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End of an era: Messi announces retirement from international football | Football News

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One of the best to ever play the sport of football and the second-highest goalscorer in international football, Lionel Messi has called curtains on his international career after 207 appearances in Argentina’s iconic blue-and-white jersey.

 

The 39-year-old former Argentina captain made the announcement through a post on his social media page, Instagram, on Sunday. Messi retires after winning five major international titles with Argentina — the 2022 FIFA World Cup, two Copa América titles in 2021 and 2024, and the 2022 Finalissima, while he also won Olympic gold with Argentina in 2008. Check the instagram post here: 

Messi calls time on Argentina career

Messi confirmed his decision in an emotional statement, admitting that retirement was painful but saying he understood that the moment had arrived.

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“It was a decision that hurt and still hurts deep in my soul, but I understand that this is the right moment,” Messi said.

 

The Argentina captain insisted that he had always given everything for the national-team shirt, including during the difficult years before the country’s golden generation finally began collecting major trophies.

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“I always gave everything — not only in these last few years when we won everything, but also before that,” he wrote.

 

Messi also pointed towards the next generation of Argentine players, saying there were talented youngsters coming through who deserved their opportunity with the national team.

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“I’ve given everything I had; I have nothing more to give,” he added in his post. 

From heartbreak to World Cup glory

Messi’s Argentina career began in 2005 but was followed by years of disappointment on the international stage.

 

He was part of the Argentina side that reached the 2014 World Cup final, only to lose to Germany after extra time. Two years later, Argentina suffered another painful defeat in the Copa América final, following their loss to Chile in the 2015 final.

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The defeats took a heavy toll on Messi.

 

After Argentina lost the 2016 Copa América final to Chile on penalties, Messi made the shock decision to retire from international football at the age of 29.

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“I tried so hard to be champion with Argentina. It didn’t happen,” Messi said at the time.

 

However, the retirement lasted only a few months. Messi reversed his decision and returned to the national team, beginning a second chapter that would eventually transform his international legacy.

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Return delivers Argentina’s greatest prizes

Messi’s return proved decisive.

 

In 2021, he finally won his first senior international trophy with Argentina when they defeated Brazil in the Copa América final at the Maracanã.

 

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The following year brought the prize that had defined much of his international career.

 

Messi captained Argentina to the 2022 FIFA World Cup title in Qatar, scoring seven goals and producing a memorable campaign that culminated in victory over France in a dramatic final.

 

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Argentina then successfully defended their Copa América crown in 2024, giving Messi two Copa América titles and one World Cup.

 

He also led Argentina to the 2026 World Cup final, but their campaign ended with defeat against Spain.

‘I love, have loved and will always love’ Argentina

Despite bringing his international career to an end, Messi made clear that his bond with Argentina will remain.

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“I love, have loved and will always love being part of the national team,” he said.

 

Messi thanked his family, coaches, teammates and officials who had accompanied him throughout his 20-year journey. He also thanked Argentina supporters for their unwavering affection.

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“I am going to be one of you now, always supporting and cheering from the outside — in the good times and the bad, even more so,” he wrote.

 

He ended his message with a simple tribute to his country: “Thank you, God, for making me Argentine. Vamos Argentina!”

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Physical limits played a part

Messi’s decision also comes after he spoke about the physical demands of the 2026 World Cup.

 

Reflecting on the final against Spain, he revealed that he had tried to push himself beyond his physical limits but could not continue at the same level.

 

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“My legs couldn’t go on any more,” Messi wrote.

 

He had already acknowledged earlier this month that he had doubts about how much longer he would continue playing for Argentina.

 

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The comments underline the physical reality behind a decision that marks the end of an extraordinary international career.

Messi leaves behind a record-breaking legacy

Messi retires as Argentina’s most-capped player and its all-time leading goalscorer, with 207 appearances and 125 goals.

 

He is also the second-highest goalscorer in men’s international football, behind Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo, who leads the list with 146 goals. Iran’s Ali Daei is third with 108, followed by India’s Sunil Chhetri on 95 and Belgium’s Romelu Lukaku on 93.

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At the World Cup, Messi leaves with a remarkable collection of records. He is the tournament’s all-time leader for appearances and goal contributions and became the first player to feature at six men’s World Cups.

