The 36-year-old said he would call time on his career only when he feels he is unable to contribute or loses his enjoyment for the game.
"I know that the moment I feel that I am no longer performing, that I am no longer enjoying it or helping my teammates [I will retire]," Messi said in an interview with the Big Time podcast published on Wednesday, reports Xinhua.
"I am very self-critical. I know when I am doing well, when I am not, when I play well and when I play poorly. When I feel it's time to take that step, I will do it without thinking about age.
"If I feel good, I will try to continue competing because it's what I like and what I know how to do."
After leading Argentina to the 2022 FIFA World Cup title in Qatar, Messi said he had achieved everything that had been hoped for in football. The Albiceleste captain scored two goals in the final against France and won the Golden Ball awarded to the tournament's best player.
In an interview broadcast on Argentine television last July, Messi said, "Logically, because of my age, [retirement] won't be far away."
But the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner now seems less certain about how far his career could extend.
"I haven't thought about it yet. For now, I try to enjoy each day, each moment, without thinking about the future. I don't have anything clear yet," the Inter Miami forward said.
"I hope to keep playing for a while longer, because that's what I enjoy. When the time comes, I will surely find the path to what fulfills me and what I like, and a new role."
Messi has scored 16 goals and provided seven assists in 19 appearances for Inter Miami, whom he joined on a free transfer from Paris Saint-Germain last July.
As per the plans revealed by the International Football Association Board (IFAB), the governing body responsible for the laws of the game, a blue card would result in a player’s temporary removal from the field for 10 minutes.
To add a layer of complexity, there is also the option to combine colors. Should a player reenter the game and receive another blue card, it would escalate to a red card, leading to permanent dismissal.
Moreover, a combination of one blue and one yellow card would also result in a red card. IFAB is set to propose these recommendations on Friday, paving the way for trials in various competitions.
As per sources, this innovative approach reflects the concerted efforts of international football authorities to address the escalating issue of ‘participant behavior’ on the field. It is believed to influence both spectator conduct and incidents in grassroots sports with tangible repercussions for players and referees.
"It is with deep sadness that we inform you that my husband and our father Franz Beckenbauer fell asleep peacefully yesterday (Sunday), surrounded by family," his family said in a statement on Monday.
"We ask that you mourn in silence and refrain from asking any questions," the statement said. The family did not give any details of his health in recent times though Beckenbauer had cardiac surgery twice, in 2016 and 2017. He also had an artificial hip inserted in 2018.
Known worldwide as ‘Der Kaiser’ (The King), Beckenbauer captained West Germany to the World Cup in 1972 and then as guided as manager, the Lothar Matthaus-led side to glory in the 1990 edition in Italy.
Credited with creating the libero position and defining the sweeper's role, a cornerstone of modern football, Beckenbauer bagged 103 caps for West Germany, captaining them to victory in the 1974 World Cup. He was a key member of the West Germany team that reached the final of the 1966 World Cup in England, losing to hosts England via a controversial extra-time goal.
Beckenbauer is one of the few players to have a full set of World Cup medals as he was part of the West Germany team that won a bronze medal in the 1970 edition in Mexico.
He also won numerous other honours, including a hat-trick of European Cups with Bayern Munich in the mid-70s, when he also established his reputation as a defender of supreme talent.
The only defender in football history to win the Ballon d'Or twice, Beckenbauer made 427 appearances for Bayern Munich, scoring 60 league goals between 1964 and 1977. He played for New York Cosmos from 1977 to 1980 before returning to Germany to represent Hamburger SV from 1980 to 1982. He finally ended his playing career with the New York Cosmos in 1983.
In all, Der Kaiser played 560 matches in a career spanning two decades. He was named European Footballer of the Year twice.
After coaching Germany's age-group teams, Beckenbauer took charge of the senior national team from 1984 to 1990. He also managed Bayern Munich (1932-94, 1996) and led Marseille as sports director from 1990-1991.
Beckenbauer was married three times and had five children.
Beckenbauer was a respected voice in World Football for decades before he got involved in some controversies following his role in Germany winning the bid to organise the FIFA World Cup in 2006. He was suspended by FIFA for 90 days in 2014 for allegedly refusing to cooperate with an inquiry into corruption dealing with the allocation of the 2018 and 2022 World Cup to Russia and Qatar. The ban was lifted after Beckenbauer agreed to participate in FIFA's inquiry. Later, he was again investigated by FIFA Ethics Commission in 2016 during which it was found that he was paid a huge sum by South Africa, which hosted the World Cup in 2010. He claimed the amount was transferred to his account via Gibraltar for consultancy work.
Led by the mercurial Chhetri, India will be appearing in the AFC Asian Cup for the fifth time.
Stimac named India's final squad ahead of their departure to Doha, with the Croatian focused on getting the South Asian side ready for their Group B challenge.
"All three of our opponents are very good technically, physically stronger with great speed. So, we are not going to have much difference in approach to all these three games, I can tell you that. We need to check the fitness level of our players at present and see how much we can develop in the next two weeks," said Stimac as quoted by AFC website.
India meet 2015 champions Australia in their opening match on January 13 before facing Uzbekistan five days later. They conclude their group stage campaign against Syria on January 23.
Manvir scored with a left-footed shot in the 75th minute as he connected a Lallianzuala Chhangte cross to help India win the match at the Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium here.
Kuwait ended the match with 10 men as their player Faisal Alharbi was sent off after picking his second yellow card in the third minute of the added time for a high boot challenge on Chhangte.
India play Asian champions Qatar next on November 21 in Bhubaneswar.
India are placed in Group A alongside Qatar, Kuwait and Afghanistan with the top two from the group progressing to the third round of the FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
The top two teams from each group will also secure qualification for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup.
The Blue Tigers have never advanced to the third round of AFC's FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
Ranked 106th in the world, India had beaten Kuwait (149th) on penalty shootout in the final of the SAFF Championships in July.
A penalty worth Rs 60,000 has also been slapped on accused by the court.
The victim meanwhile kept quite after the incident till 2021, however at her boarding school in Kasauli, she attended a webinar where judges were speaking on crime against minors. Here the girl felt like reporting the incident to punish the accused. She first informed her warden and then got this complaint filed at Kasauli police station in Himachal Pradesh.
As crime was reported in Ajmer, the case was sent to Ajmer SP. Adarsh Nagar police station registered a case and then recorded her statement.
Special prosecutor Rupendra Parihar said that Adarsh Nagar police arrested the coach in June 2021 and a chargesheet was filed in this case in July next year. Total19 witnesses and 41 documents were produced in court during trial.
Parihar further mentioned that court observed in its judgement that this was an example of benefits of awareness programmes run by judicial department, police and other organisations on crime against children.
The 10th season of the Indian Super League (ISL) kicks off on September 21 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Kochi, with a blockbuster clash between rivals Kerala Blasters FC and Bengaluru FC.
Viacom18 will be the exclusive media rights holder for ISL, India’s top-tier football league, across Digital and Linear TV platforms.
The telecast will be available for football fans in multiple languages keeping in mind the diverse audience of the league, and will also be streamed free on JioCinema.
"As we enter our 10th year of growing football in India, it is great to associate with a partner who shares the same vision and believes in growing the consumption of football in the country. Viacom18’s proven record and impact in offering a fan-first football experience to the Indian audience, starting with the FIFA Football World Cup, makes them the best partner as we enter the next decade of growing Indian football," FSDI spokesperson said.
The 38-year-old, who led the Blue Tigers to successive championship victories in the form of the Intercontinental Cup and the SAFF Championship, is eternally grateful for the love that the masses continue to shower upon him at every given opportunity.
Speaking to the Indian Super League (ISL), Chhetri expressed ecstasy at the course that his playing career has undertaken.
The star striker has thrived in multiple clubs across the country and prospered in his overseas stints too. However, it is his unbreakable bond with the senior national team that continues to garner affection for him everywhere he goes.
“If anyone would have given me a book and asked me to write my dream life down back then, maybe, I wouldn’t have written it the way it has turned out to be. I say this with extreme humility. It’s an absolute privilege and honour to be who I am. I am profoundly blessed. The number of years I have played, the number of things I have achieved, the people I have shared the dressing room with, it’s an unbelievable feat. I am very thankful to a lot of people for that,” the Bengaluru FC talisman said.
“I am Sunil Chhetri. There’s only one and I am living an absolute dream,” he further quipped.
Despite the unadulterated warmth laden upon him, Chhetri is still in awe of major personalities across other spheres of life. He let his millions of fans know that he appreciates the courage that they gather to come up and talk to him whenever they the India captain. The forward went to the length of revealing that he has had to overcome nerves whilst bumping into the likes of Sachin Tendulkar and senior actor Amitabh Bachchan in public events previously.
“Whenever I meet Mary Kom, she will know that a fan has come to meet her. I met Neeraj Chopra. Of course, he is very sweet and he reciprocates the same feeling. When I met Mr. Bachchan, at first, I was a bit hesitant but I did accumulate the strength to go and tell him that I am a big fan. The first time I met (Sachin) Tendulkar, I was a bit hesitant. We were both invited as chief guests at a football tournament. He was being very nice and it’s not often that I am short of words but I was a little hesitant to tell him exactly what a big deal he is for me and the whole country,” Chhetri revealed.
However, in his own words, he relates and connects the most with Indian cricket stalwart Virat Kohli. The two legends, hailing from Delhi, walk very similar paths in their respective careers. They stress the extreme importance of the need for a strict diet and lead by example with their exemplary fitness standards.
Chhetri disclosed that there are certain discussions about dealing with and overcoming pressure and expectations that the two of them have talked about in great detail.
