Montevideo, Uruguay | AFP | Argentina and Chile’s World Cup qualification hopes were left on a knife edge Tuesday after the South American heavyweights slipped up once again on the road to next year’s finals in Russia. Argentina needed a second-half own goal to help them snatch a 1-1 draw …
Read More »Brazil on top as Chile, Argentina struggle
Montevideo, Uruguay | AFP | Philippe Coutinho shrugged off his transfer disappointment with a goal as Brazil beat Ecuador to guarantee top spot in South America’s 2018 World Cup qualifying race on Thursday while Chile and Argentina stumbled once more. Liverpool star Coutinho, who had seen his hopes of a dream …
Read More »Messi’s bride Antonella, ‘first lady of football’
Rosario, Argentina | AFP | Celebrity magazines have dubbed brunette mother-of-two Antonella Roccuzzo “the first lady of football” — her man, Lionel Messi, is widely considered the best player on the planet. Showbiz and football stars will attend their wedding on Friday in the couple’s hometown of Rosario, Argentina. But …
Read More »Football, showbiz stars gather for Messi’s wedding
Rosario, Argentina | AFP | Football and showbiz stars gathered in Argentina for Latin America’s celebrity wedding bash of the decade as Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi prepared to marry his childhood sweetheart Antonella Roccuzzo on Friday. Pop star Shakira and her husband, Messi’s teammate Gerard Pique, were expected among the …
Read More »Messi’s star-studded Argentine wedding: what we know
Rosario, Argentina | AFP | Football and showbiz stars gather in northern Argentina on Friday for Latin America’s celebrity wedding bash of the decade when Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi marries his childhood sweetheart Antonella Roccuzzo. Here is what we know from the few details given by Messi’s spokespeople as well as …
Read More »Foul-mouthed Messi banned for four Argentina games
Zurich, Switzerland | AFP | Barcelona star Lionel Messi was suspended for four Argentina matches by FIFA on Tuesday for swearing at an assistant referee, a ban that will see the striker miss out on decisive qualifiers for the 2018 World Cup. Messi was found guilty of “having directed insulting …
Read More »Stargazers applaud as moon eclipses sun
Sarmiento, Argentina | AFP | Stargazers applauded as they were plunged into darkness Sunday when the moon passed in front of the sun in a spectacular “ring of fire” eclipse. Astronomers and enthusiasts in Argentina were among the first to see the so-called annular eclipse as it crossed South America …
Read More »Tough love: psychology of Argentina’s Messi relationship
Buenos Aires, Argentina | AFP | Like neurotic parents, Argentines swung from criticism to unconditional love for their star footballer Lionel Messi this week, providing the soccer-mad nation’s many therapists with rich material for psychoanalysis. Fans’ frustration at the superstar’s missed penalty in Sunday’s defeat to Chile in the Copa …
Read More »Messi retires from international football
East Rutherford, UNITED STATES | AFP | Lionel Messi sensationally announced his retirement from international football here Sunday after Argentina crashed to an upset defeat against Chile in the final of the Copa America. The heartbroken Barcelona superstar was distraught after missing a spot-kick as Chile snatched victory in a …
Read More »Chile stun Argentina to win Copa
East Rutherford, UNITED STATES | AFP | Holders Chile stunned Argentina to win the Copa America Centenario in a penalty shoot-out here Sunday as Lionel Messi’s title curse struck again. Messi blazed a penalty over the bar in the shoot-out before Lucas Biglia missed to leave Chile’s Francisco Silva with …
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