Lionel Messi is celebrating yet another astonishing milestone in his storied career after moving on to 800 goals with a stunning free kick to seal Argentina's 2-0 friendly win against Panama.The reigning World Cup champions returned to Buenos Aires on Thursday, receiving a thunderous reception from their loyal supporters, but they would have to wait until the final moments for their favourite son to get on the scoresheet with a landmark strike.
Australia have drawn a line under their World Cup exploits and given a glimpse of the potentially bright future that awaits them with an impressive 3-1 win over Ecuador.Socceroos boss Graham Arnold has spoken of wanting to use last year's round-of-16 exit as a springboard towards the 2026 tournament.
Ante Juric has hailed Sydney FC's maturity and resilience as they seek to become the first side in history to win a third-straight A-League Women premiership.Reports on Friday suggested that Juric's bid for a premiership three-peat had been knocked off course after Canberra United successfully overturned a points deduction for exceeding the amount of substitutes used.
Newcastle host Wellington on Saturday with both teams desperate to avoid the A-League Women's wooden spoon.Two points clear of the last-ranked Phoenix with two games remaining, the Jets can build a comfortable buffer with victory that would all but condemn their opponents to a second straight spoon.
Lionel Messi reached the latest major milestone of his storied career as he reached 800 goals with a stunning free kick to seal Argentina's 2-0 friendly win against Panama.Amid a festive atmosphere in their first game in front of their home fans after winning the World Cup in December, Lionel Scaloni picked the same starting line-up from the final win over France.
Western United have moved a step closer to sealing the A-League Women premiership, with Canberra United given back the three points they were deducted by the governing body.Canberra were docked the points for using a fourth substitution-window in their 2-1 win against Sydney FC on February 11, with the Australian Professional Leagues instead awarding the Sky Blues a 3-0 victory.
Harry Kane became England's record international goalscorer as his side began their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign by beating reigning champions Italy 2-1 in Group C.England's skipper struck a penalty past Italy keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma shortly before halftime to make it 2-0 after Declan Rice opened the scoring after 13 minutes on Thursday.
Bayern Munich have sacked coach Julian Nagelsmann with immediate effect, Germany's Bild newspaper reported late on Thursday.Former Borussia Dortmund, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea coach Thomas Tuchel is said to be the favourite to succeed Nagelsmann, according to the newspaper.
As the frontman of the Socceroos, Graham Arnold doesn't want Australia's homecoming fixtures to be a greatest hits tour but rather an exciting playlist of potential new chart toppers.Arnold's men face Ecuador on Friday at Sydney's CommBank Stadium before heading to Melbourne for a rematch next Tuesday.
New Zealand have held on for a 0-0 draw with China in an international friendly in Auckland after defender Tommy Smith was sent off in the second half.Smith, earning his 50th cap, was red carded after a mix-up with Wellington Phoenix goalkeeper Oli Sail saw him bring down Chinese striker Wu Lei in the 63rd minute on Thursday night at Mt Smart Stadium.
Matildas star Ellie Carpenter will make her international return from an ACL tear in friendlies against Scotland and England, but fellow gun defender Steph Catley has been sidelined indefinitely with a foot injury.Carpenter last played for Australia in April 2022, before suffering the dreaded knee injury in May's Women's Champions League final.
Adelaide sensation Nestory Irankunda is on the cusp of becoming the Socceroos' youngest-ever player after an unwell Riley McGree was ruled out of the first of two friendlies against Ecuador.Middlesbrough midfielder McGree picked up a bug while travelling to Sydney from England ahead of Friday's clash.
Having fulfilled a lifetime dream, Lionel Messi will get to celebrate with Argentina's fans as the Albiceleste play their first match after winning the World Cup in Qatar last year.More than 80,000 fans will attend the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires for Thursday's friendly against Panama (Friday AEDT).
Gareth Southgate has warned his players not to take European Championship qualification for granted on the eve of England's opener against reigning champions Italy.England return to action at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on Thursday, 103 days on from their underwhelming loss to eventual runners-up France in the World Cup quarter-finals.
Sam Kerr has nicked the advantage in her duel with Australia teammate Ellie Carpenter as Chelsea prevailed 1-0 at holders Lyon in the first leg of their Women's Champions League quarter-final clash.The two Matildas, so influential for their club sides, were both at the heart of the action in the Parc Olympique Lyonnais as Wednesday's closely contested tie was decided by Guro Reiten's fine 28th-minute winner.
Harry Souttar is set to become an unlikely striking weapon for Leicester City in their bid to stave off relegation from the Premier League.Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers has revealed that he's been experimenting with the big Socceroos' centre back as an attacker in training to give the struggling Foxes an alternative strategy in their urgent quest for goals.
Showing the pecking order of New Zealand sport, the All Blacks currently have two coaches while the All Whites have none.New Zealand's national men's football team are playing a rare home series this week against China, but remain without a permanent boss since Danny Hay's contract expired last year.
If anyone encapsulates the Socceroos dizzying rollercoaster from World Cup no-hopers to tournament upsetters over the last 12 months then it's Keanu Baccus.In the space of a year the 24-year-old has moved clubs - swapping Western Sydney Wanderers for Scottish outfit St Mirren - picked up his first Australia cap and had to contend with the hardest job in football: marking Lionel Messi.
Arsenal will need to overcome a one-goal deficit if they are to reach the last four of the UEFA Women's Champions League after being beaten by Bayern Munich in the quarter-final first leg.Bayern struck late in the first half at the Allianz Stadium on Tuesday, and with Caitlin Foord hitting the post and two Arsenal efforts cleared off the line the visitors were unable to find an equaliser,Foord was Arsenal's most dangerous player.
Paris St Germain forward Kylian Mbappe has been named France captain, succeeding Hugo Lloris who has retired from international football.In similar circumstances Manchester City midfielder Kevin de Bruyne has been appointed Belgium captain in succession to Eden Hazard.
As a new Australian golden generation begins to emerge, two of the Socceroos' elder statesmen - striker Mitch Duke and defender Aziz Behich - insist international retirement remains a distant thought.Duke and Behich have been two of Graham Arnold's most-trusted players but both will be 33 by the time next year's Asian Cup rolls around.
Aleksandar Mitrovic is facing a lengthy ban after the English Football Association announced the standard punishment for his dismissal against Manchester United would be "clearly insufficient".Mitrovic has been charged with violent conduct after trying to grab referee Chris Kavanagh's arm during a frenzied few minutes in Fulham's 3-1 FA Cup quarter-final defeat at Old Trafford on Sunday.
Celtic and Liverpool legend Kenny Dalglish believes Ange Postecoglou will be in no rush to swap his Scottish "adventure" for a relegation battle in England's Premier League.The highly regarded Hoops boss has been linked with vacancies at Leeds United, Everton and Crystal Palace recently as sides in the danger zone south of the border have opted to change their manager mid-season.
Sydney FC captain Alex Wilkinson has apologised to Sky Blues fans as the A-League Men powerhouse continues to reel from its disastrous 4-0 derby loss to Western Sydney.The Sky Blues suffered their biggest defeat in the fixture's history on Saturday night, with former Sydney pair Milos Ninkovic and Calem Nieuwenhof bringing their old side undone.
Socceroos midfielder and Celtic star Aaron Mooy has been ruled out of Australia's upcoming friendlies against Ecuador with a back injury.Mooy, 32, has been in stellar form for Ange Postecoglou's Scottish Championship leaders but missed Celtic's win over Hibernian on Sunday with back soreness.