 

He is also the only player to win the World Cup Golden Ball twice, receiving the award after his performances at the 2014 and 2022 tournaments.

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Plagiarism’s maiden win in 2026 Up And Coming Stakes at Rosehill

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Plagiarism achieved his first career victory in dominant fashion, overpowering his rivals to claim the Group 3 $250,000 Up And Coming Stakes (1300m) at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.

Co-trainer Adrian Bott expressed no surprise at the win, attributing much of the gelding’s success to the decision to geld him after his juvenile season.

“We have had him in all the biggest races so far, we haven’t run him in maidens, and that was his first win today,” Bott explained. “Last preparation we chased the Golden Slipper dream but it just wasn’t happening for him. I feel having the horse gelded has helped him, definitely. He was impressive today.”

Controlled by Regan Bayliss, Plagiarism ($8) dictated the terms of the race and was never seriously tested, winning by almost a length from the fast-finishing Genesis Runner ($4.40). Hostwin King ($17) finished a further half-length back in third.

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The favourite, Savagram ($2.30), from the same stable, closed well to secure fourth place.

Bayliss conveyed to Racing And Sports that he felt confident for a significant period of the race due to Plagiarism’s fluid movement.

“He is a horse that can roll along at a nice speed and quicken off that which is a really good attribute to have,” Bayliss stated. “When he got there so easily and got into a great rhythm I thought it was going to take a good one to run him down. He was just too good. He keeps improving, this horse and that was a really good confidence-boosting win. He’s still only lightly raced and is on the way up.”

Bott, who trains alongside Gai Waterhouse, mentioned that their initial thoughts of targeting races like the Tapp-Craig and Callander-Presnell would now be reconsidered after Plagiarism’s strong performance.

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“We will look at the Golden Rose,” Bott commented. “There is probably a sweet spot getting out to 1400m for this horse. I thought he might have been a step below the top three-year-olds but he was very impressive today. He is a horse that has always shown natural speed and brilliance. We wanted to see him utilise that and he executed that perfectly. It was a great effort by him first-up with a big weight and he has obviously taken improvement from the run. We will see how he comes through this and look to where we aim up but everything is on the table at present.”

Bott also highlighted the merit in Savagram’s run.

“I thought he was excellent,” Bott said. “It was his second career start and that was probably what showed today. When the speed increased from the 600m he just wanted to lay out slightly under pressure. But I thought he knuckled down really well and was excellent through the line. He is going to keep improving as he gets up over further and I thought it was a very good run for where he is at in his career.”

The filly Savvy Diamond, also from the Waterhouse-Bott stable, experienced interference early in the race and finished eighth.

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Consider exploring Australian betting sites for the most competitive racing odds.

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NFL waiver wire tracker 2026: Will Levis goes unclaimed, Dolphins claim seven players

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All 32 teams are trimmed down to 53 players after the NFL’s roster cut deadline concluded on Aug. 30, as hundreds of veterans, recent draft picks and promising undrafted free agents entered the open market. Here, franchises were able to add to their squads via the waiver process. A large handful of players who were on the wrong side of the roster cut line have now found new  jobs.

The waiver claim deadline passed at 1 p.m. ET on Monday, Aug 31. Fourteen teams filed claims for a total of 29 players. Teams’ spots in the waiver wire order determines whether they are awarded their top priority or any secondary priorities they filed.

The first waiver wire order of the season matched the 2026 NFL Draft order. That meant the Las Vegas Raiders were guaranteed to secure their top waiver priority: Defensive back Darrell Luter Jr. The New York Jets, Arizona Cardinals, Tennessee Titans and New York Giants rounded out the first five, but of that group, only the Jets and Titans submitted claims.

For the full order and a complete rundown of how the waiver process works — including which players are subject to waivers and how practice squads are constructed — we have an explainer that outlines the entire system.

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Will Levis among unclaimed players

One of the most head-turning moves at the 53-man roster deadline was the Tennessee Titans’ release of Will Levis, who just three years ago arrived as a potential franchise quarterback. Tennessee kept three quarterbacks, but Levis was not one of them. Even more surprising was that no team scooped him up off waivers. It is a tremendous fall from grace for the former No. 33 overall pick, whose best bet is now to find a practice squad.

