Mikel Arteta was delighted after Arsenal’s 1-0 win over Aston Villa (Picture: AFP) Mikel Arteta has promised there will be ‘enough minutes for everyone’ after Viktor Gyokeres was an unused substitute for the second week in a row. Arsenal continued their flawless start to the defence of their Premier League title following a narrow 1-0 win at Villa Park last night. Bukayo Saka’s goal, just before the hour mark, ultimately proved the difference as the Gunners again leaned into their defensive solidity to record a sixth clean sheet in their last seven top flight matches, dating back to last season’s run-in. Arteta was able to demonstrate the depth of options he has at his disposal during the closing stages, having already introduced Eberechi Eze at the break after a disappointing 45 minutes for summer recruit Christos Tzolis. Exclusive Premier League previews Get ahead of the start of the season with our weekly football newsletter. Sign up now for free. Eze played a big role in the decisive moment of the match, but impressive cameos from Mikel Merino, Bruno Guimaraes and Ezri Konsa, who replaced the injury-stricken Cristhian Mosequera, helped seal another three points. Gyokeres, meanwhile, was left to stew on the bench as he was against Coventry last Friday night, while he was only brought on with 15 minutes remaining in the Community Shield victory over Manchester City. The Sweden international scored 22 goals in all competitions last term following his high-profile move from Sporting Lisbon, but failed to fully convince and ultimately lost his place to Kai Havertz once the former Chelsea star returned to full fitness. Viktor Gyokeres was left on the bench against Aston Villa (Picture: Getty) Gyokeres has been linked with a move to Barcelona this summer and has been touted as a potential makeweight in a deal that could involve Julian Alvarez moving from Atletico Madrid to Arsenal. Whether there is any movement on deadline day remains to be seen, but in terms of Gyokeres’ lack of involvement last night, Arteta hinted he was influenced by the physical condition of players who were unable to complete 90 minutes. He said: ‘It was a squad victory and we knew it was going to be a long match. The game was going to shift and they were going to have moments because they are very capable of doing that, especially when you lose the ball in certain areas. {"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Arteta praises Arsenal's maturity in 1-0 win over Aston Villa","contentUrl":"https:\/\/videos.metro.co.uk\/video\/met\/2026\/09\/01\/1030376710448723935\/480x270_MP4_1030376710448723935.mp4","description":"Arteta also stressed the importance of squad depth after Konsa was substituted on for his debut for a Mosquera struggling with an injury.","duration":"T4M26S","height":270,"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/i.dailymail.com\/1s\/2026\/09\/01\/07\/110968591-0-image-a-1_1788244180392.jpg","uploadDate":"2026-09-01T07:29:49+0100","width":480} To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Up Next Previous Page Next Page window.addEventListener('metroVideo:relatedVideosCarouselLoaded', function(data) { if (typeof(data.detail) === 'undefined' || typeof(data.detail.carousel) === 'undefined' || typeof(data.detail.carousel.el_) === 'undefined') { return; } var player = data.detail.carousel.el_; var container = player.closest('.metro-video-player'); var placeholder = container.querySelector('.metro-video-player__up-next-placeholder'); if (placeholder) { container.removeChild(placeholder); container.classList.add('metro-video-player--related-videos-loaded'); } }); ‘There are still things to improve but I loved the attitude of every single player that was on the pitch. ‘It was a squad performance and a squad victory today and I’m sad for the ones that didn’t have the chance to play because they all want to be participating. ‘But sometimes you have certain issues with players physica
Former Sunderland striker Marco Gabbiadini says he is happy that the Black Cats have kept the core of the squad but says they need more numbers to deal with extra European fixtures - and signing a forward is "imperative". "I'm happy with this squad because it's the core that we had last season - 90% of the players from last season are still here, and I think that is the most important thing," Gabbiadini told BBC Radio Newcastle. When asked about which position should be a priority for sporting director Florent Ghisolfi, Gabbiadini cited the forward line despite being content with Trai Hume and Nilson Angulo starting on the wing in Sunderland's opening games of the season.
