/7 attacks in London. "(There will be) significant numbers of officers patrolling the local area, firearms officers and a highly mobile reserve that can respond to emerging incidents," said a police spokesman. "Officers will be working in uniform and in plain clothes during the event." Rain is also expected in the first week but forecasters are confident showers will pass by the time play gets under way. (AFP)

History on line as Djokovic, Federer get Wimbledon under way

It was not quite the triple bagel that Novak Djokovic was aiming for during the opening 41 minutes of his first-round match, but the Serbian is unlikely to be too disappointed after he beat Britain&#39;s James Ward 6-0 7-6(3) 6-4 at Wimbledon today. 
 
The holder of all four grand slam titles appeared to be hurtling towards his 29th successive win at a major when he opened his Wimbledon defence by jumping out to a 6-0 3-0 lead. 
 
But Ward, the son of a London black cab driver, did not want to make a quick getaway on his Centre Court debut and held both arms aloft after finally getting a game against his name on the scoreboard. 
 
The 177th-ranked wildcard went on a roll as he won three games on the trot but despite his fightback, he simply did not have enough weapons to stop Djokovic from setting up a second- round showdown with Frenchman Adrian Mannarino. 
 
(Reuters)

Britain's James Ward, despite his fightback, did not have enough weapons to stop Djokovic from setting up a second-round showdown

It was not quite the triple bagel that Novak Djokovic was aiming for during the opening 41 minutes of his first-round match, but the Serbian is unlikely to be too disappointed after he beat Britain's James Ward 6-0 7-6(3) 6-4 at Wimbledon today. The holder of all four grand slam titles appeared to be hurtling towards his 29th successive win at a major when he opened his Wimbledon defence by jumping out to a 6-0 3-0 lead. But Ward, the son of a London black cab driver, did not want to make a quick getaway on his Centre Court debut and held both arms aloft after finally getting a game against his name on the scoreboard. The 177th-ranked wildcard went on a roll as he won three games on the trot but despite his fightback, he simply did not have enough weapons to stop Djokovic from setting up a second- round showdown with Frenchman Adrian Mannarino. (Reuters)

Djokovic beats Ward by 6-0 7-6 6-4, makes solid start to Wimbledon title defence

<div style="text-align: justify;">Diego Maradona has offered to support new FIFA chief Gianni Infantino&#39;s bid to improve the running of football in Argentina. 
Speaking upon his arrival in Buenos Aires on Tuesday, the Argentine legend said: &quot;I&#39;m not going to be a FIFA observer, I&#39;m coming to collaborate directly with Gianni Infantino. 
&quot;I&#39;m not going to arrive at AFA (the Argentine Federation) to drop a bomb and start everything again from zero. On the contrary, I want Argentine football to become strong again, as it&#39;s always been, but with transparency.&quot; 
Elected in February to succeed Sepp Blatter, Infantino &quot;had a very positive and constructive meeting&quot; with Maradona in Paris on June 10, a FIFA spokesperson told AFP. 
&quot;It is important that true legends of the game like Diego Maradona are interested in the future of the game and involve themselves in the promotion and development of football.&quot; 
Maradona, who starred in Argentina&#39;s 1986 World Cup triumph, has often in the past been critical of world football authorities, last year saying Blatter had made a &quot;disgrace&quot; of the game. 
&quot;This was another step in implementing the FIFA President&#39;s vision to reconnect FIFA with the players who have made the history of the game,&quot; the FIFA spokesperson added. 
&quot;FIFA is committed to help and assist find a sustainable solution for the governance of Argentinian football. And Diego Maradona has offered his support.&quot; 
A joint FIFA and South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) mission is presently visiting Argentina. 
The Argentina Football Association (AFA) has been left reeling following the death of long-time president Julio Grondona in 2014, which unleashed an internal power struggle, and the FIFA corruption scandal, which implicated several figures in the world of Argentine football. 
AFA is also under investigation for suspected misuse of millions of dollars it received from the Argentine government under a programme called Football for All, in which matches were broadcast for free. (AFP)</div>

Says he wants Argentine football to become strong again, 'but with transparency'

Diego Maradona has offered to support new FIFA chief Gianni Infantino's bid to improve the running of football in Argentina. Speaking upon his arrival in Buenos Aires on Tuesday, the Argentine legend said: "I'm not going to be a FIFA observer, I'm coming to collaborate directly with Gianni Infantino. "I'm not going to arrive at AFA (the Argentine Federation) to drop a bomb and start everything again from zero. On the contrary, I want Argentine football to become strong again, as it's always been, but with transparency." Elected in February to succeed Sepp Blatter, Infantino "had a very positive and constructive meeting" with Maradona in Paris on June 10, a FIFA spokesperson told AFP. "It is important that true legends of the game like Diego Maradona are interested in the future of the game and involve themselves in the promotion and development of football." Maradona, who starred in Argentina's 1986 World Cup triumph, has often in the past been critical of world football authorities, last year saying Blatter had made a "disgrace" of the game. "This was another step in implementing the FIFA President's vision to reconnect FIFA with the players who have made the history of the game," the FIFA spokesperson added. "FIFA is committed to help and assist find a sustainable solution for the governance of Argentinian football. And Diego Maradona has offered his support." A joint FIFA and South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) mission is presently visiting Argentina. The Argentina Football Association (AFA) has been left reeling following the death of long-time president Julio Grondona in 2014, which unleashed an internal power struggle, and the FIFA corruption scandal, which implicated several figures in the world of Argentine football. AFA is also under investigation for suspected misuse of millions of dollars it received from the Argentine government under a programme called Football for All, in which matches were broadcast for free. (AFP)

Maradona offers to help new FIFA chief improve running of game in Argentina

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