“We talk about a lot of normal things. We share a lot of laughter. We share a lot of jokes and a lot of funny stuff. I have had a lot of deep and meaningful chats. It’s not like we talk 24x7 every day. There are phases when we don’t talk for months but the best part is that he understands and so do I. But, we catch up exactly from where we left it. The few times when I have felt the heat of who I am and the need to perform and the few times that he has felt the heat of who he is and the need to perform, is exactly when we have chatted. He understands that not everyone can understand what we are going through and it just hits the right note,” he opened up.
The four-team Intercontinental Cup will be played in the FIFA international window from June 9 to 18. Hosts, India will be joined by Lebanon, Mongolia, and Vanuatu in the mega tournament.
This will be the third edition of the Intercontinental Cup, with the previous two being held in Mumbai (2018) and Ahmedabad (2019).
Earlier last month, Manipur hosted the Tri-Nation International football tournament.
“Imphal had experienced the joy of International football in March. Now it’s Bhubaneswar’s turn to join the country’s growing map of international venues for men’s football,” said AIFF Secretary General, Shaji Prabhakaran.
“Bhubaneswar was one of the venues of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup. We have seen some excellent infrastructure being developed by the Government of Odisha. It is a legacy that the U-17 Women’s World Cup has left behind and has paved the path for the senior men’s national team to now play in the city for the first time in its history.
“If you look at what happened in Manipur, it was held for the first time and that way we are confident that fans in Odisha will display equal enthusiasm for the event. We are also hopeful that Odisha football will benefit greatly from hosting the Intercontinental Cup,” he added.
The Indian men’s national team had never played against Mongolia and Vanuatu. Against Lebanon, the hosts hold a record of playing six matches.
Called by various names such as 'Gasolina', 'The Black Pearl' and 'O Rei' (The King), but it was as 'Pele' that he has left the world as the most cherished and loved sports star it has ever seen.
Pele, 82, passed away in a private hospital in Sao Paulo, Brazil, after spending nearly a month, battling complications related to advanced cancer.
He had a colon tumour removed in September 2021 and neither his family, nor doctors, specified whether it had spread to other organs. He was recently under "elevated care" related to :kidney and cardiac dysfunction".
Labelled "the greatest" by FIFA, football's world governing body, named Athlete of the Century by the International Olympic Committee in 1999 and included in TIME Magazine's list of 100 most important people of the 20th century, Pele was in 2000 voted World Player of the Century by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS) and was one of the two joint winners of the FIFA Player of the Century award.
But for millions of fans of the game around the globe, Pele was the first person who made football 'Jogo Bonito', "the beautiful game".
He was the original No. 10 of world football, a number now sported by Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbapp. He was the genius who played the game with passion and was so unstoppable that fouling him was the only option for the numerous defenders that he faced.
A player of sublime skills, great presence in the field, immaculate positional sense, magical dribbling skills, two brilliant feet and a devastatingly powerful shot, right-footed Pele was thus far the only footballer to have lifted the World Cup thrice -- 1958, 1962 and 1970.
In his nearly-two-decade-long career, Pele scored 1,279 goals in 1,363 games, which included friendlies. This is recognised as a Guinness World Record. He is also the youngest-ever scorer for Brazil -- and holds the record still -- and at 17 was the youngest to play in a World Cup final.
Born as Edson Arantes do Nascimento on October 23, 1940, in a small provincial town in Minas Gerais, Brazil, Pele's aura grew even stronger after his retirement as he travelled all over the world as 'The King' and was hosted by royalty, heads of government and billionaires.
He was declared the Natural Treasure by Brazil's federal government in the 1960s to prevent him from being taken to Europe to ply his trade there. On one occasion, he got a civil war stopped as the two warring factions in Nigeria announced a ceasefire to coincide with Pele's visit to their region.
Born in poverty to Fluminense footballer Dondinho (born Joao Ramos do Nascimento) and Celeste Arantes, Pele made his debut for Santos, the only club he represented in an official league, at the age of 16 in 1956. He played for Santos from 1956 till 1974, scoring 648 goals in 659 appearances.
Pele enhanced Santos's recognition around the world, touring various countries with the team and drawing huge crowds. From 1975 to 1977, Pele played for the New York Cosmos, making the American club a household name. Pele played 56 matches for Cosmos in three years, scoring 31 goals.
'The King' made his first impact on the international stage at the 1958 World Cup as a 17-year-old, scoring some impressive goals, including two in the 5-2 win against Sweden in the final as he helped Brazil win their first World Cup. At the international level, he scored 77 goals in 92 matches.
He has won dozens of awards and set a string of records in world football -- he was, for instance, the youngest player to play in the World Cup and lift it (he was aged 17 years 244 days) and also the youngest player to score a hat-trick in the FIFA World Cup, besides winning honours beyond the football field -- he was given an honorary knighthood by Queen Elizabeth II in 1997.
He was the UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador since 1994. In 1995, Brazilian President Fernando Henrique Cardoso appointed Pele to the position of Extraordinary Minister for Sport, a position he utilised to propose legislation for reducing corruption in Brazilian football, which is now known as the Pele Law.
A multi-faceted personality, Pele published many books, including his autobiographies, and even starred in movies -- the most famous of them being the Hollywood flick, 'Escape to Victory', which had Sylvester Stallone and Michael Caine in the lead roles. He also acted in Brazilian movies, television serials and documentaries.
But more than all these achievements and aspects of his life, Pele always had a place in and ruled the hearts of his million of fans around the globe like The King he was. He was non-controversial and a genius who lacked the flawed personality of someone like a Maradona or a George Best.
There were some controversies related to his businesses, notably allegations of misappropriation of funds related to Unicef, but nothing was ever proved. Pele participated in many humanitarian projects after retiring as a footballer, which only enhanced his reputation.
It is this universal appeal as a humble, loveable and well-respected human being that resulted in many football players, including France's World Cup hero Kylian Mbappe, sending him their wishes as Pele fought for his life in a hospital in Sao Paulo.
The King may have died, but his memories will be alive forever!
A woman with significant footballing skills can also be hot, bold and beautiful like a model. Yes, there are many women footballers who are way prettier than models. Athletic girls are anyhow pretty and soccer players are no exception.
Here’s a list of top 5 most beautiful women footballers around the world. The list comprises of female footballers from all over the world.
1. Ana Maria Markovic: The Croatian footballer plays as forward for Swiss Women’s Super League club Grasshopper and the Croatia National Team.
2. Carla Humphrey: The English footballer plays as a midfielder for Liverpool.
3. Jordyn Huitema: The Canadian professional soccer player plays forward for National Women’s Soccer League club OL Reign and the Canada National Team.
4. Alisha Lehmann: The Swiss footballer plays as forward for the English FA WSL club Aston Villa and the Switzerland National Team.
5. Kealia Watt: The American soccer player plays for the Chicago Red Stars of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) since 2020.
6. Jacynta Galabadaarachchi: the Australian professional soccer player plays as a forward for Scottish Women’s Premier League club Celtic and the Australia Women’s National Under-20 Team.
7. Jessie Lingard: The star female footballer plays for Manchester United.
8. Midge Purce: The American soccer player plays as forward for NJ/NY Gotham FC in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL).
9. Stefani Jimenez: The star soccer player is from Mexico
10. Trinity Rodman: The American professional player plays as forward for Washington spirit of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL).
1. Mohamed Salah
In Qatar, the Egyptian icon and Adidas Global athlete will not showcase his talent. Egypt did not qualify for the tournament after losing to Senegal in penalties. Last season, Salah was the best goal-scorer and playmaker in the Premier League. He won the Carabao Cup and FA Cup as well. His absence from the World Cup 2022 will be the most talked about.
2. Erling Haaland
The Norwegian superstar and the current top scorer in the Premier League is already a leading figure in English football. After signing for Manchester City, he has netted 18 goals and three assists in 13 matches for his club. He is also en route to breaking Liverpool's Mohamed Salah's record of 32 goals in a single season. His team failed to qualify for the World Cup.
3. Sergio Ramos
Many neutrals may find it shocking that a player with 180 caps was excluded from the squad. However, Luis Enrique has made the decision. It was decided that Spain would stick with its tried and tested team of Eric Garcia, Pau Torres, and Aymeric Laporte. They were all part of the team that led Spain to the semi-finals of Euro 2020.
4. N’Golo Kante
The midfielder Dynamo, who won the World Cup in 2018 with his native France, will be missed by his national team. Kante has also won the titles like Premier League and Champions League. Les Blues' bid to retain the World Cup would have been made significantly more impactful with his presence and energy, and he will be missed greatly.
5. Diogo Jota
In the Qatar World Cup, the Liverpool and Portugal forward is a big name missing. Jota's absence is a major blow to Fernando Santos’ men as he scored ten goals in 29 Portugal appearances, and formed a fearsome forward line with Cristiano Ronaldo, Bernardo Silva, and Bruno Fernandes. On 16th October, Liverpool's star was stretchered off after sustaining a serious calf injury against Manchester City.
1. France vs Denmark – 26th November
The current world champion France will take on Denmark in their second match. Both teams met in a group match during the 2018 World Cup. France placed first, while Denmark placed second in their group. Now they'll play against each other again at the World Cup and the match is anticipated to be very tight.
2. Spain vs Germany – 28th November
Both Spain and Germany are in Group E and will play each other on November 28. At this year's world cup, both teams are arguably favourites, and only time will tell which of them will triumph in a matchup.
3. Poland vs Argentina – 1st December
This match between Poland and Argentina will feature Robert Lewandowski and Lionel Messi, the current striker of FC Barcelona against the former FCB legend. Both players are deadly in front of the goal and have scored record-breaking goals for their clubs. This is definitely a match to watch out for in the group stage.
4. Croatia vs Belgium – 1st December
The Croatian team reached the World Cup final against all odds but lost to France. Even though they failed to maintain momentum at Euro 2020, they are still a formidable team capable of defeating giants. Their match against Belgium will hold many people's attention, as Belgium is among the top-rated FIFA teams and a heavy favourite.
