World champions Argentina get an expanded Copa America under way on Thursday with Lionel Messi looking to add a second continental title in what is almost certainly his final appearance in the tournament. The 108-year-old competition is being held in the United States with the host nation among six teams from the CONCACAF region joining the 10 South American nations looking for a place in the July 14 final in Miami. While FIFA will be looking closely at the organization of the event, two years out from the World Cup which will be co-hosted by the USA, Canada and Mexico, the tournament’s rich history and prestige means it is much, much more than a ‘trial event’.

Argentina have won the Copa 15 times but only once, in 2021, during the Messi era and coach Lionel Scaloni has stuck largely with his World Cup-winning squad, with veterans Angel Di Maria and Nicolas Otamendi likely taking their final bow in a major tournament.

Whether this is Messi’s goodbye to elite international football is yet to be seen – the eight-times Ballon d’Or winner, now playing in Major League Soccer with Inter Miami, will turn 37 four days after Thursday’s opener in Atlanta against Canada and has yet to decide whether he will try to play in a record sixth World Cup.

“It’s great to have records and continue to achieve things but I won’t take part in a World Cup just to say I’ve done six,” Messi told ESPN last week.

“If I feel good and everything is in place for me to be there, fine, but I won’t go just to go. It’s very difficult to imagine what can happen because it’s still two years away. I don’t need to commit right now to whether or not I’ll be there,” he added.

What is certain is that Messi, who has managed his workload to try to be in peak condition for the tournament, would relish the chance to win a third straight major tournament with his country after so many years of frustration with his national team.

Tough opposition

After facing Canada, Argentina take on Chile in New Jersey before finishing their group A action against Peru in Miami but they know that tough opposition awaits in the knock-out stage with rivals Brazil and Uruguay the two expected challengers for the title.

Brazil have struggled in CONMEBOL qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup having won just two of their opening six games and they currently sit in sixth place in the standings having lost to Uruguay, Colombia and Argentina.

There are several familiar names missing from Dorival Junior’s Brazil squad with Casemiro, Gabriel Jesus and Thiago Silva left out while Richarlison and Neymar are both missing due to injury.

The pressure will be on the Real Madrid attacking pair of Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo to translate their club form into success for the Selecao while there is much excitement around the senior tournament debut of 17-year-old talent Endrick, who is set to join Real next month from Palmeiras.

Uruguay, also 15-times winners, have impressed under their 68-year-old Argentina coach Marcelo Bielsa, who has brought his trademark high-energy style to the team and raised expectations with recent wins over Argentina and Brazil.

Liverpool forward Darwin Nunez will lead the line although Bielsa has the option of introducing veteran Luis Suarez from the bench.

Colombia head into the tournament without a loss in over two years and with Liverpool’s livewire winger Luis Diaz a constant threat and James Rodriguez enjoying a late career revival, Nestor Lorenzo’s team can’t be discounted.

The USA will hope that they can generate some sorely needed excitement after losing their way since a creditable run to the last-16 at the World Cup.

Coach Gregg Berhalter is under some pressure to show he can get his team, which relies on the smart wing play of Christian Pulisic, to compete with teams from outside of CONCACAF.

Mexico have guested frequently in the Copa in the past and reached the final in 1993 and 2001, but they look well below their usual level although they can, as always, count on huge support in the USA.

This is the second time the Copa America is being held in the USA, after the Centenary tournament in 2016, and while that is a break with tradition the presence of significant immigrant communities from all the competing nations, should ensure big crowds at the mostly NFL stadiums being used.

The legendary Argentine footballer Lionel Messi, often called the ‘greatest footballer of all time’, celebrates his 37th birthday on Monday. Messi born in Rosario, Argentina, in 1987, recently, won his eighth Ballon d’Or, setting a new record. The next player is the Portuguese icon Cristiano Ronaldo, who has won five Ballon d’Or awards. At the age of 13, Messi’s family along with him shifted to Barcelona where the club assisted him in treating his growth hormone deficiency. The Argentinean began his career with FC Barcelona’s U14 squad. He moved up the ranks fast, leaving an impression on everyone with his extraordinary talent and skills.

He made his club debut as a senior at the age of 17 against Espanyol, and the Blaugranas (another name for FC Barcelona) relied heavily on him. The 37-year-old became the team’s youngest star to appear in the competition at the time.

