The year is 2009. Argentina, under the direction of Diego Maradona, is on the verge of missing the 2010 World Cup after back-to-back-to-back defeats to Ecuador, Brazil and Paraguay. The loss to Brazil had been particularly horrifying — a 3-1 humbling in Rosario that clinched the Seleção’s place in South Africa and left midfield warrior Javier Mascherano disconsolate in the dressing room.
MONTEVIDEO — First half goals from Arthur and Richarlison gave Brazil a 2-0 win away at Uruguay on Tuesday and maintained their 100-percent record in the South American World Cup qualifiers for Qatar 2022.
Brazil were missing a host of players through COVID-19 and injury, including talismanic striker Neymar, but they were too strong for their opponents, who have not beaten them since 2001.
Olivier Giroud bagged a double as he showed his worth for France again to help the world champions beat Sweden 4-2 at home in the Nations League on Tuesday.
Giroud scored either side of Benjamin Pavard's first-half strike as Les Bleus recovered from Viktor Claesson's early opener. Sweden, who reduced the arrears through Robin Quaison before France's Kingsley Coman wrapped it up in stoppage time, were relegated into League B.
Spain forward Ferran Torres scored a first career hat-trick as his side crushed helpless Germany 6-0 at home on Tuesday to storm into the final four of the Nations League.
Goals from Alvaro Morata, Ferran and Rodri gave Luis Enrique's side a convincing 3-0 lead at halftime, while Ferran struck again early in the second half and completed his treble with a classy finish. Substitute Mikel Oyarzabal tapped in the sixth goal in the 89th minute to adorn an incredible Spain display and deepen four-time world champion Germany's misery.
David Beckham has closed a $20 million deal with Netflix for his new documentary. The former England captain will be the subject of a documentary, co-produced by his production company, Studio 99. The documentary will take viewers inside Beckham's rise to fame as a soccer player and international icon.
As the rain and mist rolled into Liebenauer Stadium in Graz, Austria on Tuesday, it was Mexico that moved like the onryō ("vengeful spirits") that originated in their opponent’s homeland before being proliferated around the world through the J-Horror genre.
An opening 20 minutes of Japan superiority was beat back single-handedly by Guillermo Ochoa, but the rhythm of the game slowly changed in Mexico’s favor and by the time Raúl Jiménez opened the scoring in the 63rd minute, you felt as though it’d been coming for El Tri.
But first, Ochoa.
Few players create a lasting impact on the game like Maradona has. Once the greatest player in the world, Maradona has imprinted his moments of genius on the pitch into the memories of his fans. Off the pitch Maradona finds himself frequently in questionable health, but he always manages to recover.
Wrestling fans have long been glued to their television sets on Friday nights to watch their favorite WWE entertainers "face off" in overdramatized wrestling performances. Now it might be time for those wrestling devotees to start watching the Welsh Premier League if they really want to experience some authentic brawling action.
The USMNT defeated Panama 6-2 in Austria on Monday with braces from Nicholas Gioacchini (age 20) and Sebastian Soto (20) complimented by strikes from Giovanni Reyna (18) and Sebastian Lletget.
Beating Panama isn’t the be-all and end-all in international football — unless you’re England, then you’re winning the 2018 World Cup — but it's the perfect barometer for how this USMNT (fielding its second-youngest starting lineup of all time) will handle itself come next summer’s CONCACAF Octagonal.
Riyad Mahrez scored an absolute stunner in Algeria’s 2-2 draw with Zimbabwe to ensure his country’s qualification for the African Cup of Nations on Monday. The Mahrez goal vs Zimbabwe even has some people daring to utter the word “Puskás.”
This goal might not be the best of 2020, but you won’t see a better goal scored this week.
With Algeria leading 1-0 midway through the first half, the Desert Foxes only needed one long ball to their star player to spring the counterattack. The rest, and one Zimbabwe defender’s ankles, is history.