Connect with us

Sports

Messi to Be Rested for FIFA World Cup Qualifiers Against Brazil and Uruguay Due to Discomfort

Published

on

Argentina has decided to rest Lionel Messi for their upcoming FIFA World Cup qualifying matches, a decision confirmed by head coach Lionel Scaloni during the announcement of the 26-man squad on Monday. Paulo Dybala will also miss his third consecutive appearance for the national team due to injury.

Messi recently missed three league matches with Inter Miami attributed to ‘fatigue’ but returned during the 2-1 victory over Atlanta United on Monday (IST). Javier Mascherano, the coach of Inter Miami, clarified that Messi is not injured; he was rested as a safety measure, though he is now reportedly experiencing some discomfort.


So far, Argentina has accumulated the highest points after each match day, with goal difference being the only factor preventing them from leading the table since the beginning of the qualifiers. Despite this, Lionel Scaloni’s team has secured the top position after the third round of fixtures and has maintained it ever since.

Advertisement

Following their Copa America victory, Argentina experienced two defeats in this qualification campaign—against Colombia and Paraguay—and dropped points with a draw against Venezuela, all of which occurred in away matches while Messi was sidelined with injury.

Nonetheless, this setback hasn’t significantly impacted their campaign, as they maintain a five-point lead over second-placed Uruguay, with only three points separating second and sixth place in the standings.

With seventh-placed Bolivia able to collect a maximum of 31 points, Argentina needs just seven points from the available 18 to secure their automatic qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Their challenge lies in the fact that their next two matches are against South American powerhouses Uruguay (March 21) and Brazil (March 25).

Argentina squad:

Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa), Geronimo Rulli (Marseille Olympique), Walter Benítez (PSV Eindhoven), Nahuel Molina (Atletico de Madrid), Juan Foyth (Villarreal), Cristian Romero (Tottenham Hotspur), German Pezzella (River Plate), Leonardo Balerdi (Marseille Olympique), Nicolas Otamendi (Benfica), Facundo Medina (Racing Club de Lens), Nicolas Tagliafico (Olympique de Lyon), Leandro Paredes (AS Roma), Enzo Fernández (Chelsea), Rodrigo De Paul (Atletico de Madrid), Exequiel Palacios (Bayer 04 Leverkusen), Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool), Máximo Perrone (Like 1907), Giuliano Simeone (Atlético de Madrid), Benjamin Domínguez (Bologna FC), Thiago Almada (Olympique de Lyon), Nicolas Gonzalez (Juventus), Angel Correa (Atletico de Madrid), Nicolas Paz (Like 1907), Julian Alvarez (Atlético de Madrid), Lautaro Martínez (Inter Milan), Santiago Castro (Bologna FC).

Advertisement

Continue Reading
Advertisement
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Sports

Tim David Faces Criticism for Obscene Celebration against Mumbai Indians

Published

on

IPL 2026 : In a dramatic IPL 2026 clash, Royal Challengers Bengaluru player Tim David has landed in controversy for allegedly making an obscene gesture after his team’s thrilling win against Mumbai Indians.

The incident took place during the 54th match of the Indian Premier League in Raipur. Batting first, Mumbai Indians scored 167 runs in 20 overs and set a competitive target for RCB.

While chasing the target, Royal Challengers Bengaluru needed 15 runs in the final over. The match went down to the last ball, where RCB required two runs for victory. Rasikh Dar helped the team secure a thrilling win in the final delivery.

Soon after the victory, Tim David, who was in the dugout, was seen allegedly showing his middle finger towards the Mumbai Indians camp during the celebrations. The video of the incident quickly went viral on social media and triggered criticism from cricket fans.

Reports suggest that match officials could take disciplinary action against the Australian batter. Under the ICC Code of Conduct, obscene or offensive gestures are considered a serious offence.

Advertisement

Such behaviour usually falls under Level 1 or Level 2 breaches of the ICC rules. Players found guilty can face fines ranging from 50 percent to 100 percent of their match fees. Demerit points may also be added to their disciplinary record. Repeated offences can even lead to suspension from matches.

READ MORE :Dalit Woman Found Dead After Three Days of Missing

Similar incidents have happened in the past as well. In 2012, Virat Kohli was fined 50 percent of his match fee for showing the middle finger to spectators during a match in Sydney.

Cricket is widely known as a “gentleman’s game,” and players are expected to maintain discipline and respect on the field. Tim David’s celebration has now sparked debate among fans and experts about sportsmanship in modern cricket.

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Sports

Pooran Super over Call Sparks Criticism

Published

on

Sports: Lucknow Super Giants’ captain Rishabh Pant faced criticism after a failed Super Over decision against Kolkata Knight Riders. LSG sent Nicholas Pooran and Aiden Markram to bat, with Pooran on strike against Sunil Narine.

Pooran was bowled on the first ball, leading to heavy criticism from fans. Many questioned the decision, especially because Narine had earlier troubled Pooran in a past Super Over.

LSG coach Justin Langer defended the move. He said the team trusted Pooran as he has faced Narine many times and has a strong record against him. He added that teams must back their best players even in difficult moments.

Langer also said Pooran is one of the best T20 players in recent years but is currently low on confidence. He assured that the team is working hard to help him regain form

READ MORE :Indian Student in Canada Shares Struggle of Balancing Studies and Work

Despite being at the bottom of the table, LSG remains hopeful. Langer said the team will use the break to improve and aim to win their remaining matches.

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Sports

King Kohli Creates Two Records in One Match

Published

on

Bengaluru: Virat Kohli made history in a match at the Chinnaswamy Stadium against Gujarat Titans. He achieved two big records in a single game.

Kohli became the first player in Indian Premier League history to hit 800 boundaries. He now has 807 fours. Shikhar Dhawan is second with 768, followed by David Warner and Rohit Sharma.

He also became the third player to hit 300 sixes in IPL. He reached this mark with his first six in the match. Chris Gayle leads with 357 sixes, while Rohit Sharma has 310.

WATCH VIDEO :

Kohli scored 81 runs from 44 balls. He hit 8 fours and 4 sixes. He won the Player of the Match award.

In the 2026 season, Kohli has scored 328 runs in 7 matches. He holds the Orange Cap and has three half-centuries.

Advertisement

READ MORE :Boy Dies after Electrocution in Bantwal

Since 2008, Kohli has played 274 IPL matches. He has scored 8,989 runs, including 8 centuries and 6 fifties. He also has 807 fours and 303 sixes.

Continue Reading

Trending