Brazil just announced their final squad ahead of the start of the World Cup this month and they're one of the first big nations to do so.
Big names, young stars and attacking machinery. The clear outcast? A very, very familiar face in world soccer.
Brazil's squad for the World Cup pic.twitter.com/en8JnQha8D
Costa Rica head coach Luis Fernando Suarez entrusted veterans Keylor Navas, Bryan Ruiz, Joel Campbell and Oscar Duarte to lead their challenge at the Qatar World Cup as he named his 26-man selection for the tournament on Thursday.
The tournament will be the quartet's third World Cup finals appearance, with Suarez also including the likes of Francisco Calvo, Yeltsin Tejeda and Kendall Waston.
There was also a place for young Sunderland striker Jewison Bennette who opened his international account with two goals against South Korea in September.
It's early in the race for the 2023 Ballon d'Or, but with the season now over 30 percent complete, there's no denying that Real Madrid utility man Federico Valverde has put himself in the conversation with some unbelievable contributions in the Champions League and LaLiga.
It used to be that Valverde was the unsung hero of either the midfield (deputizing effectively for Luka Modrić or Toni Kroos) or right wing (with Karim Benzema and Vini Jr in the spotlight), but this year, whether deployed on the wing or in midfield, the 24-year-old has blossomed into the star of the show.
Copa América 2021 was pretty special for Argentina. They lifted their first adult international title since 1993 – beating Brazil in the legendary Maracanã Stadium –, exorcized the ghosts of the two finals lost against Chile in 2015 and 2016 and created a very candid narrative around Lionel Messi heading to the World Cup that starts on Nov. 20.
Messi, of course, was the main architect of the victory. And not only thanks to his extraterrestrial talent but also his commanding voice inside the dressing room.
Dentro de la lista de cosas que hacer antes de morir de cualquier futbolista sudamericano, seguro que hay una línea en que dice ser "campeón de una Copa Libertadores y campeón de una Champions League". Sin embargo, en la historia son pocos los jugadores que pueden presumir haber ganado los trofeos de los torneos continentales más importantes del planeta.
Pero de vez en cuando pasa y el central brasileño David Luiz es testimonio vivo de que ese deseo puede ser realidad.
Copa Libertadores, the most riveting club tournament on the planet, will decide on a new champion this Saturday. Although two-time winners Palmeiras is out of the picture this time, two Brazilian teams will be determining the title for the third year straight.
The contenders? Flamengo and Athletico Paranaense.
Considering their history and the players in the team, the Rio de Janeiro giants are the big favorites in the final.
To prepare you for the tournament, The18 has launched team-by-team previews for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Here’s the Argentina World Cup preview who'll play in Group C against Poland, Mexico and Saudi Arabia.
World Cup Appearances: 18th
Best Finish: Champions (1978, 1986)
Brazilian wonderkid Endrick is starting to live up to the hype built around him. The teenage prodigy bagged his first goal as a professional on Tuesday night, becoming the youngest player to do it in Palmeiras' history at 16 years, three months and four days.
Endrick came off the bench in the second half during Palmeiras' visit to Athletico Paranaense and changed the game's narrative, going from a painful 0-1 defeat to a thrilling 3-1 victory that practically secured a new title for the Verdão — one more win over the next four games and they'll be champions.
A news crew from Teleamazonas Ecuador experienced a terrifying moment while covering the upcoming Copa Libertadores final between Flamengo and Athletico Paranaense.
Reporter Vanessa Robles was on live TV reporting outside of the Monumental Stadium in Guayaquil, the host city of Saturday's final, when two men on a motorcycle approached her and her team, attempting to steal phones, cameras and other electronic devices.
To prepare you for the tournament, The18 has launched team-by-team previews for the FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Here's the Costa Rica World Cup 2022 preview. Los Ticos will play in Group E against Spain, Germany and Japan.
World Cup appearances: 6th
Best finish: Quarterfinals (2014)