5. Portugal vs Ghana – 24th November
The qualifiers were tough for Portugal, and it almost didn't make it. However, now that they have qualified, they will face Ghana. Cristiano Ronaldo is playing his last World Cup, and he hopes to make an impression and perhaps win his and Portugal's first World Cup. Uruguay, South Korea and Ghana are in their group, so the team has an uphill battle to overcome.
Angel Di Maria
Di Maria is one of the most underrated football players of our generation. He has played for several major clubs throughout his career. He played exquisitely in the shadows of a number of big players until he earned recognition. He scored the winning goal against Brazil in the Copa America final. Along with Lionel Messi, this will be Di Maria's last World Cup.
Lautaro Martinez
It is known that Lautaro Martinez is capable of beating his opponents and scoring goals. Since 2018, Martinez has netted 21 goals for Argentina. Lautaro is considered the most critical player for both Argentina and Lionel Messi. Messi’s role as a playmaker is only effective when combined with a world-class striker like Lautaro Martinez.
Emiliano Martinez
For Argentina, Martinez’s performance is crucial. After winning the FA Cup with Arsenal, Emiliano proved his worth. After leaving Arsenal, Emiliano stayed consistent for Aston Villa, winning various matches for them. Although he had numerous highlights in his career, Emiliano Martinez's best moment came during Copa America 2020. He saved numerous penalties as Argentina won their first Copa America in 28 years.
Rodrigo De Paul
De Paul is not currently performing at his peak level with Atletico Madrid, but still, this Argentinean player is quite unique. Lionel Scaloni plans to play De Paul in the middle of the midfield. As a midfield maestro or perhaps as an engine for the team, De Paul would fit right in. A unique skill of De Paul's is his ability to break down opposition lines with exquisite passes. He demonstrated this skill in the Copa America final when he assisted Di Maria.
5. France (2)
France is entering this World Cup as defending champions. The French team won the World Cup in Russia in 2018 with exceptional young players such as Kylian Mbappe and world-class players such as Paul Pogba. France won its second title by defeating Croatia in the final. They won the first title in 1998 when the country hosted the most significant sporting event of its history.
4. Argentina (2)
Argentina has two World Cup titles to its credit. The South Americans won the title for the first time in the year 1978. They were also the hosts and with the support of their home crowd, they prevailed in the end. They won the match 3-1 over the Netherlands in the finals. Their second title came in 1986. The World Cup was held in Mexico that year when Argentina defeated West Germany in the grand finals 3-2.
3. Italy (4)
Italy has won the FIFA World Cup four times. Italy won the competition for the first time in 1934, when it was only in its second edition and played Italy. The 1938 competition was claimed by the government in an effort to replicate its victory and defend its world championship crown. It took 44 years for Italy to win its third World Cup trophy following that. In the 1982 competition's final match, they defeated West Germany 3-1. Italy last lifted the World Cup in 2006.
2. Germany (4)
Germany is the only country, after Italy, to have won the World Cup four times. The Germans historically dominated the field, winning in 1954, 1974, 1990, and 2014. The most recent title was especially notable because it saw the Germans defeat the Brazilian hosts in the semi-finals by 7-1 on their way to the title. Mario Gotze famously scored the winning goal against Argentina in the final match to lift the title.
1. Brazil (5)
Brazil is the most successful nation when it comes to FIFA World Cup trophies. They are the most dominant team in the competition with five titles. In the 1958 World Cup, Pele represented Brazil. He scored twice in the title match to give his nation its first trophy. Brazilian teams also won the World Cup in 1962, 1970, 1994, and 2002. They are considered one of the favourites to win the World Cup in Qatar.
What time will the matches begin in India?
Inaugural match and opening ceremony:
Group stage:
Round of 16:
Semi-Finals:
Finals:
Where Can You Watch It Live?
In India, fans will be able to watch the FIFA World Cup 2022 live on the Sports18 channel, thanks to Reliance Industries' Viacom18 media winning the broadcast rights. Fans can watch both SD and HD live broadcasts of the World Cup in Qatar on Sports18, with options to choose between English and Hindi feeds. Viacom18 has also offered fans the option to stream the match live on the JioCinema app.
Uruguay (1930)
The first World Cup was hosted and won by Uruguay in 1930, which had 13 teams take part. Uruguay is known for its deep history of the World Cup. Although just 18 matches in total were played, Uruguay worked hard for the title, particularly when they faced Argentina in their final match. In Montevideo, the Uruguayans defeated the Argentines 4-2, securing the honour of becoming the first-ever world champions.
Italy (1934)
The Italians also won the World Cup in their first year as hosts, before going on to repeat the feat in the future. With four World Cup titles, Italy is joint-second most successful at the tournament, just behind Brazil.
England (1966)
The Three Lions also won the World Cup in 1966 at Wembley, having won their only World Cup to date on that day. This year's victory was also won in extra time, with hosts England beating West Germany 4-2.
West Germany (1974)
Germany defied the trend of nations winning their first World Cup on home soil by winning the 1974 tournament as hosts. It was under the name West Germany, that the nation won the tournament, beating the Netherlands 2-1 at the Olympiastadion in Munich.
Argentina (1978)
In the 1978 World Cup, Argentina beat the Netherlands in extra time to claim victory. It was yet another World Cup final loss for the Netherlands, as they were beaten 3-1 in Buenos Aires by the home team. Mario Kempes and Daniel Bertoni were the stars on that day, scoring two goals at Estadio Monumental.
France (1998)
France won its first World Cup in 1998 on home soil, just like Uruguay, Italy and Argentina did. In the finals at Stade de France, Zinedine Zidane, Frank Leboeuf, and Didier Deschamps all helped France to beat a Brazilian side with stars like Cafu, Ronaldo, Roberto Carlos, and Rivaldo with a score of 3-0.
Let's wait and see which team will play well enough to add this year's FIFA World Cup trophy to their cabinet.
1. Hansi Flick (Germany) - £5.5 million
It is Flick's job to turn things around this time since the German national team was eliminated in the group stage at the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Flick earns £5.5 million per year as Germany's national team coach and is the highest-paid manager at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
2. Gareth Southgate (England) - £4.9 million
Some people feel Southgate is too conservative for this group of players. There is no doubt that England has an extremely talented and star-studded squad, and they could play a much more exciting game of football. The boardroom murmur seems to be, 'Why fix something that's not broken?' Fair enough. Southgate will remain in his job which pays him £4.9 million a year.
3. Didier Deschamps (France) - £3.2 million
The team under Didier Deschamps won the World Cup in 2018. The team was also predicted to win Euro 2020 but ended up losing out in the round of 16. France has a strong squad, but they are no longer the nearly unbeatable team they were four years ago. Deschamps has a salary of £3.2 million annually, making him the third highest-paid manager at the FIFA World Cup 2022.
4. Tite (Brazil) - £3 million
The Brazilian national team has been coached by Tite since 2016. He led them to Copa America victory in 2019 and has already revealed plans to step down as manager after the 2022 FIFA World Cup. This may be Tite's final fight at the FIFA World Cup in 2022. Tite earns £3 million a year and is one of the world's highest-paid managers.
5. Louis van Gaal (Netherlands) - £2.5 million
His managerial career has been quite illustrious. The former Manchester United and Barcelona manager is 71, and this will be his last World Cup as a manager. At the moment, he is the fifth-highest-paid national team manager in the world, earning £2.5 million annually.
You now know which manager earns the highest salary for leading their team in the FIFA World Cup 2022.
Neymar
Neymar has been a go-to technical player for Brazil since their 2014 qualification campaign, and his blistering start to PSG's season has shown just how good he is. In Qatar, Neymar may be used primarily as a facilitator, but he will be able to operate anywhere in the offensive third and team up with any forward. In order to become the greatest Brazilian player ever, he is on the verge of breaking Pele's all-time goal-scoring record, and this may be his best chance to win the Golden Ball.
Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi's team was eliminated from the 2018 World Cup after falling to eventual champions France 4-3 in the round of 16. Since then, Argentina’s football team has developed both in confidence and talent, with Messi setting a high bar for his teammates. He finished with four goals and five assists over the course of seven games to lead Argentina to its first Copa America title in 2021. They beat Brazil in penalties in the final.
Karim Benzema
Karim Benzema had his finest season with Real Madrid in 2021–22, scoring 44 goals and dishing out 15 assists in 46 appearances across competitions. His heroics led Real Madrid to the Champions League, La Liga, and Spanish Super Cup. For his outstanding campaign, he also won the Ballon d'Or. He is considered a strong contender for the Golden Ball because his team play on the field helps his team score goals.
Vinicius Junior
The 2021-22 season was one of excellence for Vinicius Junior at Real Madrid, as he scored 22 goals and assisted 20 times in 52 matches. In addition to helping the Whites win LaLiga and the Spanish Super Cup, the young winger scored the game-winning goal against Liverpool in the Champions League final. It will be his first major competition for the Selecao as Vinicius Junior competes at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
So, let's wait and see which top strikers will take the Golden Ball home.
The country missed out on a spot after a 92-minute loss to North Macedonia in their playoff semi-final in March. In the five matches that followed, they won only once and were held to four rows; a second-place finish took them to the playoff where the field to score and, for the second time in a row, failed to make the World Cup.
Russia
The former FIFA hosting country was politically expelled from the FIFA Qatar World Cup following its invasion of Ukraine. Russia launched an appeal against the expulsion with the Court of Arbitration for Sport but dropped it later.
Sweden
Sweden has been part of 12 of the 21 World Cups held so far. Their journey to Qatar came to an abrupt end when they lost three of their six matches in the second leg of the European qualifiers in 2021 and ranked second in the group behind Spain.
