Central & South America

Imagine this: it’s July 15, 2018. It’s the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow. 81,000 spectators are collectively holding their breath while more than one billion are tuned in across the planet. After 120 minutes of action in the 2018 FIFA World Cup Final, we’re all square between Argentina and Germany. It's penalties.

Argentina now has a chance to lift the trophy with their fifth and final spot kick. It’s Lionel Messi — the perennial international runner-up — approaching the spot with German No. 1 Manuel Neuer staring him down. 

Lionel Messi interviews are an exceptionally rare thing, but the Barcelona star recently spoke on “La Cornisa,” an Argentine show on América TV. The 30-year-old, who’ll turn 31 during the summer’s World Cup, answered questions regarding the continuing evolution of his game. 

The Supercopa Argentina is a relatively new competition pitting the winner of the Argentine Primera División and the Copa Argentina, first played in 2012. Wednesday night’s edition was by far the best one yet, with a River Plate vs Boca Juniors Supercopa Superclásico. 

It’s rare for the Superclásico to be a part of a cup final. The only other River Plate vs Boca Juniors match in such an event was 1976, a Boca victory. 

Given the rarity of such an event, the scenes were epic, even for a match that doesn’t hold too much weight, kind of like the Community Shield in England. 

On paper, this is one of the more shocking upsets you’ll ever see in the CONCACAF Champions League. FC Dallas joined the Colorado Rapids as victims of the CCL Round of 16, leaving just Seattle and NYRB as the only remaining American representatives. But while Colorado’s defeat to Toronto FC was widely expected, Dallas’ plummet from grace continues to be a free fall.