Match story
- Rosario Central was more accurate in front of goal (38% on target vs 15%).
- Rosario Central held more of the ball (58% possession).
Rosario Central defeated Estudiantes de Rio Cuarto 1-2 in Liga Profesional Argentina. The fixture is part of the Apertura - 16 stage in the 2026 season. Dario Herrera, Argentina officiated the match. The full-time result capped a Estudiantes de Rio Cuarto vs Rosario Central meeting in Liga Profesional Argentina with detailed post-match statistics available on Sportra. This match centre covers lineups, live events, player ratings, team statistics, xG, head-to-head history, and related news for Estudiantes de Rio Cuarto and Rosario Central. On Sportra you can view xG, lineups, match statistics, events, player ratings, predictions, head-to-head history, and related news for this fixture.
Liga Profesional Argentina
Estudiantes de Rio Cuarto
Atletico TucumanRecorded meetings: 0 (available previous meetings, not necessarily all-time).
Rosario Central defeated Estudiantes de Rio Cuarto 1-2 in Liga Profesional Argentina. The fixture is part of the Apertura - 16 stage in the 2026 season. Dario Herrera, Argentina officiated the match. The full-time result capped a Estudiantes de Rio Cuarto vs Rosario Central meeting in Liga Profesional Argentina with detailed post-match statistics available on Sportra. This match centre covers lineups, live events, player ratings, team statistics, xG, head-to-head history, and related news for Estudiantes de Rio Cuarto and Rosario Central. On Sportra you can view xG, lineups, match statistics, events, player ratings, predictions, head-to-head history, and related news for this fixture.
Liga Profesional ArgentinaEstudiantes de Rio CuartoAtletico TucumanRecorded meetings: 0 (available previous meetings, not necessarily all-time).
With the focus set on the 2028 Copa America, Argentina FA president casted doubts on the future of Lionel Messi in the national team: "It's his decision." Lionel Messi once again served as Argentina‘s undisputed leader on soccer’s biggest stage during the 2026 World Cup, but questions surrounding his future involvement with the national team remain unresolved. With the 2028 Copa América looming as the next major international tournament, Argentina Football Association (AFA) president Claudio Tapia left the decision entirely up to the star forward, stating, “It’s his decision.” In an interview with TyC Sports, Tapia was asked about Messi’s future with the Albiceleste following another memorable World Cup run, delivering a candid response: “It is purely and personal to him, we have to leave him in peace. It was a great World Cup by Leo, we enjoyed it a lot. We have to feel proud, and I enjoyed every moment I could because I saw him on the pitch. Without a doubt, he was the flag bearer of the group in this World Cup, just as he was in every competition where he led this group.” Tapia went on to highlight Messi’s extraordinary track record since Lionel Scaloni assumed control of the bench. “Out of 5 finals, he won 4, and out of 103 matches, 76 won, 19 drawn, 8 lost. If you count from World Cup to World Cup, from 2022 to 2026, we lost two matches: the first one in Qatar against Saudi Arabia, and the last one against Spain. If you sit down and analyze the World Cup he had, for me, the best player in the World Cup final was him. And he was breaking records match after match,” he added. Since Scaloni’s managerial debut against Guatemala in 2018, Argentina has netted 190 total goals, with Messi directly involved in 79 of them, racking up 60 goals and 26 assists to remain the focal point of this golden era. Lautaro Martinez trails him with 40 goals, while Julian Alvarez sits third with 15, emphasizing how vital the Inter Miami superstar remains to his country. AFA president Claudio Tapia hugs Lionel Messi after losing to Spain in the 2026 World Cup Final. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images) Looking ahead, the team’s primary focus shifts toward the 2028 Copa America, the next major competition on Argentina’s calendar. While Messi will still be under contract with Inter Miami through December of that year, the fact that he will turn 41 during the tournament casts uncertainty over his participation, let alone his availability for the 2030 World Cup. “It is his decision, pure and exclusive to him. He has to feel the desire like he felt (before)… In 2022, you didn’t know if he was going to be here in 2026. He said ‘this is match by match,’ and I think we saw a great version, if not the best version of Leo in this World Cup. I believe we have to leave him in peace, let him keep enjoying what he likes, which is playing football, and let us also keep enjoying, and let him make the decision he believes is right,” Tapia concluded. Comparing Messi’s timeline to Di Maria’s send-off Angel Di Maria established himself as arguably the second most influential player of the Scaloni era, delivering iconic goals in major finals before closing out his international career after the 2024 Copa America. While Messi has yet to announce a final decision, Tapia emphasized that the captain will evaluate his own physical state rather than rushing into retirement. Reflecting on the fitness of Di Maria, who currently plays for Rosario Central, Tapia noted. “Fideo scored important goals, and I saw him play in the local tournament, and he was easily fit to play (in the World Cup). I don’t get into the decisions of the coaching staff, but he also made clear that he was retired from the national team. So one has to be respectful of everything. He felt he was fulfilled.“ When asked whether Messi still possesses that unquenchable drive to keep competing for Argentina, Tapia referenced a shared moment between the two. “I was talking with him about that in a series, about never gi
Despite widespread calls for his resignation, Gianni Infantino lives to see another day. In a press release, the FIFA board have "reaffirmed their full support for Gianni Infantino", following what they describe as a "constructive and positive meeting in Rabat".
