Leonardo
CONMEBOL Libertadores · Defender · #33 · Brazil · 21 yrs
Leonardo news
Luis Suarez reaches 50 goals in 100 Inter Miami games, only falling short of Lionel Messi’s record
Luis Suarez has reached his 100th game at Inter Miami with a mark of 50 goals, a record only surpassed by his teammate Lionel Messi. Luis Suarez arrived at Inter Miami well past his athletic peak, yet he has managed to carve his name deep into the young franchise’s record books. In his 100th appearance with the Herons, the Uruguayan star reached the 50-goal milestone, a pace outshined only by long-time teammate Lionel Messi. With Messi resting following his run at the 2026 World Cup, Suarez donned the captain’s armband Wednesday night against the Chicago Fire at Nu Stadium as MLS regular-season play resumed. After an early setback via a Rocco Rios Novo own goal, Suarez spearheaded the Herons’ comeback, converting a 27th-minute penalty before completing a brace in the 51st minute to set up Preston Plambeck’s dramatic 87th-minute winner in a 3-2 victory. With his start against Chicago, Suarez became just the ninth player in Inter Miami history to reach the 100-appearance milestone. Over that span, the 39-year-old legend has tallied 50 goals and 30 assists, averaging a remarkable 0.8 goal contributions per match despite his age and physical wear. Suarez’s goal tally stands as the second-highest mark ever recorded by an Inter Miami player through 100 matches, as well as the second-highest total in club history. With his midweek brace, he comfortably distanced himself from Ecuadorian forward Leonardo Campana, who recorded 32 goals in his 100 appearances for the club. Luis Suárez #9 of Inter Miami celebrates Preston Plambeck’s goal against Chicago Fire. Lionel Messi stands alone at the top Transforming the profile of Major League Soccer upon his arrival in 2023, Lionel Messi has maintained his status as a generational phenomenon through relentless, record-shattering production. While Suárez’s century-mark statistics are impressive, Messi’s numbers in South Florida remain in a league of their own. Through his first 100 games in an Inter Miami shirt, Messi racked up an astonishing 86 goals and 55 assists, averaging well over one goal contribution per match. Those figures easily cemented his status as the franchise’s all-time leader in both goals and assists. Messi originally hit the 100-game threshold back on May 2, 2025, during a 4-3 rivalry loss to Orlando City. Since reaching that milestone, the Argentine icon has added four more appearances to his ledger, bringing his overall club totals to 90 goals and 59 assists.
Report: Paolo Maldini steps up talks to convince Pep Guardiola to become Italy’s next head coach
After leaving Manchester City as a free agent, Pep Guardiola’s future has been surrounded by rumors. Taking advantage of this opportunity, Paolo Maldini has taken concrete steps to convince the Spaniard to become Italy’s new head coach as part of the national team’s rebuild. Italy decided to reshape their sporting project after completing several years without playing the World Cup, dismissing staff and some executives. Paolo Maldini has taken on a prominent role in this new process, being appointed as the new technical director. As his biggest move, he has decided to take decisive steps to convince Pep Guardiola to take the head coach position, as he is free following his departure from Manchester City. According to Sky Sports Italy, the Italian Soccer Federation (FIGC) has met with Pep Guardiola to convince him to take over as the national team head coach. Paolo Maldini, the new technical director, and Leonardo, his advisor, traveled to Barcelona to speak personally with him. However, Guardiola has not given the FIGC a definitive answer, but it is pushing hard to convince him. Even though several candidates have already been linked with Italy, Pep Guardiola is the only one considered the absolute priority. If he accepts the offer, he would arrive as a complete manager, looking to implement a young and promising project. However, the Spaniard coach would need long-term backing, just as he had at Manchester City, or he could reject any offer from the Azzurri. Throughout his successful managerial career, Guardiola has not yet coached a team in Italy, but he did have a spell in Serie A during his playing career. After leaving Barcelona in 2001, he joined Brescia as a free agent. There, he played 25 matches, scoring three goals and providing one assist. Therefore, he is already familiar with Italy, and his arrival would be key to rebuilding the entire national team project. Pep Guardiola, Manager of Manchester City, reacts during the Emirates FA Cup Final match. Guardiola’s potential arrival would not recover Italy Euro 2028 hopes Over the past few years, Italy have played with a very direct style of soccer, focused on pace and counterattacks. In case Pep Guardiola were to arrive as the new head coach, he would look to implement a more dominant, possession-based style, moving away from a three-man defensive line. As this would be a fairly drastic change, the Azzurri might not be immediate contenders for UEFA Euro 2028. At both Barcelona and Manchester City, Pep Guardiola needed one or two full seasons to implement his style and build a world-class squad. In Italy, this would be no different, as he would have to reshape the approach at the youth levels. In addition, Italy’s young stars would need time to adapt to his playing philosophy. This does not mean they would be unable to win UEFA Euro 2028, but rather that they would not arrive as top contenders. Instead of targeting UEFA Euro 2028, Guardiola’s Italy could focus on returning to the 2030 World Cup and reaching the knockout stage once again. If his appointment is completed soon, he would have four full years to work and implement his ideas, an ideal scenario. Therefore, the greatest expectations would be placed on that tournament, where they would aim to win the trophy again, something they have not achieved since 2006.
Why isn’t Nicolas Tagliafico playing for Argentina vs Algeria at the 2026 World Cup?
Argentina is beginning its title defense in the 2026 World Cup against Algeria, but Nicolas Tagliafico will be one of the main absences of the game. Argentina officially launches its title defense Tuesday night at Kansas City Stadium, opening Group J play against a dangerous Algeria squad. While the Albiceleste are expected to deploy a star-studded lineup to jumpstart their bid for back-to-back crowns, veteran defender Nicolas Tagliafico stands out as the most notable omission from the starting eleven. Tagliafico will miss the opener against Algeria due to a localized muscle injury. According to ESPN insider Diego Monroig, the Olympique Lyon left-back suffered a Grade I tear in his left soleus during training camp, severely limiting his participation in full squad sessions leading up to the match. The injury occurred while Argentina was refining its tactics at its Kansas City training base, immediately raising alarms within the coaching staff about defensive depth. Rather than replacing him on the roster, boss Lionel Scaloni elected to keep Tagliafico in the 26-man squad, aiming instead to have the reliable veteran fully recovered for Matchday 2 against Austria. Tagliafico’s sudden absence is a massive blow for Argentina, considering he was a defensive cornerstone during the team’s historic 2022 run in Qatar. While navigating separate squad injuries in the buildup to the tournament, Scaloni ultimately kept Tagliafico on board while flying in Bournemouth’s Marcos Senesi as a late injury replacement for center-back Leonardo Balerdi. Nicolas Tagliafico #3 of Argentina. Who will start at left-back for Argentina? Fullback depth has loomed as one of the major question marks for Argentina ahead of the 2026 World Cup, with the coaching staff largely leaning on the veteran core that triumphed four years ago. In a bold roster shakeup, Scaloni decided to leave veteran Marcos Acuña off the final tournament list entirely, a decision that leaves few natural alternatives on the left flank. For the opener against Algeria, Scaloni has handed the starting left-back duties to Marseille’s Facundo Medina. While Medina primarily operates as a central defender at the club level, he is a highly versatile option who has frequently filled in on the left side whenever called upon for international duty. Should Scaloni look to alter his tactical look mid-match, Valentin Barco offers a more attacking alternative down the flank. While the youngster has transitioned into a midfield role more recently, his early professional experience came as an overlapping left-back, making him an emergency option if Argentina needs to chase goals.
