Football icon Lionel Messi created the first goal and scored the second as world champions Argentina beat Angola 2-0 in an international friendly in Luanda on Friday.

Argentina will be without Atletico Madrid trio Julian Alvarez, Nahuel Molina and Giuliano Simeone for Friday's friendly in Angola after they failed to complete procedures linked to the yellow fever vaccine, Argentina's FA said on Monday.

Argentine superstar Lionel Messi scored twice to lift Inter Miami to a 3-1 victory over Nashville SC on Friday in the opening game of their MLS Cup round one playoff series.

“Yesterday I asked him if he was ready to play, and he said yes. It’s always a joy for us,” said coach Lionel Scaloni, praising his captain’s readiness and leadership.

Argentina shrugged off the absence of Lionel Messi to ease to 1-0 victory over Venezuela in a friendly international in Miami on Friday.

Initially, the second friendly against Puerto Rico was scheduled to take place in Chicago. However, due to ongoing social protests in the Illinois city, the match has been moved to Chase Stadium — home of Inter Miami and, by extension, Lionel Messi.

Ousmane Dembele has been crowned the winner of the 2025 Ballon d’Or after an outstanding 2024-25 season with Paris Saint-Germain, a campaign highlighted by lifting the UEFA Champions League trophy.

Argentina will close their South American 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign against Ecuador in Guayaquil tomorrow at 5:00 am (Bangladesh Time), but captain Lionel Messi will not feature.

Lionel Messi cast doubt on his participation in the 2026 World Cup after his double in Argentina's 3-0 win over Venezuela in the penultimate round of the South American qualifiers.

The Argentina captain walked out hand-in-hand with his children.

The Argentine Football Association (AFA) announced on X that the Argentina men’s national team will play a friendly game against an undisclosed opponent in Kerala, India between November 10 to 18.

Argentine and Chilean football fans traded blame on Thursday after a pitched battle in a Buenos Aires stadium involving knives, sticks and stun grenades, which left 19 people injured, three seriously.

Angolan civil society groups on Tuesday urged the Argentine football federation and star player Lionel Messi Tuesday to scrap planning for a friendly this year after 30 people were killed in protests.

Argentina were dealt a major blow when Enzo Fernandez was shown a red card, leaving the hosts with ten men for a large portion of the match. Colombia capitalised on the numerical advantage early, taking the lead through Luis Diaz in the 24th minute.

Since making his senior debut in 2005, Messi has scored 112 goals in 192 appearances for Argentina, winning the World Cup in 2022, two Copa America titles and a gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

The win secured the top spot for Argentina in the CONMEBOL standings.

Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said on Wednesday he had yet to decide whether captain Lionel Messi would start in their next World Cup qualifier against Chile, as he continues to closely monitor the 37-year-old's fitness.

Already assured of their place in the 2026 World Cup, Argentina will travel to Santiago (play against Chile on June 06) and then host Colombia (June 11) at the Monumental Stadium. 

“No, yes in a joking tone we often talk, but he has those desires to play the World Cup next year too,” Suarez told Ovacion.

The result in the match held in the Bolivian city of El Alto guaranteed the 2022 World Cup winners a top-six finish and direct qualification for the tournament in the United States, Mexico and Canada.