Colombia
Colombia were one of the favourites to secure a spot at the FIFA World Cup 2022 with the former World cup Golden Boot winner James Rodriguez. They also had an impressive performance in the last two editions of the World Cup, but they finished sixth in the qualifiers, a point behind Peru who earned the playoff spot after the top four teams qualified.
Chile
This team has been part of the World Cup since the first edition in 1930. They even hosted the event in 1962 and came in third place. However, they only won one of their remaining four qualification games for Qatar 2022.
This World Cup is going to be an entertaining one, so buckle up and get ready to get the goosebumps of the world’s biggest tournament.
Taking a swipe at the state government for announcing ‘Football for All ‘on the same day when the Centre launched ‘Football for School’, the Bharatiya Janata Party( BJP ) said the BJD dispensation should refrain from copying schemes from the Centre.
The Centre will include 700 districts under its ‘Football for School’ yojana and provide 100 balls each to 10,000 schools. The yojana will run by the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA), UNESCO, in partnership with the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and with the support of Ministry of Education and Sports and the department of Sports and Youth Affairs. Navodaya Vidyalay Samiti will implement the yojana.
The objectives behind this yojana are to keep students fit and encourage football at the ground level.
On the other hand, the state government launched ‘Football for All’, on the day when the central government launched the yojana.
Under the state government’s yojana, a whooping 43,000 footballs will be distributed among 2,000 schools across the state. The yojana will be implemented by FIFA, the state government and a private educational institution.
The football politics has brought the BJP and BJD face to face, with each one trying to take the credit.
“The state government is copying all the yojanas of the central government. The central government has launched the yojana for the development of football in schools. So there is no need at all for the state government to launch a similar programme at the same time. The state government should refrain from such things,” said BJP general secretary Prithviraj Harichandan.
BJD legislator Sashibhushan Behera said, “In my opinion, there should not be politics over sports. We shouldn’t divide our players for our politics for credit.”
On the other hand, the Congress launched a broadside against both the parties.
“While more than half of the total schools are devoid of infrastructure for football, the two parties (BJP and BJD) are doing politics over the game,” said Congress MLA Suresh Kumar Routray.
On the other hand, an unusual scene emerged at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar yesterday when FIFA Women’s U-17 World Cup was inaugurated. Four union ministers Dharmendra Pradhan, Anurag Thakur, Nisith Pramanik and Kiren Rijiju attended the event.
It is discussed that because the state government had the mileage of 2018 Hockey World Cup, the four ministers joined the event to have a share in the credit for the centre.
“There shouldn’t be politics over sports. But as elections are ahead, both the state and centre have started a politics over credit,” observed senior journalist Sandeep Mishra.
(Reported by Harihar Chand from Bhubaneswar)
When asked by a user on the micro-blogging platform if he was serious about buying the club, Musk replied: "No, this is a long-running joke on Twitter. I'm not buying any sports teams."
Earlier, while replying to other users, Musk mentioned he was buying Manchester United. However, it was not immediately clear if Musk was just having fun or was serious about the acquisition.
The American Glazer family owns the club, who purchased it for around 790 million pounds in 2005.
The announcement came as he was engaged in a political tweet thread.
"To be clear, I support the left half of the Republican Party and the right half of the Democratic Party!" he posted, before the US midterm elections in November.
Musk supporters have asked him to buy Manchester United rather than Twitter in the past.
Manchester United Football Club, commonly referred to as Man United, or simply United, is based in the Old Trafford area of Greater Manchester, England.
It is one of the most widely supported football clubs in the world and has rivalries with Liverpool, Manchester City, Arsenal and Leeds United.
Musk, however, did not disclose the sum he is paying for acquiring the legendary football team.
The club has a latest market cap of nearly $2.08 billion.
"I'm buying Manchester United ur welcome," Musk posted in a tweet.
However, it was not immediately clear if Musk was just having fun or was serious about the acquisition.
The American Glazer family owns the club, who purchased it for around 790 million pounds in 2005.
The announcement came as he was engaged in a political tweet thread.
"To be clear, I support the left half of the Republican Party and the right half of the Democratic Party!" he posted, before the US midterm elections in November.
Musk supporters have asked him to buy Manchester United rather than Twitter in the past.
Manchester United Football Club, commonly referred to as Man United, or simply United, is based in the Old Trafford area of Greater Manchester, England.
The club competes in the Premier League, the top division in the English football league system.
Nicknamed the Red Devils, it was founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, but changed its name to Manchester United in 1902. The club moved from Newton Heath to its current stadium, Old Trafford, in 1910.
Manchester United have won a record 20 League titles, 12 FA Cups, five League Cups and a record 21 FA Community Shields.
It is one of the most widely supported football clubs in the world and has rivalries with Liverpool, Manchester City, Arsenal and Leeds United.
The country is scheduled to host the FIFA tournament from October 11-30.
A bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and AS Bopanna was told by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, that "important development" has taken place and FIFA has sent a letter suspending India which is in public domain and needs to be brought on record.
The bench told Mehta that the matter is listed for Wednesday and it would try to take it up as a first matter.
Mehta said FIFA was in Geneva and it has taken certain decisions which are important developments for the country and need to be brought before the court.
"I request that the AIFF matter pending before the court be urgently heard", he said.
India was on Tuesday suspended by world governing body FIFA for "undue influence from third parties" and stripped the country of the right to host the Under-17 Women's World Cup, scheduled for October.
This is the first time that the All India Football Federation (AIFF) has been banned by FIFA in its 85-year-old history.
A ban on India was on the cards after the Supreme Court removed Praful Patel as AIFF president on May 18 for not holding elections due in December 2020.
The court had appointed a three-member Committee of Administrators (CoA), headed by former apex court judge AR Dave, to manage the affairs of the national federation.
The CoA, which has former Chief Commissioner of India SY Quraishi and ex India captain Bhaskar Ganguly as other members, also had to frame its constitution in line with the National Sports Code and model guidelines.
The AIFF will not be able to play any international games until the ban is removed.
"The Bureau of the FIFA Council has unanimously decided to suspend the All India Football Federation (AIFF) with immediate effect due to undue influence from third parties, which constitutes a serious violation of the FIFA Statutes," stated an official media release, issued by FIFA.
The suspension will be lifted once an order to set up a committee of administrators to assume the powers of the AIFF Executive Committee has been repealed and the AIFF administration regains full control of the AIFF's daily affairs, it said.
"The suspension means that the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup 2022, scheduled to take place in India on 11-30 October 2022, cannot currently be held in India as planned," the statement further read.
FIFA is assessing the next steps with regard to the tournament and will refer the matter to the Bureau of the Council if and when necessary. "FIFA is in constant constructive contact with the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports in India and is hopeful that a positive outcome to the case may still be achieved."
The seventh edition of the women's under-17 football World Cup will be hosted in India from October 11 to 30.
Thanking this very encouraging move by the Government, Sunando Dhar, acting General Secretary of the AIFF said, "We are very thankful to the Government for their support. The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, under the guidance of Hon'ble Minister, Shri Anurag Thakur Ji, has been very proactive with its support for the tournament, and this move by the Union Cabinet resonates with the same positive sentiment."
"With the assistance and encouragement that we have received from all our stakeholders, we are surely on course to hosting an incredible tournament," he said.
The draw for the tournament was recently conducted and host nation India is slated to play all their group matches at the Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar. Pre-sales of the tickets has already started for the tournament and the Official Ticket Launch for the mega event is scheduled on August 5, 2022.
The Indian women's football team has been drawn in Group A with Brazil, the USA and Morocco for the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup 2022.
The Indian women's football team will begin its campaign against the USA on October 11 and will play Morocco on October 14. India's final group match against Brazil will be held on October 17. India will play all their matches at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneshwar.
If we consider the itinerary of Team India, post a two-month-long IPL season, the Men in Blue featured in a five-match home series against South Africa within a week. It was swiftly followed by two T20Is in Ireland and then three T20Is and as many ODIs against England.
India will then play three ODIs and five T20Is in West Indies, three ODIs in Zimbabwe, the Asia Cup and then the T20 World Cup. Even after the World Cup, India is scheduled to travel to New Zealand for a white-ball series.
The Indian players do not play in domestic leagues outside of IPL but cricketers of other countries across the globe do participate in a number of leagues. The emerging situation has certainly posed as a tough task for ICC and individual boards to schedule bilateral series. If pushed, the leagues no doubt will prevail over the bilaterals.
South Africa has recently withdrawn from their ODI series in Australia as it clashes with their new T20 franchise league. With the mushrooming T20 franchise leagues encroaching on the already-packed international schedule, and with the backing and the interest of money bags, this wasn’t a surprise.
Still, South Africa’s withdrawal stands out for the risks entailed as they have put their direct qualification to the 50-over ODI world cup next year at risk. They stand to lose valuable points due to the withdrawal.
Economics is the decider and IPL and other franchise leagues generate a major chunk of the profits that pump the game across the globe. Right from player earnings to media rights to the share of local boards and cricket associations, the leagues don’t just surpass the bilateral series but the World Cups as well.
Cricket is mainly an international contest-driven game. But that might have to change for the sake of the international game. Former India coach Ravi Shastri’s suggestion of cricket taking a leaf out of football’s book sounds natural. Leagues such as IPL are already looking to extend their window in the annual calendar.
The number of women cricket leagues across the world isn’t that many. But the situation seems to be changing fast with the BCCI and Pakistan Cricket Board looking to work towards Women’s IPL and PSL.
Moreover, many experts including former Indian spinner Pragyan Ojha have expressed their concern about the future of ODI cricket. Following the announcement of retirement from ODI by England all-rounder Ben Stokes, they have become apprehensive about the future of the 50 over format.
