After over 12 years with the Germany national team Antonio Rudiger has decided to step down to give more space to the up-and-coming players. The post Rudiger retires from Germany to ‘clear the way for the young generation’ appeared first on SoccerNews.
Lionel Messi's international career included a perfect record at River Plate's Monumental, never once losing with Argentina at the historic venue. Lionel Messi closes his international career with a perfect record at one particular venue, having never lost a match with Argentina at River Plate’s Estadio Monumental. The stat resurfaced this week as clubs and fans across Argentine football paid tribute to Messi following his retirement announcement from the national team, with River among those honoring his legacy. Across 28 appearances at the Monumental, spanning two decades of World Cup qualifiers and friendlies, Messi finished with 22 wins and six draws, never once suffering a defeat on that ground. He also found the net 19 times in that stretch, further cementing the Monumental as one of the most fruitful stages of his international career. The gesture reflected the broader wave of tributes that followed Messi’s retirement letter, in which he described the decision as one that “hurt and still hurts the soul,” while thanking teammates, coaches and fans for two decades of shared history with the Albiceleste. 🏟️ Una historia 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗮 en el Monumental: 28 partidos, 19 goles, 22 victorias y 6 empates.Gracias por tu magia en casa, Leo 🇦🇷🐐 pic.twitter.com/kjRbmBk4kI— River Plate (@RiverPlate) August 31, 2026 Every Messi match with Argentina at the Monumental DateResultCompetitionOct 9, 2005Argentina 2-0 PeruWorld Cup QualifiersOct 13, 2007Argentina 2-0 ChileWorld Cup QualifiersNov 17, 2007Argentina 3-0 BoliviaWorld Cup QualifiersJun 15, 2008Argentina 1-1 EcuadorWorld Cup QualifiersSep 4, 2008Argentina 1-1 ParaguayWorld Cup QualifiersOct 11, 2008Argentina 2-1 UruguayWorld Cup QualifiersMar 28, 2009Argentina 4-0 VenezuelaWorld Cup QualifiersJun 6, 2009Argentina 1-0 ColombiaWorld Cup QualifiersOct 10, 2009Argentina 2-1 PeruWorld Cup QualifiersSep 7, 2010Argentina 4-1 SpainFriendlyJun 20, 2011Argentina 4-0 AlbaniaFriendlyOct 7, 2011Argentina 4-1 ChileWorld Cup QualifiersNov 11, 2011Argentina 1-1 BoliviaWorld Cup QualifiersJun 2, 2012Argentina 4-0 EcuadorWorld Cup QualifiersMar 22, 2013Argentina 3-0 VenezuelaWorld Cup QualifiersJun 7, 2013Argentina 0-0 ColombiaWorld Cup QualifiersJun 4, 2014Argentina 3-0 Trinidad and TobagoFriendlyMar 24, 2017Argentina 1-0 ChileWorld Cup QualifiersSep 6, 2017Argentina 1-1 VenezuelaWorld Cup QualifiersSep 9, 2021Argentina 3-0 BoliviaWorld Cup QualifiersOct 10, 2021Argentina 3-0 UruguayWorld Cup QualifiersMar 23, 2023Argentina 2-0 PanamaFriendlySep 7, 2023Argentina 1-0 EcuadorWorld Cup QualifiersOct 12, 2023Argentina 1-0 ParaguayWorld Cup QualifiersOct 10, 2024Argentina 1-1 VenezuelaWorld Cup QualifiersOct 15, 2024Argentina 6-0 BoliviaWorld Cup QualifiersJun 10, 2025Argentina 1-1 ColombiaWorld Cup QualifiersSep 4, 2025Argentina 3-0 VenezuelaWorld Cup Qualifiers Messi’s trophy haul with Argentina Messi’s international career with Argentina was defined not just by numbers, but by six major titles across youth and senior level. He won the U-20 World Cup in 2005 and Olympic gold at the 2008 Beijing Games with Argentina’s youth sides, laying the foundation for what was to come with the senior national team. As an adult, he added four more to that tally: the 2021 Copa America, the 2022 Finalissima, the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, and the 2024 Copa America. Those six trophies, combined with his unbeaten record at the Monumental, round out a legacy that stands as the most decorated in Argentine football history.