With Lionel Messi announcing his retirement from Argentina national team, Cristiano Ronaldo's record of goals against most different national teams will be without contention. Lionel Messi‘s retirement from Argentina national team dropped a massive bombshell across global soccer, leaving fans stunned following his unexpected announcement. However, the timing also cements a historic benchmark for Cristiano Ronaldo, whose record for goals scored against the most unique national teams now stands permanently out of reach for his long-time rival. Both Messi and Ronaldo dominated the global stage for over two decades at both the club level and as iconic international captains for Argentina and Portugal, becoming the all-time leading scorers for their respective countries. The Argentine made his debut for the Albiceleste in 2005 before concluding his international career in 2026, while Ronaldo debuted in 2003 and remains active, torturing defenses across the international calendar. Heading into his final World Cup campaign having scored against 41 different national teams, Messi expanded his victim list with Argentina by adding a brace against Austria, a set-piece strike against Jordan, and goals against Cape Verde and Egypt. With an international break approaching in September and October, Messi had an opportunity to push his tally even higher, but his decision to step down closes his ledger permanently. In total, Lionel Messi scored 125 international goals for Argentina against 45 different national teams worldwide, with Bolivia serving as his most frequent target with 11 goals. Lionel Messi #10 of Argentina celebrates with Julian Alvarez #9 after scoring against Egypt. To put that accomplishment into context, FIFA currently recognizes 211 member associations worldwide, a figure exceeding total membership in the United Nations (193). Under that standard, Messi scored against nearly a quarter of FIFA’s total global membership, specifically finding the net against 21 percent of all affiliated nations. Cristiano Ronaldo holds the record outright With 233 caps for Portugal, Cristiano Ronaldo stands as the all-time leading goalscorer in men’s international football history with 146 goals for Selecao. Competing continuously across European Qualifiers, UEFA European Championships, Nations League fixtures, and World Cups allowed the Portuguese forward to accumulate an even wider array of national opponents. In total, Cristiano Ronaldo has scored against 49 different national teams, holding a four-nation lead over Lionel Messi. His most recent addition to the list came against Uzbekistan at the World Cup where he netted twice, while Luxembourg remains Ronaldo’s most frequent victim with 11 goals. List of nations Lionel Messi scored against AlbaniaAlgeriaAngolaAustraliaAustriaBoliviaBosnia and HerzegovinaBrazilCanadaCape VerdeChileColombiaCroatiaCuracaoEcuadorEgyptEstoniaFranceGermanyGuatemalaHaitiHondurasHong KongIcelandIranJamaicaJordanMexicoNetherlandsNicaraguaNigeriaPanamaParaguayPeruPortugalSaudi ArabiaSerbia and MontenegroSloveniaSpainSwitzerlandUnited Arab EmiratesUnited StatesUruguayVenezuelaZambia List of nations Cristiano Ronaldo scored against AndorraArgentinaArmeniaAzerbaijanBelgiumBosnia and HerzegovinaCameroonCroatiaCyprusCzechiaDenmarkEcuadorEgyptEstoniaFaroe IslandsFinlandFranceGermanyGhanaGreeceHungaryIcelandIranIsraelKazakhstanLatviaLiechtensteinLithuaniaLuxembourgMoroccoNetherlandsNew ZealandNorthern IrelandNorth KoreaPanamaPolandQatarRepublic of IrelandRussiaSaudi ArabiaScotlandSerbiaSlovakiaSpainSwedenSwitzerlandUkraineUzbekistanWales
With Lionel Messi announcing his retirement from the Argentina national team, fans are wondering how his numbers compare to Cristiano Ronaldo's on the international stage. Lionel Messi will no longer play for Argentina. His retirement from international football has prompted fans to compare his national team career with that of Cristiano Ronaldo. On Monday, Messi shocked the football world by confirming his retirement from the Argentina national team. He made the decision two days after Argentina’s 2026 World Cup final loss, with the recent passing of his father sealing his choice. At 39 years old, Messi steps away after reaching the pinnacle of international success with Argentina. Now, attention turns to how much longer Cristiano Ronaldo will continue playing for Portugal in what marks the closing chapter of a legendary era in football. Lionel Messi vs. Cristiano Ronaldo: International career numbers Lionel Messi made his senior debut for Argentina on August 17, 2005, at the age of 18. Throughout his international career, he earned 207 caps and scored 125 goals for La Albiceleste. Ver esta publicación en Instagram Una publicación compartida por Leo Messi (@leomessi) By comparison, Cristiano Ronaldo made his senior debut for Portugal on August 20, 2003. He has since compiled 233 appearances and scored 146 goals for his country. While Ronaldo leads in appearances and goals, Messi holds the advantage in playmaking. The Argentine superstar registered 68 assists for his country, compared to Ronaldo’s 45. In terms of silverware, Messi also holds the edge over Ronaldo. The Argentine forward claimed four senior trophies with his country, whereas Ronaldo has won three with Portugal. Messi also won two youth international titles with Argentina early in his career.
Rangers face fresh competition for striker target Ibrahima Balde, with Ligue 1 side FC Lorient now pursuing the 23-year-old. The post Lorient ‘Activated Their Pursuit’ Of Rangers Striker Target appeared first on Inside Futbol | Latest Football News, Transfer Rumours & Articles.
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