Given the current turn of events, the game will become more diverse and inclusive. As a result a number of cricketers from the Associate nations will get opportunities to establish themselves by playing alongside some great players of the game.
T20 extravaganza never ends
July 2022
T20 Blast (England)
SCL (Afghanistan)
August 2022
SCL (Afghanistan)
The Hundred (England)
LPL (Sri Lanka)
September 2022
The Hundred (England)
CPL (West Indies)
October 2022
CPL (West Indies)|
November 2022
Super Smash (New Zealand)
December 2022
Super Smash (New Zealand)
Big Bash (Australia)
January 2023
Super Smash (New Zealand)
Big Bash (Australia)
BPL (Bangladesh)
UAE T20 (UAE)
February 2023
BPL (Bangladesh)
UAE T20 (UAE)
PSL (Pakistan)
MSL (South Africa)
March 2023
PSL (Pakistan)
IPL (India)
April 2023
IPL (India)
May 2023
IPL (India)
The 23-member India Under-23 squad departed from Bengaluru for Dubai on Wednesday morning to take part in the Qualifiers following a two-day training session.
India, who have been clubbed with Oman, UAE and Kyrgyz Republic in Group E, begin their campaign against Oman on October 24.
"Every country has talented youngsters, and U-23 players who are already playing at the senior level for their respective countries, and so do we. But we need to find the balance in this team," said Stimac, who recently returned with the India senior team from the Maldives, after his boys won the SAFF Championship title defeating Nepal.
"The good thing for us is that we already had a number of players from this bunch of players here who have been a part of the national team, and are aware of what kind of weather is to be expected, and also the expectations from the fans," he added.
"Our aim is always the same -- to go out and win every game. But it will depend on the approach we take depending on information about the strength of our opposition," added Stimac.
From the current contingent, Suresh Singh, Lalengmawia Ralte, Rahim Ali, and Dheeraj Singh were part of the triumphant SAFF Championship squad, while Akash Mishra, Amrajit Singh, and Narender Gahlot have been part of the Indian team under Stimac in the past.
"I'm quite attached to these guys. They are the players who are giving us extra energy on the bench. They are younger and it's much easier to work with them. You need to understand as they are young, we can mould them as they learn fast," the coach said.
The U-23 squad will have their first practice session on October 21.
India'sfixtures:
October 24: Vs Oman.
October 27: Vs UAE.
October 30: Vs Kyrgyz Republic.
The squad:
GOALKEEPERS: Dheeraj Singh, Prabhsukhan Singh Gill, Mohammad Nawaz.
DEFENDERS: Narender Gahlot, Alex Saji, Hormipam Ruivah, Asish Rai, Sumit Rathi, Akash Mishra.
MIDFIELDERS: Suresh Singh, Amarjit Singh, Lalengmawia, Jeakson Singh, Deepak Tangri, Rahul KP, Komal Thatal, Nikhil Raj, Bryce Miranda, Princeton Rebello.
FORWARDS: Vikram Partap Singh, Rahim Ali, Rohit Danu, Aniket Jadhav.
"Manchester United is delighted to confirm that the club has reached agreement with Juventus for the transfer of Cristiano Ronaldo, subject to agreement of personal terms, visa and medical," said the club in a statement.
"Cristiano, a five-time Ballon d'Or winner, has so far won over 30 major trophies during his career, including five UEFA Champions League titles, four FIFA Club World Cups, seven league titles in England, Spain and Italy, and the European Championship for his native Portugal," added the club in the statement.
In his first spell for Manchester United, he scored 118 goals in 292 games.
Ronaldo posted about his departure on his Instagram account.
"Today I depart from an amazing club, the biggest in Italy and surely one of the biggest in all of Europe. I gave my heart and soul for Juventus and I'll always love the city of Turin until my final days," wrote Ronaldo.
"The "tiffosi bianconeri" [Juventus fans] always respected me and I tried to thank that respect by fighting for them in every game, every season, every competition.
"In the end, we can all look back and realise that we achieved great things, not all that we wanted, but still, we wrote a pretty beautiful story together."
The talismanic player is expected to sign a two-year deal.
Popularly referred to as Hakim saab, he was part of the Indian squad in the 1960 Olympics. He was also a FIFA international referee and supervised many matches in AFC Asian Cup 1988 at Doha.
At the domestic level, he was part of the triumphant Services' Santosh Trophy squad in 1960. He was also part of the squad from 1960/66.
At the club level, he played for City College Old Boys (Hyderabad), and Indian Air Force.
A former assistant coach of the Indian national team, he also coached Mahindra and Mahindra in 1998/99, and guided them to win the Durand Cup in 1998. He also coached Salgaocar SC, Hindustan FC, and Bengal Mumbai Club.
He was conferred the Dhyan Chand Lifetime Achievement Award in 2017.
In his condolence message, All India Football Federation (AIFF) president Praful Patel said, "It is devastating to hear that Hakim saab is no more. He was a member of Indian football's golden generation who played a stellar role in popularising the sport in the country. His contribution to Indian Football can never be forgotten. I share the grief."
AIFF general secretary, Kushal Das said, "Hakim saab's legacy will live on. He was a legendary footballer who has been an inspiration for so many generations. My condolences to his family. We pray for his soul to rest in peace."
Barcelona announced Thursday that Messi will not stay with the club, saying that the Spanish league's financial regulations made it impossible to sign the Argentina star to a new contract.
He is leaving after 17 successful seasons in which he propelled the Catalan club to glory, helping it win numerous domestic and international titles since debuting as a teenager.
Barcelona said in a statement that a deal for a new contract had been reached but financial obstacles made it impossible for the player to remain with the club.
Despite club and player reaching an agreement and their clear intention to sign a new contract today, this cannot happen because of financial and structural obstacles, the club said.
It blamed Spanish league regulations for not allowing the club to sign a new contract with the player. His previous one had ended on June 30.
As a result of this situation, Messi shall not be staying on at FC Barcelona, it said. "Both parties deeply regret that the wishes of the player and the club will ultimately not be fulfilled.
FC Barcelona wholeheartedly expresses its gratitude to the player for his contribution to the aggrandizement of the club and wishes him all the very best for the future in his personal and professional life, the statement said.
Messi had asked to leave Barcelona for free at the end of last season but had his request denied by then-president Josep Bartomeu. Joan Laporta took over the presidency and appeared to have convinced Messi to stay. But Laporta had said recently that the club was struggling to fit the player's salary even with hefty reductions accepted by the player into the league-controlled salary cap.
In Messi's previous contract, signed in 2017, he reportedly earned 138 million euros ( 163 million) per season.
The league had announcement on Wednesday that it secured 3.2 billion in private equity funding to help the clubs, which appeared to pave the way for Barcelona to re-sign the Argentina star. But the deal with Messi fell through after club officials met with the player's representatives in Barcelona on Thursday. Some local reports said it was Messi who had changed his mind about staying, while others said it was the club that got upset with new demands made by the player's staff.
Barcelona was one of the clubs hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic. The league slashed its salary cap last season and the club had been trying to clear cap space by releasing some of its players. It had only signed free agents this summer including Memphis Depay, Sergio Aguero and Eric Garcia to avoid paying transfer fees.
The league has worked hard over the years to create stability through strict economic control that kept clubs from going into heavy debt. President Javier Tebas had said earlier that the league would not take a huge hit by losing a player like Messi, noting that it continued to thrive after Cristiano Ronaldo left Real Madrid to Juventus a few years ago.
It was unclear whether Messi was already in talks with other clubs, but he has previously been linked with cash-rich Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain.
The Argentine made no immediate public statement.
Messi will be leaving after having won 35 titles. He helped the club win the Champions League four times, the Spanish league 10 times, the Copa del Rey seven times and the Spanish Super Cup eight times.
While with the club, Messi earned himself a record six Ballon d'Or awards as the world's top player. He is the team's all-time scorer with 672 goals in 778 appearances, and the top scorer in the Spanish league with 474 goals in 520 matches. He also is the player with most matches with the club.
He was the top scorer in the Spanish league in eight seasons, and the top scorer in the Champions League on six occasions. His 26 goals against Real Madrid are a record for the cl sico matches against Barcelona's fiercest rival.
Messi arrived at Barcelona at age 13, when he and his family came to Spain to try his luck at Barcelona's youth academy. He made his official debut on Oct. 16, 2004, and two years later helped the club win its first Champions League in a squad led by Ronaldinho.
The announcement came today during a press conference held by the women's football club in the silver city.
As per reports, girls in the age group of 4-12 years will be eligible to participate in the football tournament.
The tournament is an effort by the Football Association of Odisha (FAO) to groom the young players for future tournaments at national and international level.
“Our International coach and members of All India Football Federation (AIFF) have encouraged us regarding the tournament. Football Association of Odisha (FAO) is all set to start the tournament," said Sahadev Sahu, adviser of city women’s football club.
“The responsibility of Baby football league has been given to Gitanjali Khuntia (Head coach of FAO) to train the students," Sahu added.
The match started after Odisha Sports Minister Chandra Sarathi Behera and Football Association of Odisha (FAO) president Debasish Samantaray's introduction with the players.
Both the teams started on an attacking note. In the very second minute of the match, Aizawl FC had a chance with Afghan footballer Masih Saighani missing a shot after a free-kick from his teammate.
Chennaiyin FC's corner also went in-vain in the ninth minute and again after a few seconds when Jude Nworuh's cross was skillfully intercepted by the alert Aizwal defense.
Couple of minutes later Zikahi Dodoz ran hard and covered good ground but failed to make an impact as his shot went wide.
But the I-League side went on to open the scoring in the 22nd minute of the match with Romanian midfielder Andrei Ionescu's kick from the edge of the box going into the goal post. Andrei got past defender Anirudh Thapa inside the box and found the back of the net with a soft deflection.
