Men's World Cup

The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has handed Lionel Messi a suspension of four games for his altercation with an assistant referee following Argentina’s 1-0 victory over Chile on Thursday. The ban goes into effect immediately, ruling Messi out of Argentina’s match against Bolivia in La Paz later today.

If everything continues the way it is, the 2018 World Cup will be a 48-team tournament instead of the 32-team format we have now.

Now, how exactly will this expanded world cup tournament work?

Obviously the addition of all of these teams will have to result in reformatting the World Cup process, so the group stage will have 16 groups of three teams each, with the top team moving on from each group. From there on out, the knockout stage will be the same.

We know what Bruce Arena thinks of Jermaine Jones. He thinks that he’s got an engine, that he’s experienced and that he’s the type of player that can help the United States qualify for the 2018 World Cup. The 35-year-old was arguably America’s best player at the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Copa America Centenario.

Back on October 13, 2013, Panama were on the verge of their first-ever World Cup finals. Needing Costa Rica to defeat Mexico in San Jose was the first part of the equation, but the more daunting task was the one facing them — they’d have to defeat the United States in Panama City.

With the United States having already qualified as Hexagonal winners, a largely second-string American team gave Panama the conviction that history could be made on the day. Panama took an early lead through Gabriel Torres, only to be pegged back by American defender Michael Orozco.

Cristiano Ronaldo hit his 69th and 70th international goals for Portugal on Saturday to join an elite club of players to have reached such a milestone. At 32, you wouldn’t put it past Ronaldo to some day eclipse Ferenc Puskas’ European record total of 84 international goals.

Both of his goals were extremely well taken against Hungary, but it was the historic 70th that both celebrated his unique skill and outlined his vast contribution to the sport of football. 

Russia 2018 is coming closer after each passing day, and there are a few large countries who absolutely cannot afford to slip if they hope to qualify.

Portugal

The decisive victory against Hungary notwithstanding, Portugal haven't been able to show the form that won them Euro 2016.

The Netherlands

So far, so good on the return of Bruce Arena as manager of the USMNT. Sebastian Lletget scored a tap-in after Honduran goalkeeper Donis Escober saved Christian Pulisic’s shot, Michael Bradley scored a brilliant solo goal from distance and then Pulisic provided a wonderfully linked assist to Clint Dempsey, the Texan returning to international duty after missing the opening two games of the Hex with an irregular heartbeat.

Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez equalled Jared Borgetti’s all-time goalscoring record for Mexico by scoring his 46th goal in his 89th match. Coincidentally, that’s the exact same record as Borgetti.

| #UDEliminatorias: GOOOOOOL. Al 7', 'Chicharito' abre el marcador para México. https://t.co/h92Y13ly9L pic.twitter.com/PpK3ty8Jxn

The Republic of Ireland moved level with Serbia at the top of UEFA Group D in 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying, but the hard-earned result came with the loss of their influential captain, Everton defender Seamus Coleman. Wales’ Neil Taylor was given a straight red in the 69th-minute after going straight through Coleman’s standing leg with his studs showing.

It looked like a fractured leg, and Coleman was stretchered off while requiring oxygen. 

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