Spain, France, Argentina and England beware: Demons haunt the World Cup semi-finals
The World Cup spotlight causes single games to live longer in the memory than any other. The remaining teams at this tournament face defining moments World Cup games mean more. England have only ever played 79 games in the finals, which is to say, not much more than two Premier League seasons in the 76 years since t…
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Lionel Messi’s Argentina career turned football into a sacred mystery
Jorge Messi wanted his country to fall in love with his son. That ambition was fulfilled during a brilliant international career that ended this week “What Argentina is doing in this World Cup is of a sacred order,” Brazilian writer Milly Lacombe posted at the height of the tide of anti-Argentinian sentiment during…
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- Guardian — Football3 days ago
Lionel Messi describes ending Argentina career as his ‘saddest day’ in football
Messi addresses crowd after scoring in win against Benin ‘Not coming any more is going to be deeply painful’ Lionel Messi described his retirement from international football as the “saddest day of my career” after playing his final game for Argentina in a 3-0 defeat of Benin. Messi, who scored and provided two assi…
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- Guardian — Football3 days ago
Lionel Messi bids tearful farewell to Argentina after scoring in 3-0 win over Benin
Lionel Messi brought the curtain down on his 21-year international career on Tuesday, bidding farewell to adoring Argentina fans in an emotional final appearance for the former world champions in Buenos Aires. In a perfectly scripted finale, the 39-year-old widely regarded as the greatest football player in history…
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- Guardian — Football4 days ago
Lionel Messi has completed football and can bid Argentina farewell with pride
Messi says goodbye with 208 caps and a World Cup but there were times he thought his glory would never come By Opta Analyst Not for the first time, Lionel Messi is returning to the Argentina national team. This occasion, however, will be accompanied by a sense of completion and celebration rather than obligation, as…
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- Guardian — FootballSun, 27 Sept · 01:19
Meet the new minute 55 England collapse, not the same as the old minute 55 England collapse | Barney Ronay
Things started to go wrong against Spain at the same time they did against Argentina, but for very different reasons and with far more cause for optimism You could feel it inside the stadium, one of those moments where the air starts to shift, the birds fly backwards through the sky, and outside on Wembley Way an ol…
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- Guardian — FootballSat, 26 Sept · 21:00
Messi’s exit leaves Argentina with impossible task of replacing their superhero | Jonathan Wilson
When things are going awry, the Albiceleste will no longer be able to rely on their ultimate get-out clause It isn’t quite over yet. Lionel Messi will return a week on Wednesday for his formal farewell in a friendly against Benin, but, before that, Argentina face two games when they will begin to experience a future…
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