Lionel Scaloni is reportedly planning to bring more than 30 players to the United States for Argentina’s matches ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Argentina are one of the national teams still delaying a final decision on the 26-player roster that will compete in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Lionel Scaloni reportedly has concrete plans for the pre-tournament friendlies that will take place in the United States. “The Argentina national team will bring more than 26 players on the pre-World Cup tour for the friendlies against Iceland and Honduras,” journalist Gaston Edul, an Argentina national team insider for TyC Sports, said Tuesday through his official X account. “More than 30 are going.” In that group, in addition to the stars who are usually part of every call-up, there will also be several young players who could be options for training sessions and even for the two friendlies. “Capaldo, Aranda, Freitas and Santiago Beltran have been called up… Ignacio Ovando of Rosario Central and Simon Escobar of Velez will also travel with the squad,” Edul added. Three of them were part of the 55-player preliminary list Argentina submitted to FIFA two weeks ago: Santiago Beltran, goalkeeper for River Plate; Nicolas Capaldo, a right back/defensive midfielder for Hamburger SV; and Tomas Aranda, a forward for Boca Juniors. La Selección Argentina va a llevar a más de 26 jugadores en la gira previa del Mundial para los amistosos contra Islandia y Honduras:Están convocados Capaldo, Aranda, Freitas y Santiago Beltrán.Van más de 30.— Gastón Edul (@gastonedul) May 26, 2026 Joining them are Joaquin Freitas, a 19-year-old forward who has seen significant playing time with River Plate in recent months, as well as Rosario Central defender Ignacio Ovando and Velez Sarsfield left back Simon Escobar. However, they were not part of the preliminary roster, making them ineligible for the World Cup. Argentina’s doubts ahead of the World Cup Many of the world’s top national teams have already confirmed their squads for the 2026 World Cup in North America, including England, Spain, France, Germany and Brazil. Argentina, however, are still waiting, with FIFA’s deadline set for June 1. The delay in Lionel Scaloni’s final decision regarding the 26-player World Cup squad is tied to the status of several important players who are dealing with injuries, with their recovery being monitored daily by the coaching staff. The biggest issue is in defense. Argentina’s two main right backs are currently injured: Nahuel Molina and Gonzalo Montiel. That creates uncertainty regarding the final roster construction, especially because of the potential need to include a third player at the position if necessary. Juan Foyth could have been the ideal candidate for that role, since he can also play as a center back, but his serious Achilles tendon injury ruled him out. That is why Nicolas Capaldo was included on the 55-player list, along with Union Saint-Gilloise’s Kevin Mac Allister. Adding to the situation are the injuries suffered by goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez and center back Cristian Romero, although there are no doubts about their availability for the World Cup. And, on top of that, there is also the muscle fatigue that forced Lionel Messi to leave Inter Miami’s most recent match against Philadelphia Union. Argentina’s upcoming matches Before making their FIFA tournament debut against Algeria on June 16, Argentina will play two friendly matches. The first will be on June 6 against Honduras at Kyle Field in College Station, Texas, while the second against Iceland will take place three days later at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Alabama.
Tap a headline to view metadata and excerpt fields in Sportra, then use the article website button to continue on the original publisher page.
With the focus set on the 2028 Copa America, Argentina FA president casted doubts on the future of Lionel Messi in the national team: "It's his decision." Lionel Messi once again served as Argentina‘s undisputed leader on soccer’s biggest stage during the 2026 World Cup, but questions surrounding his future involvement with the national team remain unresolved. With the 2028 Copa América looming as the next major international tournament, Argentina Football Association (AFA) president Claudio Tapia left the decision entirely up to the star forward, stating, “It’s his decision.” In an interview with TyC Sports, Tapia was asked about Messi’s future with the Albiceleste following another memorable World Cup run, delivering a candid response: “It is purely and personal to him, we have to leave him in peace. It was a great World Cup by Leo, we enjoyed it a lot. We have to feel proud, and I enjoyed every moment I could because I saw him on the pitch. Without a doubt, he was the flag bearer of the group in this World Cup, just as he was in every competition where he led this group.” Tapia went on to highlight Messi’s extraordinary track record since Lionel Scaloni assumed control of the bench. “Out of 5 finals, he won 4, and out of 103 matches, 76 won, 19 drawn, 8 lost. If you count from World Cup to World Cup, from 2022 to 2026, we lost two matches: the first one in Qatar against Saudi Arabia, and the last one against Spain. If you sit down and analyze the World Cup he had, for me, the best player in the World Cup final was him. And he was breaking records match after match,” he added. Since Scaloni’s managerial debut against Guatemala in 2018, Argentina has netted 190 total goals, with Messi directly involved in 79 of them, racking up 60 goals and 26 assists to remain the focal point of this golden era. Lautaro Martinez trails him with 40 goals, while Julian Alvarez sits third with 15, emphasizing how vital the Inter Miami superstar remains to his country. AFA president Claudio Tapia hugs Lionel Messi after losing to Spain in the 2026 World Cup Final. