Luis de la Fuente has named Julian Alvarez as the Argentina international he would jump at the chance to recruit for Spain, a decision that comes years after the manager raised eyebrows by voting for the forward in the 2022 FIFA The Best awards ahead of Lionel Messi. The La Roja boss has long been an admirer of the South American talent currently leading the line for Atletico Madrid, viewing him as the missing piece of the puzzle for the European champions.

An Argentine television presenter has resigned from her position after falsely reporting that Lionel Messi's father, Jorge, had passed away during a live broadcast. The shocking claim was made during the World Cup, leading to widespread condemnation and an immediate apology from the broadcaster and production staff involved.

The Algerian Football Federation has lodged a formal complaint with FIFA following refereeing decisions made during their 3-0 World Cup opening loss to Argentina. The African nation contends that Lionel Messi and Alexis Mac Allister were incredibly fortunate to escape red cards, casting a shadow over the reigning champions' victory.

Harry Kane will not be paying any attention to the 2026 World Cup exploits of Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe, Danny Mills has told GOAL, as England’s record goalscorer would “rather be Olivier Giroud”. The prolific Bayern Munich striker has already opened his account in North America, alongside several other household names, but will forever prioritise collective success over any individual accolades.

Cristiano Ronaldo has come under fire after Portugal were held to a draw by DR Congo in their opening match of the 2026 World Cup. Former England striker Jay Bothroyd claimed the veteran forward is becoming a burden on the team, while Roberto Martinez continues to back his captain despite growing scrutiny.