Lionel Messi and his Argentina teammates will make a triumphant return to their homeland on Thursday when Argentina plays its first match since winning the World Cup in Qatar. More than 1.5 million fans applied for 63,000 available tickets for the match against Central American minnow Panama at the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires. Soccer-mad […]
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Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Copa America 2021: The Tuesday recap
Highlights Tuesday, July 6Argentina 1 Colombia 1 (Argentina wins, 3-2, on penalties). (Goal: Martínez 7; Díaz 61) Argentina, thanks to its semifinal win over Colombia, has a chance on Saturday, when it faces host Brazil for the Copa America crown, to win its first major title since 1993. Lionel Messi assisted on Lautaro Martínez‘s 7th minute goal and converted Argentina’s […]
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SA Movie Choice: The complexity of Diego Maradona on a scale weighing in equal measure
The search for soccer on screen when games aren’t available should take you to the unique documentary film “Diego Maradona.” The spiel There may never have been as comprehensive a biography on screen for a soccer player as Oscar-winning director Asif Kapadia gave us “Diego Maradona” last fall. A film worth watching one time for […]
Posted inSoccerTalk with Paul Gardner, Story
The joys of picardia vs. the boredom of tactics
Diego Maradona has always known about soccer’s extra dimension. Even as a frighteningly young teenager — he was only 15 when he made his debut at the top level of Argentine pro soccer — healready knew, or he sensed, that there was more to the sport than tactics and training, more even than mastery of […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They're Saying: Lionel Scaloni
“We are used to seeing him score three goals in every game and dribble past five players, but we are asking him to do something different and we are more than happy with the job he is doing. He hasembraced the work load, he is our flag-bearer.” — Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni, on Lionel Messi, […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They're Saying: Cesar Luis Menotti
“It scares me that Messi plays. I see him emotionally fatigued between the Champions League and the national team. He has a lot of obligations and with a lot of emotional baggage, a lot ofresponsibilities at his feet.” — Cesar Luis Menotti, the 81-year-old director of the Argentine national team and head coach in 1978 […]
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Copa America: Argentina's Scaloni shows no Pity
Pity Martinez, who moved toAtlanta United after leading River Plate to the 2018 Libertadores Cup title, hoped to build on his Rey de America form to make Argentina’s team for the 2019 Copa America. ButMartinez has struggled since moving to MLS, in part of because of being injured playing for Argentina in March, and head […]
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Portland Timbers make Liga MX's No. 2 scorer their most expensive signing
The move came 10 weeks into the 2019 MLS season, on the eve ofthe close of the primary transfer window, but the Portland Timbers finally got their big-name forward. The Timbers signed 24-year-old Argentine Brian Fernandez from Mexico’s Necaxafor a club-record transfer fee Mexican reports suggested was in the range of $10 million-$12 million. The […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They're Saying: Gabriel Aranda
“I was in the tomb and I took it out of the tomb all of the time when Racing played. He is the lucky omen. He will be proud because I took it out.” — Argentine Gabriel Arandaafter he dug up his grandfather’s skull and paraded it around the streets after Racing Club won the […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They're Saying: Mariana Frambati
“This will affect those who are younger, who can take this activity more seriously as a future, a job. So that generations to come can develop and play starting from when they are young.” — Banfield forward Mariana Frambati, on the decision by the Argentina federation (AFA) to professionalize the national women’s league, requiring that […]