Chennaiyin made continuous attempts to score an equaliser in the remaining first half but all went down begging for the ISL champions.
Dhanpal Ganesh was penalised with a yellow card in the 34th minute.
In the added injury time of one minute, another golden opportunity went down begging for Chennaiyin FC as Anirudh Thapa's strong kick hit goalie Arup Debnath's leg and they missed a chance to score the equaliser right before the half-time.
Chennaiyin FC made two desperate substitutions by bringing in Bedashwor Singh and Bikramjit Singh in place of Fransisco Fernandes and underperforming Anirudh Thapa.
Aizawl started the second half with another dominating attempt. Skipper Alfred Jaryan's long ranger went over the Chennaiyin FC goalpost luckily for the South Indian side.
Chennaiyin FC was handed another yellow card in the 52nd minute as Bikramjit Singh's foul right at the centre of the playing area didn't go down well with the referee.
In the 61st minute, Aizawl FC duo of Zikahi Dodoz and Masih Saighani tried to double the lead but Jerry Lalrinzuala's defensive skills came to rescue for Chennaiyin goalkeeper Karanjit Singh. Zikahi attacked from the left flank on this occasion while Masih wanted to score off the rebound ball from Karanjit.
In the 76th minute Chennaiyin FC got a free-kick just outside the penalty area but Jaime Martinez's curling ball was nicely punched away by Aizawl goalie to maintain the 1-0 lead.
Chennaiyin FC found the equalizer in the 89th minute with skipper Mailson Alves finding the back of an empty Aizawl goalpost. The Brazilian striker kicked the rebounded ball from the crossbar after his teammate Thoi Singh's kick hit the post. The game finished with 1-1 after regulation time and match went into extra time.
In the 91st minute, Ionescu scored again by curling the ball past Karanjit Singh from inside the box to provide 2-1 lead for Aizwal FC.
Chennaiyin FC's L Dhanachandra Singh found an easier way to score the equaliser in the extra time to make it 2-2. A throw in from the right flank was nicely converted into a goal by Dhanachandra to take the game into penalty shootout.
In the shootout Mohammad Rafi of Chennaiyin FC kicked the ball over the goalpost to hand the win to Aizawl FC and the ISL champions were knocked out of the Super Cup in the very first game of the tourney.
A couple of games will be played tomorrow in the Super Cup which involves 16 teams from Indian Super League (ISL) and I-League. The first game will see Bengaluru FC and Gokulam Kerala FC crossing swords while two I-League sides Mohun Bagan and Churchill Brothers will face off in the 8 o’ clock game at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar.
For the first time in the history of Indian football, All India Football Federation (AIFF) has decided to organise the football championship which will see participation of teams from both the major tournaments -Indian Super League (ISL) and I-League.
Super Cup is all set to begin at Kalinga Stadium with the qualifying matches scheduled to be played on Thursday and Friday.
The main round of the tournament will commence from March 31 with Chennaiyin FC and Aizwal FC facing each-other in the inaugural match. The final is scheduled to be played on April 20 at Kalinga Stadium.
General Secretary of AIFF Kushal Das said, “We are very pleased that the Government of Odisha is supporting the tournament which helped us to host the event in Bhubaneswar.”
Football Association of Odisha (FAO) and the Sports and Youth Services Department of the State government will jointly organise the inaugural edition of the tourney. The organisers are leaving no stone unturned for making this prestigious tournament a grand success.
“We are thankful to AIFF for giving us the opportunity to host this football tournament which is being held for the very first time in the country,” said FAO President Debashish Samantaray.
As per the format, top six teams each from ISL and I-League have already qualified for the main-round or the pre-quarterfinals. The teams placed at 7th to 10th positions in both the leagues will play the qualifying round matches starting from today, official sources said.
As many as 20 football teams from across the country are going to participate in the championship while 16 top football teams will play in the knock-out round.
Delhi Dynamos will meet Churchill Brothers in the opening game at 17:00 IST while North East United FC and Gokulam Kerala FC will battle it out to qualify for the main round in the next game at Kalinga stadium today.
ISL teams Mumbai City FC and ATK (Kolkata franchise) will cross swords with Indian Arrows and Chennai City FC in both the games tomorrow.
Kalinga Stadium in the capital city hosted its first reputed football game earlier this year when ISL franchise Jamshedpur FC played its home game against Bengaluru FC on February 25.
Secretary of Sports department Vishal Dev, Cuttack-Barabati MLA Debasish Samantaray, Odisha Athletic Association (OAA) Secretary Asirbad Behera and AIFF Assistant Manager of Women Football Sapna were present during the inaugural function.
"Odia girls are playing really well and finding place in the Indian team. Players from our state are playing for the State and many other teams like CRPF and Railways. I hope they will also do well in this competition and bring laurels for the State," said Cuttack-Barabati MLA Debasish Samantaray.
29 teams participating in this championship have been divided in eight groups while host Odisha has been placed in group G along with Gujarat.
Many international footballers are participating in this tournament and AIFF selectors will be keeping an eye on all the matches to select players for upcoming international games.
"We did the junior competition few months back and once again we are here for the senior championship in Odisha. Even the State government is supporting the Football Association of Odisha (FAO) which is a very good thing," informed Sapna, AIFF Assistant Manager of women football.
The matches will be played at Odisha Police Ground, Ravenshaw University Ground and Barabati Stadium in the city. The tournament will conclude on February 14 with the final scheduled to be played at the Barabati Stadium.
Barabati Stadium hosted the second game of the ODI series between India and England on January 19. The game went down to the wire but finally the Indians held their nerves to win it by 15 runs. Experienced cricketers Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh both scored hundreds to help India recover from early damage and entertained the ever excited Barabati crowd.
Rising Students became runners up in first ever Indian Women’s League football tournament as they were defeated by Eastern Sporting Union from Manipur. The Manipur side thrashed the Rising Students from Cuttack by 3-0 in the final played in New Delhi.
Kalinga Lancers became Hockey India League (HIL) champions for the very first time this year as they thrashed Dabang Mumbai 4-1 in the final played in Chandigarh on February 26. The home matches of the Lancers were played in Bhubaneswar and four players from the state Amit Rohidas, Dipsan Tirkey, Anand Lakra and Nilam Sanjeep Xess represented the Bhubaneswar-based franchise in the competition.
Odia visually-impaired all-rounder Md Jafar Iqbal and wicketkeeper-batsman Sukhram Majhi played for the Indian blind cricket team that defeated Pakistan in the final to win T20 cricket world cup for the blind held in India. State capital Bhubaneswar also hosted one of the games as the league match between India and New Zealand was played at KIIT Cricket Stadium on February 7 which was comfortably won by the home team. Jafar showed his bowling skills by pocketing two wickets while Sukhram Majhi scored an unbeaten 50.
Cuttack hosted the premier club football tournament of India, Federation Cup in May. Bengaluru FC emerged victorious in the tournament by defeating Kolkata-based Mohun Bagan Club 2-0 in the final. Eight top club teams of the country participated in the tournament which was played at the Barabati Stadium from May 7 to May 21. Odia boy Pankaj Sona got a chance to play in this prestigious tournament for Goa-based club Churchill Brothers.
The Capital city geared up for a spectacular and colourful 22nd Asian Athletics Championships in July. More than 600 athletes from 43 countries took part in the championships held in the Temple City. A challenge for itself, the state government got the stadium ready in only 90 days. A glittering opening ceremony marked the inauguration of the four-day long sporting extravaganza. Local girls Dutee Chand, Srabani Nanda and Purnima Hembram clinched bronze medals for India. Dutee first bagged a bronze in 100m individual run and then both Dutee and Srabani were a part of the four-women Indian women relay team that won Bronze medal. Purnima finished third in the women’s heptathlon event on the final day. India emerged overall winners with a total of 29 medals including 12 gold.
Odia girls Jhili Dalabehera and Sneha Soren won Gold medals in the 48kg category of the junior and youth group respectively in the Commonwealth and Oceania weightlifting championships held in Australia. In the senior group Saraswati Rout brought laurels for the state by bagging Bronze in the 82 kg category.
Purnima Hembram got gold in 5th Asian Indoor and Martial Arts games in Turkmenistan. Purnima won the women pentathlon event with a total of 4062 points. She clinched Gold because of her all-round show in 60m hurdles, high jump, long jump, shot put and 800m race.
Boxing coach from Odisha Braja Bhushan Mohanty received the prestigious Dronacharya Award on National Sports Day. He was conferred with this award because of some international boxers like Shiva Thapa, Vikash Yadav, Gurcharan Singh who excelled under Mohanty’s guidance.
Odia defenders Dipsan Tirkey and Amit Rohidas were a part of the Indian team that won Asia Cup hockey held in Dhaka. India defeated Malaysia by 2-1 goals in the final. Prior to this both Amit and Dipsan found place in the senior national team for the first time in the European Tour. Similarly, four Odia girls were a part of the Indian Hockey Team that won women’s Asia Cup held in Japan by beating China in the final in sudden death. Deep Grace Ekka, Namita Toppo, Sunita Lakra and Lilima Minz again made the entire state proud with their consistent performance for the national team.
In last couple months of the year, Odia chess masters Aparajita Gochhikar bagged Gold medal in Asian Amateur Chess Championship in Thailand while Padmini Rout won her fourth title in a row in 44th National Women Premier Chess Championship.
Birendra Lakra, Amit Rohidas and Dipsan Tirkey were a part of the Men’s Hockey World League Final which was played at Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar from December 1 to 10. India finished third by defeating Germany in the third position play-off game by 2-1 goals. Australia was crowned the winner of the tournament as they defeated Argentina 2-1 in the final game. Bhubaneswar crowd attracted the attention of the hockey world as they turned out to support hockey despite cyclonic conditions in last few days of the championship.