Newcastle players look revitalised, Liverpool’s curious transfer strategy and a worrying start for PalaceAmid the concerns at Manchester United, one player unquestioned is Senne Lammens. The goalkeeper produced some important first-half saves against Ipswich to keep his side in the game in difficult circumstances. A relaxed character, the Belgian is a calming influence in an emotional environment, especially with a panicked defence. When Julio Enciso was through on goal, Lammens had to decide when to come and how far, getting his distance and angles perfect to ensure the Paraguay attacker was repelled. His distribution was also excellent, instigating rapid attacks and bringing the dynamism demanded from the modern goalkeeper. Will UnwinMatch report: Manchester United 5-2 Ipswich TownReaction: Carrick hails United’s grit after rout of IpswichWill Unwin: Rashford return feels like marriage of convenienceMatch report: Liverpool 2-2 Nottingham ForestReaction: Iraola angered by substitution delayMatch report: Chelsea 4-3 Brighton Continue reading...
As first weeks of the season go, Ipswich Town's could not have gone much better. Gary O'Neil named six debutants in his starting line-up against Sunderland (seven if you include the returning Julio Enciso) and one of the big takeaways from the opening-day win was that this did not look like a new team trying to find its feet under a new manager. A few days later, despite making nine changes, O'Neil's side progressed relatively smoothly into round three of the Carabao Cup at the expense of a Leicester side who finished above them in the Premier League two years ago, and who Town failed to get the better of during six meetings under former boss Kieran McKenna.
Jack Clarke, 25, was signed by Ipswich from Sunderland two years ago in a deal worth £20m. Of those seven, Julio Enciso, who joined from Strasbourg for an undisclosed fee, was the star, setting up Town's first goal by intercepting Luke O'Nien's sloppy pass and dribbling past Dan Ballard. Ipswich's next match is at home to League One Leicester City in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday (19:45 BST).
Barcelona midfielder Fernandez has been linked with a move away from the Spanish club this summer. The 18-year-old central midfielder is highly rated across Europe, and multiple clubs are keeping tabs on him. Fernandez could join Newcastle According to Albert Fernandez from GOL, Newcastle are now close to signing the player. Fernandez could be an […] The post Newcastle close to signing highly rated Barcelona midfielder appeared first on CaughtOffside.
Jozy Altidore expressed confidence in Mauricio Pochettino at the helm of the USMNT, though he admitted the World Cup was a failure to him. Jozy Altidore sat down for an exclusive interview with Bolavip, where the USMNT and MLS icon opened up about Mauricio Pochettino’s future with the national team and how he views the squad’s run at the 2026 World Cup. Asked about Pochettino’s contract extension, Altidore didn’t hold back his support for the Argentine coach. “Estamos contigo Poch, estamos atrás de ti. Tienes nuestro apoyo (We’re with you, Poch; we’ve got your back. You have our support),” Altidore began saying, before switching to English. “I love Pochettino, I’m a big fan. You know, obviously I have history, we played against each other back a long time ago and then to see him really welcome what it is to be the coach of the US Men’s National Team, the culture, and to do the work, right? It’s not easy… I think it was a job well done… I’m excited to have Poch. I hope he stays for as long as possible,” the former striker said. When the conversation turned to the national team’s showing at the World Cup, where the USMNT were eliminated in the Round of 16 after a 4-1 loss to Belgium despite winning their group for the first time since 2010, Altidore was more critical, describing the tournament’s outcome in blunt terms. Chris Richards is consoled by Mauricio Pochettino after 4-1 loss to Belgium. (Getty Images) “Yeah, it was difficult, you know. And I use the word ‘fracaso’ (failure). It was a ‘fracaso’ to me, not because the players had a bad tournament, the players had a great tournament. But in the manner we lost that game, when I’m sure the players know that they are capable of much more, it was a bit of a shame, right?” he explained. Altidore calls for growth to start from the youth level Rather than placing blame solely on the senior team, Altidore pointed to the need for broader structural growth within US Soccer, arguing that sustained success has to be built from the youth ranks up. “You can’t just win a World Cup overnight, right? It has to start from the youth,” he said, calling on the federation to prioritize consistent performances at Under-17, Under-20, and Olympic level as a foundation for the senior team’s long-term development. For Altidore, that long-term view matters more than any single tournament result. Building consistent success at the youth level, he argued, is what will ultimately determine whether the USMNT can compete with the world’s best by the time the 2030 World Cup arrives, regardless of who’s leading the program along the way.
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