Sports Freak

Austria manager Ralf Rangnick on Messi after their 2-0 loss to Argentina:

"What Messi did tonight, honestly, it’s difficult to put into words."

"We spent the entire week preparing for him. Every training session was focused on how to limit his space, how to cut off his passing lanes, how to stop him between the lines. And still, he finds a way."

"If someone is 39 years old and can score 2 goals, 5 at the start of a World Cup, that makes a difference. Messi showed that he is the best. That's Lionel Messi. He doesn't need many situations to decide a game."

🚨Breaking News!!

Lionel Scaloni has confirmed that Leandro Parades, Montiel, and Tagliafico have recovered and available for the selection against Austria game.

Zlatan in Fox Sports

“If he wins this World Cup, it’s just another trophy in his cabinet, and it doesn’t matter at all if he wins it or not. He is beyond football now.”

Henry kept staring at the empty table with disbelief and the classic smirk

When was the last time you saw Messi playing with this little pressure? He’s scoring goals with a smile, making it all look effortless. At 38, when most players struggle to run, dribble, or maintain their accuracy, Lionel Messi is in a league of his own. Messi is like a fine old wine.

As time goes by, he just keeps shining brighter. His shooting accuracy is unbelievable. If this Messi can stay injury-free, who knows Argentina might just go on to win another World Cup.

Off the ball, Argentina are one of the best teams in the world. Algeria had 53% possession throughout the match, yet interestingly, they failed to register a single shot on target. Once again, Argentina showed that they can play comfortably even without dominating possession.

That said, I expected a bit more from the midfield. Mac Allister needs to put in a little more effort. If Argentina can get the midfield better organized, this team will be an absolute force to reckon with. ⚽🇦🇷

The possible starting XI for Argentina against Algeria today👉👉

Lionel Scaloni has confirmed that Emiliano Martínez has recovered and will start the match. In defense, Cristian Romero is expected to partner Lisandro Martínez at center-back. The main uncertainty lies at left-back. Nicolás Tagliafico will miss the game due to injury, and Facundo Medina has been called up to the squad. However, Scaloni also has the option of shifting Lisandro Martínez to left-back and starting Nicolás Otamendi alongside Romero in central defense.

There are also concerns at right-back. Nahuel Molina is expected to start, but he is not yet 100% fit. If he is unable to play, Gonzalo Montiel will likely take his place.

In midfield, Argentina are most likely to field the trio of Rodrigo De Paul, Enzo Fernández, and Alexis Mac Allister. However, Scaloni could opt for a 4-4-2 formation, with Thiago Almada favored to start on the left side of midfield, while Enzo Fernández and Mac Allister operate centrally and De Paul plays on the right.

Up front, Lionel Messi is expected to lead the attack alongside Lautaro Martínez.

Appreciation post👏

At 40, Vozinha led Cabo Verde - a nation of just 530,000 people, to a historic result! He made 8 incredible saves to secure their first ever World Cup point in a 0-0 draw against the tournament favorite Spain.

Football is truly beautiful game.

𝐖𝐄 𝐍𝐄𝐄𝐃 𝐓𝐎 𝐓𝐀𝐋𝐊 𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐌𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝟏𝟖-𝐘𝐄𝐀𝐑-𝐎𝐋𝐃 𝐀𝐘𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐁 𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐀𝐃𝐃𝐈 😮‍💨

Bouaddi today among all Moroccan players:

▪️ Most touches (86)
▪️ Most accurate passes (60)
▪️ Most ball carries (23)
▪️ Second-most ground duels won (9)
▪️ Second-most successful dribbles (3)

A gem💎

বার্সার রাফিনহা আর ব্রাজিলের রাফিনহা যেন আকাশ পাতাল তফাৎ। মরক্কোর সাথে রাফিনহার কনফিডেন্স এর অভাব মিনিটে মিনিটে দেখা গেছে। ভুল পাস ছিলো অনেকগুলো, বল লোজ করলে প্রেস করে না। অবশ্য ব্রাজিলের কেউই তেমন প্রেসিং করেই নি। একমাত্র গোল ভিনিসিয়াস এর ইন্ডিভিজুয়াল পারফরমেন্সে হইছে।

ব্রাজিলের মিডফিল্ড খুব এলোমেলো মনে হইছে। ক্যাসেমিরোকে খুঁজেই পাওয়া যায় নি, যেখানে ক্লাব ফুটবলে ক্যাসেমিরো এখনো দাপিয়ে বেড়াচ্ছে। আনচেলত্তিকে খুব দ্রুতই একটা সল্যুশন বের করতে হবে।

Brazil begins its World Cup journey tomorrow against Morocco! 🇧🇷

Fun fact: the last time they faced each other, Morocco won 2–1.