Odia para athlete Jayanti Behera bagged Gold medals for India in World Junior Para Athletic Championships and Asian Youth Para Games this year. In the world championships she clinched Gold and Silver medals in 400m and 200m race while at the Asian event, she won Gold medals in both 200m and 400m events in T-47 Under 20 category.
Odisha became the first state in the country to conceptualise “Sports for Tribals”. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik launched Tribal Sports Meet-2017 on December 18.
The first T20I game of the series between India and Sri Lanka was played at Barabati Stadium, Cuttack with India registering a huge 93-run victory against the team from the island nation. Yuzvendra Chahal was adjudged Man of the Match for his splendid show with the ball. This was the first such occasion when Cuttack hosted two international cricket games in a calendar year. As always Barabati was houseful and Cuttack was appreciated for its love for cricket.
The tournament was organised under the banner of ‘Friendship Cup Football Tournament’. Other participants were Leaders XI and Media XI.
The Leaders XI led by MLA Arun Sahoo was defeated in first semi final against Bureaucrats XI, led by Suresh Mohapatra.
“Many bureaucrats took part in the event. We are enjoying the tournament and happy to play together as a team,” said Bureaucrats XI Captain, Mohapatra.
In between the encounter between Media XI and Tata Steel XI, the later emerged winner.
“This tournament sends out a message that through sports we can create a friendly environment and strengthen relationship,” said Vice President of Tata Steel, Arun Mishra.
In the final showdown between Bureaucrats XI and Tata Steel XI, the match ended without a goal being scored. Both teams failed to score within the match duration.
However, in the penalty shootout, Bureaucrats XI defeated Tata Steel XI by 4-2 and became the champion of the tournament.
Nayak is scheduled to leave for Germany tomorrow morning.
“We had faced great difficulties in getting the visa. Finally, we went to Kolkata and got the visa. I thank my coach because of whose efforts I could get the passport and visa. I will leave my house at 8 AM tomorrow to catch the flight at 10 AM on the way to Germany”, Chandan told OTV this evening.
“Chandan has got the flight ticket to Germany. Tomorrow he will catch the Air India flight to Mumbai from where he will head for Germany. My best wishes are always with him. I had managed to avail all the required documents for his visit to Germany,” Chandan's coach Jayadev Mohapatra said.
Thanking the media, he said without its help it would not have been possible for Chandan to avail this unique opportunity. “I specially thank OTV. It is due to the efforts of the channel that the government provided us all support,” he added.
Mohapatra said he had to run from pillar to post to get the all-important visa for Chandan. “The visa could be arranged with the intervention of Union Petroleum and Natural Gas minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Union Foreign Affairs minister Sushma Swaraj ,” he pointed out.
Italy had won their first Euro title in 1968 and they won their second one when goalkeeper Donnarumma blocked a poor effort by 19-year-old Bukayo Saka of England, after Jorginho had missed the last Italian kick, to win the penalty shoot out 3-2 after both teams were deadlocked 1-1 after 120 minutes of action.
Playing in front of 60,000 fans despite the pandemic, Italy came back after conceding an early goal to tie the game 1-1 and then showed steely nerves in the penalties.
England added to their list of miserable history in penalty shootouts as despite being put ahead of goalkeeper Jordan Pickford who saved a couple of penalties.
Earlier, England took early lead when defender Luke Shaw scored at one minute and 57th second -- the fastest goal of a Euro final. Luke Shaw started the counter and rushed ahead to meet a long cross by Kieran Trippier near the six-yard spot and shot home off the left-hand post.
Italy equalised midway through the second half when defender Leonardo Bonucci, scored off a goal-line scramble in the 67th minute. Off a corner, goalkeeper Jordan Pickford forced Marco Verratti's header onto the left-hand post but the ball fell for Bonucci and he did not make any mistake to make it 1-1.
Both teams made efforts to break the deadlock but failed as the match went into extra time and penalties.
Sunday's 2021 Copa America final, in which he led Albiceleste to a 1-0 win over arch-rivals Brazil, ensured he was fifth-time lucky in the final of a major international tournament and he will have something to show to those who questioned his commitment to the national team.
Angel Di Maria struck in the 22nd minute, off a long ball by Rodrigo De Paul, as he lobbed the ball over goalkeeper Ederson to score the winning goal.
Apart from that strike, which was helped by slipshod defending from Renan Lodi, the Argentines weren't that successful in breaching the Brazilian defence in the first half.
They had only three shots in the period. De Paul, however, was the shining star in midfield.
Messi himself shot wide off the goal in the 32nd minute as he couldn't dribble past Brazilian defence completely and shot from outside the box.
The visitors were set back in the 52nd minute as Richarlison netted the ball. However, relief came for Messi & Co soon as the strike was deemed off-side.
Argentina survived anxious moments even after that as Brazil came close to equalising.
But goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez, who had made his international debut only this year and impressed in the semi-finals against Colombia saving three penalty kicks in the shoot-out to help his team enter the final, once again proved to be the hero.
In the 57th minute, Richarlison had an opportunity to draw level from point-blank range.
However, Martínez was up to task as he blocked the shot.
In the 86th minute, the 28-year-old parried a strike from Gabi to keep the home side at bay.
A minute later though, Messi was on the prowl but just as luck has failed him in the previous finals - the 2007, 2015, 2016 Copa America as well as the 2014 World Cup -- this time too he couldn't get past goalkeeper Ederson.
It appeared to be an easy an chance by his standard but the 34-year-old messed it up against an approaching Ederson.
But that didn't cost anything to Argentina since minutes later, when the whistle blew, the entire Albiceleste jumped on a teary-eyed Messi.
Six years ago, after losing the final of Copa final to Chile in penalties, he wept even as the bus reached the team hotel. A year later, in the 2016 Copa final, he just couldn't take any further criticism and decided to retire only to come back to fulfil his dream and fill the lacuna five years later.
The criticism from Argentina may have been harsh but understandable.
The last time Argentina had won a major international trophy -- the Copa America itself -- was way back in 1993 when Messi was just six and Di Maria was only five. And the last time Albiceleste had scored in the Copa final, was in 2004.
If India do manage to enforce a favourable result, it will be their first entry into the second round since the knockout stages were introduced.
India's best result at Asian football's showpiece event came in 1964 when they finished runners-up to hosts Israel. But that was a four-nation tournament with a round robin format.
The Indian team under coach Stephen Constantine have been a revelation at the ongoing tournament. They have surprised fans, critics and rivals with their spirited performances in their first two matches.
The perennial underdogs have well and truly lived up to their nickname 'Blue Tigers' by asking tough questions of much higher rated teams in a tough Group A despite their technical and tactical limitations.
They stunned Thailand 4-1 thanks to a strong second half performance and outplayed hosts United Arab Emirates (UAE) before their inability to convert the half a dozen chances they created came back to haunt them in a 0-2 defeat.
Presently placed 97th in the FIFA rankings, the Indians will definitely fancy their chances against Bahrain, specially given their form against Thailand and UAE. But it will not be an easy task as Bahrain have the quality to beat the Indians.
Even a defeat may see the Indians make the cut if they do not concede too many goals. According to the rules, the top two teams from each of the six groups will enter the round of 16 along with four of the best third placed nations.
If both India and Thailand lose their last group matches, the men in blue will be the third team in Group A due to a better head to head record.
In such a scenario, a favourable goal difference than the other third placed teams may see India through.
Bahrain will be more desperate to win since they are at the last place in the Group A standings with a single point from two matches. They had held held UAE 1-1 in their campaign opener before losing 0-1 to Thailand.
Although both UAE and Bahrain have similar playing styles, the latter's direct style may prove to be easier to read for the Indian defenders.
One of biggest strength of the Indian players is their excellent fitness and speed on the counter. Since Bahrain need to win at all costs, they will have to play a more attacking game than usual which may open up space at the back for the fast Indian counter-attacks.
Monday's game will also be an opportunity for India to avenge the 2-5 defeat to Bahrain on January 14, 2011 in the Asian Cup in Qatar. Eight years on, India gear up to take on Bahrain on the same day.
Indian skipper Sunil Chhetri, currently the second-highest goal scorer in international football among active players, had scored India's second goal in that match. He will definitely aim for an encore on Monday.
Apart from Chhetri, the sole member of the current Indian squad to have a taste of the 2011 edition is goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu. But that time, with then top choice custodian Subrata Paul in peak form, Gurpreet had to watch from the bench.
"I remember everyone was very calm before the Bahrain game. We believed that we could get a result from that game. We even managed to score a couple of goals. But unfortunately, we ended up losing," Gurpreet said.
"Eight years down the line we are back in the Asian Cup playing Bahrain again. Things are different, the teams are different. But we are in a better situation."
While the likes of Chhetri and Gurpreet were sweating it off in Doha there was another crop of young guns, who at that point, were merely dreaming of greater things to come in their lives.
"I remember I had tears in my eyes that day, and made one of those crazy promises that you make as a kid -- I'm going to play for India one day and bring glory. But here I am today, ready to play against them tomorrow," central defender Sandesh Jhingan said.
"It's hard to believe, sometimes. Even if God came down and told me to write down my future eight years back, I would not have believed that I would be here, and facing Bahrain on this very day."
Young defender Subhasish Bose has only broken into the squad some six months ago. However, eight years back, he was just like any other young fan, watching his heroes in action against the best teams in Asia.
And like any other kid, he also yearned to avenge the defeat that was inflicted on his heroes, who had played their hearts out that fateful night.
"I was watching the Bahrain game with my dad. We were both disappointed on losing the match, but now we have the chance to get our revenge for that defeat," Bose said.
"South Korea are one of the teams touted to win the AFC U-16 Championship and the match against them will be the most challenging ninety minutes that any one of us has ever faced. Korea Republic are the overwhelming favourites," Bibiano told www.the-aiff.com.
