Lionel Messi and his Argentina lineup will be back on World Cup duty this week, when their bid to defend the title starts in South American qualifying. Argentina will face Moisés Caicedo’s Ecuador on Thursday at the Monumental de Nuñez Stadium in its first official match since winning the World cup in December. The last time a World Cup winner played in South American qualifying was in 2003, when Brazil had to secure its spot in a tournament with 32 teams.
French Sports Minister Amélie Oudéa-Castéra accuses Argentina's footballers of being "inelegant winners" and "vulgar" for mocking her country's star Kylian Mbappé on their victory parade.
Emiliano Martinez's in-your-face public persona has done him no harm in Argentina, a country which likes its goalkeepers to come with a generous dose of eccentricity.
Emiliano Martinez's in-your-face public persona has done him no harm in Argentina, a country which likes its goalkeepers to come with a generous dose of eccentricity.