Other notable unclaimed players include the following:

Three of the most significant former first-round picks to go unclaimed were offensive linemen Jedrick Wills and Evan Neal and defensive tackle Mazi Smith.

From a player’s perspective, going unclaimed has both benefits and drawbacks. There exists a trade-off between flexibility and job security for those who passed through waivers. On one hand, hitting free agency allows players to have a stronger say in which team signs them. On the other hand, there is no guarantee that they become signed at all.

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Waiver claims by team

Atlanta Falcons

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Indianapolis Colts

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

Tennessee Titans

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India name 26-member squad for big friendlies against Brazil, Uruguay and Panama | Football News

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India name 26-member squad for big friendlies against Brazil, Uruguay and Panama

NEW DELHI: India head coach Khalid Jamil has named a 26-member squad for the upcoming FIFA international window, with the Blue Tigers set for a demanding run of fixtures against Panama, five-time world champions Brazil and two-time world champions Uruguay.The three-match schedule will give Jamil’s side a major opportunity to test themselves against high-profile opposition, with all three countries having featured at the FIFA World Cup earlier this year. India will first face Panama in Bengaluru before travelling to Kolkata for back-to-back encounters against Brazil and Uruguay.The national camp will begin in Bengaluru on September 14, with India scheduled to play Panama on September 26 at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium. The squad will then travel to Kolkata on September 28 ahead of the two marquee fixtures.

Brazil, Uruguay await in Kolkata

India will take on Brazil at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan on October 3 before facing Uruguay at the same venue three days later on October 6.The fixtures represent a stern challenge for Jamil’s young side, particularly against two of international football’s most decorated teams. The matches will also allow the head coach to assess his squad against stronger opposition ahead of India’s upcoming assignments.Jamil has also named four reserve players who could be drafted into the squad if required. Goalkeeper Hrithik Tiwari, defenders Chinglensana Singh Konsham and Roshan Singh Naorem, and midfielder Suresh Singh Wangjam have been placed on standby.

India squad for September-October window

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The 26-member squad includes four goalkeepers, eight defenders, eight midfielders, and six forwards.

  • Goalkeepers: Albino Gomes, Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Prabhsukhan Singh Gill, Som Kumar.
  • Defenders: Abhishek Singh Tekcham, Akash Mishra, Anwar Ali, Bijoy Varghese, Hmingthanmawia Ralte, Jay Gupta, Pramveer, Ricky Meetei Haobam.
  • Midfielders: Anirudh Thapa, Ashique Kuruniyan, Farukh Choudhary, Lalengmawia Ralte, Macarton Nickson, Mohammed Sanan, Ricky Shabong, Sahal Abdul Samad.
  • Forwards: Edmund Lalrindika, Irfan Yadwad, Manvir Singh, Rahim Ali, Ryan Williams, Vikram Partap Singh.

India’s schedule:

  • September 26: India vs Panama — Sree Kanteerava Stadium, Bengaluru
  • October 3: India vs Brazil — Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan, Kolkata
  • October 6: India vs Uruguay — Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan, Kolkata

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FIBA World Cup Break Comes at a Crucial Time for These 2 WNBA Teams

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Skidding into the FIBA World Cup break on just its second losing streak of the season left the WNBA-leading Minnesota Lynx slightly on edge.

Or does “ravenously on guard” sound more optimistic?

Either way, “when we get back to work, we’ve got things to work on,” Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve said.

That’s because this rare Minnesota slide has coincided with a surge from the Golden State Valkyries, who denied the Lynx a chance to clinch home-court advantage throughout the playoffs with a gutty, 77-66 victory on Aug. 24.

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Golden State’s first win against Minnesota in 10 tries since joining the “W” in 2025 certainly infused intrigue into the final four games of the 2026 campaign.

Despite the slump, the break could be coming at an agreeable time for Minnesota, even as various players prepare to represent the United States, Australia, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Spain.