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images) Looking ahead, the team’s primary focus shifts toward the 2028 Copa America, the next major competition on Argentina’s calendar. While Messi will still be under contract with Inter Miami through December of that year, the fact that he will turn 41 during the tournament casts uncertainty over his participation, let alone his availability for the 2030 World Cup. “It is his decision, pure and exclusive to him. He has to feel the desire like he felt (before)… In 2022, you didn’t know if he was going to be here in 2026. He said ‘this is match by match,’ and I think we saw a great version, if not the best version of Leo in this World Cup. I believe we have to leave him in peace, let him keep enjoying what he likes, which is playing football, and let us also keep enjoying, and let him make the decision he believes is right,” Tapia concluded. Comparing Messi’s timeline to Di Maria’s send-off Angel Di Maria established himself as arguably the second most influential player of the Scaloni era, delivering iconic goals in major finals before closing out his international career after the 2024 Copa America. While Messi has yet to announce a final decision, Tapia emphasized that the captain will evaluate his own physical state rather than rushing into retirement. Reflecting on the fitness of Di Maria, who currently plays for Rosario Central, Tapia noted. “Fideo scored important goals, and I saw him play in the local tournament, and he was easily fit to play (in the World Cup). I don’t get into the decisions of the coaching staff, but he also made clear that he was retired from the national team. So one has to be respectful of everything. He felt he was fulfilled.“ When asked whether Messi still possesses that unquenchable drive to keep competing for Argentina, Tapia referenced a shared moment between the two. “I was talking with him about that in a series, about never gi
Despite widespread calls for his resignation, Gianni Infantino lives to see another day. In a press release, the FIFA board have "reaffirmed their full support for Gianni Infantino", following what they describe as a "constructive and positive meeting in Rabat".
Lionel Scaloni is reportedly planning to bring more than 30 players to the United States for Argentina’s matches ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Argentina are one of the national teams still delaying a final decision on the 26-player roster that will compete in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Lionel Scaloni reportedly has concrete plans for the pre-tournament friendlies that will take place in the United States. “The Argentina national team will bring more than 26 players on the pre-World Cup tour for the friendlies against Iceland and Honduras,” journalist Gaston Edul, an Argentina national team insider for TyC Sports, said Tuesday through his official X account. “More than 30 are going.” In that group, in addition to the stars who are usually part of every call-up, there will also be several young players who could be options for training sessions and even for the two friendlies. “Capaldo, Aranda, Freitas and Santiago Beltran have been called up… Ignacio Ovando of Rosario Central and Simon Escobar of Velez will also travel with the squad,” Edul added. Three of them were part of the 55-player preliminary list Argentina submitted to FIFA two weeks ago: Santiago Beltran, goalkeeper for River Plate; Nicolas Capaldo, a right back/defensive midfielder for Hamburger SV; and Tomas Aranda, a forward for Boca Juniors. La Selección Argentina va a llevar a más de 26 jugadores en la gira previa del Mundial para los amistosos contra Islandia y Honduras:Están convocados Capaldo, Aranda, Freitas y Santiago Beltrán.Van más de 30.— Gastón Edul (@gastonedul) May 26, 2026 Joining them are Joaquin Freitas, a 19-year-old forward who has seen significant playing time with River Plate in recent months, as well as Rosario Central defender Ignacio Ovando and Velez Sarsfield left back Simon Escobar. However, they were not part of the preliminary roster, making them ineligible for the World Cup. Argentina’s doubts ahead of the World Cup Many of the world’s top national teams have already confirmed their squads for the 2026 World Cup in North America, including England, Spain, France, Germany and Brazil. Argentina, however, are still waiting, with FIFA’s deadline set for June 1. The delay in Lionel Scaloni’s final decision regarding the 26-player World Cup squad is tied to the status of several important players who are dealing with injuries, with their recovery being monitored daily by the coaching staff. The biggest issue is in defense. Argentina’s two main right backs are currently injured: Nahuel Molina and Gonzalo Montiel. That creates uncertainty regarding the final roster construction, especially because of the potential need to include a third player at the position if necessary. Juan Foyth could have been the ideal candidate for that role, since he can also play as a center back, but his serious Achilles tendon injury ruled him out. That is why Nicolas Capaldo was included on the 55-player list, along with Union Saint-Gilloise’s Kevin Mac Allister. Adding to the situation are the injuries suffered by goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez and center back Cristian Romero, although there are no doubts about their availability for the World Cup. And, on top of that, there is also the muscle fatigue that forced Lionel Messi to leave Inter Miami’s most recent match against Philadelphia Union. Argentina’s upcoming matches Before making their FIFA tournament debut against Algeria on June 16, Argentina will play two friendly matches. The first will be on June 6 against Honduras at Kyle Field in College Station, Texas, while the second against Iceland will take place three days later at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Alabama.
Tap a headline to view metadata and excerpt fields in Sportra, then use the article website button to continue on the original publisher page.