"They are tactically very agile and have swift players in almost all positions who are capable of catching the opponent defence off guard. However, we were underestimated in our 1-0 win over Iraq in the Four-Nation Tournament and we were underestimated in the group stages of the AFC U-16 Championship. But here we are, we will give everything that we have in the match against Korea Republic," he said.
After advancing through the group stages of the AFC U-16 Championship for the first time in 16 years, the Indian U-16 national team is aiming high.
With just a win away from qualification to the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Peru next year, the squad is apprehensive about the challenge that lies ahead.
"Everybody in the squad including the staff knows the gravity of our quarter-final bout. The boys have sacrificed a lot for these coming ninety minutes and have worked tirelessly day in and day out for the same. This is the moment that they have been preparing for, almost their whole lives till now," Bibiano said.
"The gravity of the moment is immense and everybody is apprehensive of what it means and what it can mean for Indian football."
India has never defeated Korea Republic in any format in football, but Bibiano said if the team, which has drawn many plaudits for their performance, plays to their strength they can give their more illustrious rivals a run for their money.
"We are raring to go. It would not be easy but it would be worth it. If we play to our strengths, we can give them a run for their money. We will fight."
Are missed chances in front of the goal still a major concern?
"We are creating chances at will and we created some of the best goal scoring opportunities of the match against both Iran and Indonesia. If we had taken those chances we could have won both matches," Bibiano opined.
"All of those matches are past and we are working on our finishing in the training sessions. Going ahead we cannot afford to be complacent in front of goal in the knock out matches. That will hurt us very badly," he added.
The match which will be held in the scheduled FIFA October window will be played at the Suzhou Olympic Sports Centre Stadium at Suzhou City, Jiangsu province, according to a statement.
This is the first time ever that an Indian senior team will be travelling to China. The two nations have till now faced 17 times, all on Indian soil -- the last being 21 years ago for the Nehru Cup in Kochi in 1997.
For the record, India are yet to win a match against China. Off the past 17 matches, 12 have gone in favour of China while 5 were drawn.
However, India has been on an upsurge over the last couple of years, maintaining an unbeaten run of 12 official matches from June 2016 to November 2017.
General Secretary of All India Football Federation (AIFF) Kushal Das said that AIFF is looking forward to a "long bilateral footballing relationship with China."
"Globally India and China are now being looked up to as two of the fastest emerging Football markets. The match will usher in a new era in Asian Football as this is the first-time ever that the Indian National Team will be travelling to play in China. We look forward to a long term bilateral footballing relationship with China in near future," he said.
"Playing against China in China is a perfect way to gear up for the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019. China are a supremely talented side and it will provide us an opportunity to further gauge ourselves where we stand prior to the Continental Championships," he added.
India are currently ranked 97 in the September FIFA Rankings while China are at 76.
National coach Stephen Constantine stated these are the "kind of games we need."
"China are a strong team and the match will be a tough test for us. But we need to play these sort of games right now. Getting to play under pressure is important and an away fixture in China is exactly the kind of game we need," he quipped.
"Hopefully everyone stays free from injury as it's going to be an important game for the build-up to the AFC Asian Cup in January," he added.
Individuals with prediabetes and Type-2 diabetes have a higher prevalence of osteopenia -- a condition that occurs when the body does not make new bone as quickly as it reabsorbs old bone -- and bone fractures.
The findings, published in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports, showed that playing football derived significant positive effects in the legs and clinically important femoral sites.
"Our results show that football and dietary guidance are indeed an effective cocktail for improving bone health," said Magni Mohr, Associate Professor at the University of Southern Denmark.
"Football is a multipurpose sport that combines strength, endurance and high-intensity interval training, and this makes it a good tool for the prevention and treatment of Type-2 diabetes and other lifestyle diseases," added Peter Krustrup, Professor at the varsity.
For the study, a small group of 55 to 70 year olds underwent a 16 week intervention comprising dietary guidance and twice weekly football training sessions lasting 30 to 60 minutes.
Normally, one cannot think of football as something for 70-year-olds with low physical capacity or poor bone health.
However, the researchers found that a modified version of football, the so-called Football Fitness concept, which included a thorough warm-up, ball drills in pairs and games on small pitches, was feasible and effective for the middle-aged and elderly patients.
After 16 weeks of training, changes in favour of football training were observed for bone mineral content of the femoral neck (3.2 per cent) and femoral shaft (2.5 per cent) as well as for bone mineral content (32 g).
The researchers emphasised that football is effective osteogenic training particularly for the elderly.
Kane slotted home the rebound after Denmark keeper Kasper Schmeichel had saved his spot-kick which England earned after Raheem Sterling went down following a slight contact in the Danish penalty area.
It was harsh on Schmeichel, who was magnificent all game, but the result did justice to an England side that totally dominated the second half and extra time of the match, Xinhua reports.
The game got off to a high energy start with England looking to impose themselves and pin the Danes back in their own half.
A low cross from Harry Kane evaded Raheem Sterling, who then cut inside only to shoot tamely at Schmeichel, before Kane hit a powerful shot well over.
Denmark then began to work themselves into the game with Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg challenging Jordan Pickford from outside of the penalty area and the England goalkeeper conceding a corner after a poor clearance.
Denmark took control and Mikkel Damsgaard curled a shot wide of the goal as fans at Wembley endured nervous moments.
The Danish forward made no mistake in the 30th minute with a vicious free kick from 25 metres which flashed past Pickford to put Denmark ahead.
It was the first goal England had conceded in the competition, but they levelled in the 39th minute. Bukayo Sako collected a pass from Kane and his low cross for Sterling, who moments earlier had seen Schmeichel save from point blank range, was turned into own net by Simon Kjaer.
The second half was also played at a ferocious pace with both sides creating chances in the opening minutes. Harry Maguire was booked for a challenge on Kjaer following a free-kick. He then saw Schmeichel get across to tip away his header from a corner.
At the other end, Pickford got down to deny Dolberg, who then fired another effort straight at the England goalkeeper.
England were getting more and more on top, with Schmeichel tipping over a cross from the hard-working Mason Mount and Sterling having a shot blocked from the resulting corner. The Danes, however, always looked as if they could threaten on the break.
The half ended with England controlling the ball in and around the Danish area, but they were unable to find a clear chance against the Danish defence and the game went into extra-time.
Schmeichel was the hero again with a low save from Kane in the 93rd minute and even stopped his 104th minute spot-kick after Sterling went down under a slight contact, but he could do nothing to stop the England captain slotting home the rebound to end a 55-year wait for his country.
Rojo scored the winner for Argentina in the 86th minute after Victor Moses' penalty conversion in the 51st minute had cancelled out Lionel Messi's strike in the 14th minute.
Following the win, Argentina have four points in total and they are second in the table, behind Croatia, who have nine points. The other two teams in the group, Nigeria (three points) and Iceland (one point) have crashed out of the tournament.
Argentina, who were on the brink of elimination after playing a draw against Iceland before a disastrous 0-3 defeat to Croatia in their first two matches, started the match against Nigeria with one point in their bag. They knew that despite a win against Nigeria, who were also in contention, their spot in the Round-of-16 is not guaranteed as Croatia, who had already qualified, played Iceland.
Argentina head coach Jorge Sampaoli, who had got a lot of stick for his formation of the team in the first two matches, fielded a classic 4-4-2 formation, featuring wholesale changes to their starting 11 comparing with the game against Croatia when they lost 0-3.
Argentina showed a lot of urgency, both up front and at the back as they began to prowl inside the Nigerian box from the start. Gonzalo Higuain and Angel Di Maria pressed high on Nigeria's box as they looked to make the best of their first appearances in the starting XI.
It took only 14 minutes for the Argentines to break the deadlock. Messi controlled with his thigh a long-range aerial ball from the centre of the pitch from Ever Banega before barging into the box and firing to the left corner of the net despite being pushed towards the right side by Kenneth Omeruo. Banega, who was not there in the starting XIs so far, had already repaid Sampaoli's faith.
Messi then provided a delectable bass from the right with a cross which put Gonzalo Higuain on one-one-one situation with goalkeeper Francis Uzoho but the Juventus centre-forward couldn't overcome the Nigerian goalminder in the 27th minute.
The Argentina captain almost doubled the lead when Angel Di Maria won a free kick 25 yards from the Nigerian goal on the left for Argentina in the 33rd minute after being fouled by Leon Balogun. Messi's left-footed shot hit the post after Francis Uzoho made a left-handed touch.
Both sides didn't create a lot of chances during the rest of time in the first half, with Nigeria hardly testing Argentinian goalkeeper Franco Armani, who as brought into the playing XI in place of Willy Caballero.
Four minutes into the second half, Nigeria were awarded a penalty after veteran holding midfielder Mascherano was penalised for holding Balogun inside the box while defending a corner. Chelsea winger Moses fired the spot-kick to the left as Armani dived to the wrong side.
Argentina lacked control in the middle of the pitch and Nigeria's confidence got higher and higher as they tested the former's resolves with several incursions inside the box.
Armani was later tested by a piledriver from Wilfred Ndidi from 25 yards out as the ball went over the cross-bar. Another chance came Nigeria's way as Odion Ighalo missed a golden opportunity to score on the volley after Rojo's header fell on his shoulder and moved towards the African attacker. Seeing the ball way off target, Ighalo later appealed for a handball penalty but the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) thought it otherwise in the 75th minute.
Nigeria's hopes fizzled in the 87th minute when Gabriel Mercado galloped down the right flank and sent a cross to the middle of the box. Rojo met the cross on the volley as his right-footed strike sent the ball to the right corner of the net to give Argentina the 2-1 lead.
Afterwards, Argentina, somehow, managed to hand on to their lead as they secured a spot in the second round.
Image source: express.co.uk