Once play resumes on Sept. 17, the Lynx need any combination of two wins or Valkyries losses to earn home-court for the postseason. Last week’s loss to Golden State and Sunday’s road defeat in Atlanta showed that Minnesota must be mightier when things get physical, though.

“We’re being guarded in a way that should be illegal,” Reeve said, “but we’re not putting the referees in a position to make them see it, so you can’t fade away.”

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As a sizable segment of the roster heads overseas, an international competition only can sharpen players’ focus while reinforcing the urgency of the stretch run.

While she doesn’t lack seasoning, Lynx star Napheesa Collier, who missed much of the season recovering from surgery on both ankles, figures to benefit from playing for Team USA.

“I am still coming back, but I need to do better, too,” Collier said. “It’s going to be physical. It’s going to be physical in the playoffs.”

The regular season isn’t always a picnic, either, and offers a welcome shot of respite for some Lynx not in the tournament.

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Minnesota rookie point guard Olivia Miles has navigated various injuries in recent weeks and collided with a cameraman late in Sunday’s game in Atlanta. She went down at the baseline and eventually walked back under her own power.

Courtney Williams returned after missing the showdown with the Valkyries with a midfoot sprain and gets the chance for additional rest.

But Golden State will recharge, too, and is sending just four players to the World Cup. What’s more, the Valkyries’ remaining opponents – Portland twice, Los Angeles and Seattle – each have been eliminated from playoff contention and bring a collective .325 winning percentage (39-81) into the break.

Minnesota has a visit to 10-win Connecticut on the docket but otherwise will face foes jockeying for home court in the first round. The Lynx host the New York Liberty coming out of the break before finishing with a home-and-home against the Indiana Fever.

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Speaking after Sunday’s win at Portland that capped a 4-1 road trip, Golden State forward Kayla Thornton said: “We just talked about that in the locker room, making sure (we) don’t go on this break and do nothing, but make sure you do what you need.

“We’ve got to come back because, you know, these next four games after World Cup are very vital heading into playoffs.”

The Lynx aren’t in a position to disagree. They know what they must do to keep their perch. Now comes nearly three weeks to reflect – and work.

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EFL blasts Uefa after being forced to reschedule Carabao Cup fixtures

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The English Football League (EFL) has accused Uefa of an “unwillingness to cooperate” after it says the European governing body’s stance forced them to rearrange three domestic fixtures.

Everton and Wolves were scheduled to play their Carabao Cup third-round tie on 9 September before Liverpool and Atletico Madrid’s Champions League clash was, on Saturday, announced for the same day.

As a result, that contest and two others – Liverpool v Tottenham in the Carabao Cup and Wolves v Portsmouth in the Championship – have been rescheduled.

An EFL statement read: “On Saturday, Uefa announced that it had scheduled Liverpool v Atletico Madrid for the same date, despite it being clear that Everton and Liverpool cannot play home fixtures on the same evening.

“The EFL met with Uefa officials on Monday morning to explore available options, however in those discussions it was made clear that they were unwilling to consider rescheduling the Liverpool v Atletico Madrid fixture due to the impact on supporters travelling from overseas.

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“Disappointingly, the League has therefore been forced to make changes.

“Over recent seasons the League has made a number of changes to accommodate the expansion of Uefa club competitions – a decision which was made without adequate consultation with domestic leagues.

“These changes have included splitting Carabao Cup round three ties across two weeks, and implementing draw conditions for round three which prevent scheduling conflicts for clubs playing in the Uefa Champions League and Uefa Europa League.

“This makes Uefa’s unwillingness to cooperate all the more frustrating, not least for the supporters of the five impacted clubs, and we sincerely apologise for the inconvenience caused.”

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Uefa, in response, insisted it “always does its best to accommodate reasonable requests”, but said the “potential conflict” only emerged after fixtures were published, when changes were no longer possible.

The European governing body said in a statement: “Uefa regularly receives scheduling requests from associations, leagues and clubs and always does its best to accommodate reasonable requests wherever possible.

“In this case, no issue had been raised with Uefa during the scheduling process, and the potential conflict only became apparent after the publication of the fixture lists.

“At that stage, it was not possible to make changes, particularly given the significant number of supporters who may already have arranged international travel and accommodation. We believe that these commitments deserve to be respected.

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“Uefa remains in contact with the relevant stakeholders, and we appreciate all efforts to minimise any local operational challenges.”

Everton v Wolves is now set for Wednesday, 16 September; Liverpool v Tottenham, originally slated for 16 September, is now a day earlier and Wolves v Portsmouth, also initially due to be played on 16 September, will take place on 20 October.

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Manav Suthar vs Ravindra Jadeja

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Young Team India left-arm spinner Manav Suthar has made an impressive start to his Test career. He made his debut against Afghanistan in New Chandigarh in June this year and picked up a total of seven wickets.

The 24-year-old also featured in both the Test matches of the recently concluded two-match series in Sri Lanka. He picked up 10 wickets in the first match in Galle as India won the Test by 165 runs. In the second Test at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo, he had to work a lot harder for his six wickets.

Suthar has featured in three Test matches so far. In the wake of the impressive start to his red-ball career for India, we compare his bowling stats with those of seasoned left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja after the latter had also featured in three Test matches.


Manav Suthar vs Ravindra Jadeja – Who has more wickets and a better average after three Test matches?

In three Tests, Suthar has picked up 23 wickets at an average of 17.34. In the two-match Test series in Sri Lanka, he picked up 16 wickets at an average of 21.06. On his Test debut against Afghanistan, the left-arm spinner claimed seven wickets at an average of 8.85.

After three Test matches, Jadeja had picked 14 wickets at an average of 23.28. In two Tests against Australia, he had claimed 11 wickets at an average of 19. Also, in one Test against England, he had picked up three wickets at an average of 39.


Manav Suthar vs Ravindra Jadeja – Who has more five-fers after three Test matches?

In three Test matches, Suthar has claimed two five-fers and one 10-wicket match haul. He registered figures of 6-33 from 22 overs in the first innings of his debut Test against Afghanistan. Suthar also impressed with 4-76 & 6-55 in the Galle Test against Sri Lanka. In the second Test of the same series in Sri Lanka, he registered figures of 3-85 & 3-121.

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Player Wickets Average BBI BBM 5w 10w
Manav Suthar 23 17.34 6-33 10-131 2 1
Ravindra Jadeja 14 23.28 3-33 6-66 0 0

(Suthar vs Jadeja – Bowling stats comparison after three Tests)

After three Test matches, Jadeja did not have a five-wicket innings haul to his name. His best innings figures at that stage were 3-33, which came off 16 overs against Australia in Hyderabad in March 2013. Jadeja also picked up 3-33 from 18 overs in the second innings of the same Test. Earlier, he had registered figures of 2-17 and 3-72 during the same Test series in Chennai.


Manav Suthar vs Ravindra Jadeja – Who has a better record in wins after three Test matches?

In two Test wins, Suthar has claimed 17 wickets at an average of 11.35, with the aid of two five-fers and one 10-wicket match haul. In one drawn Test, he has picked up six wickets at an average of 34.33, with best innings figures of 3-85.

Player Matches Wickets Average BBI BBM 5w 10w
Manav Suthar 2 17 11.35 6-33 10-131 2 1
Ravindra Jadeja 2 11 19 3-33 6-66 0 0

(Suthar vs Jadeja – Bowling stats comparison in wins after three Tests)

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In two Test wins, Jadeja had picked up 11 wickets at an average of 19, with best innings figures of 3-33 and best match figures of 6-66. In one drawn Test, the left-arm spinner had picked up three wickets at an average of 39, with best innings figures of 2-58.


Manav Suthar vs Ravindra Jadeja – Who has a better away record after three Test matches?

In two away Tests, Suthar has claimed 16 wickets at an average of 21.06, with one five-fer and one 10-wicket match haul. He registered figures of 4-76 & 6-55 against Sri Lanka in Galle to finish with match figures of 10-131. In one home Test (the one-off match against Afghanistan), Suthar registered figures of 6-33 & 1-29 in Mullanpur on debut.

Jadeja’s first three Test matches were in home conditions. In six innings, the left-arm spinner picked up 14 wickets at an average of 23.28. He claimed 11 wickets in two Tests against Australia at an average of 19 and three wickets in one Test match against England at an average of 39.