Messi played for the Spanish club for 17 years, during which time he won 10 La Liga titles, 4 Champions League crowns, and 7 Copa del Rey medals. He has scored an astounding 474 goals in La Liga, making him the league’s all-time top scorer.

Messi stunned the whole world when he emulated Diego Maradona’s goal of the century in 2007. In a match against Getafe at Camp Nou during the first leg of the Copa del Rey semifinal, the footballer dribbled past six Getage’s defenders to score the goal.

In 2009, Messi won his maiden UEFA Champions League title. Barcelona defeated Manchester United in the final with a scoreline of 2-0. In the final, the Argentina national football team skipper scored a goal in this match through a header.

In a 3-0 victory for Barcelona over Real Valladolid in 2020, Lionel Messi scored his 644th goal. Messi broke the record for most goals scored for a single club by doing this. Pele, a legendary Brazilian who scored 643 goals for Santos FC, owned the previous record.

The Argentinean national player joined the French 1 League club Paris Saint-Germain and played for the club from 2021-2023. He played a total of 58 games where he managed to score 22 goals for the side.

In 2023, Messi joined the David Beckham-owned Inter Miami. So far he has played 18 matches where he has gone on to score 13 goals.

August 2005 was Messi’s first international appearance. He replaced an injured player against Hungary. However, his tragic international debut was short-lived as he was sent off minutes after hitting Vilmos Vanczak.

During the Beijing Olympics in 2008, Messi’s team, Argentina, took home the gold medal. To help La Albiceleste (another name for Argentina) win their second consecutive Olympic gold, Messi set up the game-winning goal. In the final, they defeated Nigeria 1-0.

In the 2021 Copa America final, Argentina defeated Brazil 1-0 while playing at the Maracana Stadium. With this win, Messi’s lengthy quest for his first significant international championship came to a conclusion.

The FIFA World Cup trophy that Lionel Messi won in Qatar in 2022 was the highlight of his career. In the championship match, Messi scored twice against France. After a 36-year break, Argentina became the world champions via penalty shootout.

World champions Argentina opened their bid for back-to-back Copa America titles with a 2-0 win over Canada in front of a crowd of 70,564 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Thursday. Julian Alvarez put Argentina ahead in the 49th minute but a combination of inspired goalkeeping from Canada’s Max Crepeau and Lionel Messi‘s surprising lack of precision in front of goal ensured that the underdogs were in the game until Lautaro Martinez settled the contest in the 88th minute.

Backed by a huge support decked out in light blue and white striped shirts, Argentina fully deserved their victory but Canada, ranked 48th in the world, can take plenty of credit for the way they fought with the 15-time Copa America winners.

Alvarez, preferred to Lautaro as Messi’s strike partners in attack, had the first opportunity when he charged down an attempted clearance from Ismael Kone and broke away.

But the Manchester City striker took a heavy touch as he bore down on Canada keeper Max Crepeau, who was able to smother the ball.

Messi, who became the most capped player in Copa America history, making his 35th appearance in what is his seventh tournament, then went close to an opener himself but his angled shot from the left flashed just wide of the far post.

While the Argentines were exploiting gaps in the Canadian defence, Jesse Marsch’s team were nonetheless competing in midfield and creating some half-chances for themselves.

Alphonso Davies and Liam Millar both had shots blocked inside the box and Tajon Buchanan screwed an effort from a tight angle wide in the 30th minute.

The first true save of the game came in the 40th minute, though, when Alexis Mac Allister’s stooping header from an Angel Di Maria cross was well dealt with by Crepeau.

But Argentina needed their goalkeeper, Emiliano Martinez, to be at his very best to ensure they went in on level terms at the interval.

Cyle Larin’s cross from the right wing was met with a powerful header from close-range from Stephen Eustaquio but Martinez’s sharp reaction save kept the game goalless.

Break deadlock

But it took less than four minutes of the second half for Argentina to break the deadlock — Messi threaded a pass through to Mac Allister, who was brought down by Crepeau, but before the referee could blow his whistle Alvarez had slotted home the loose ball.

Within moments, there was another chance for Alvarez, but this time denied by the diving Crepeau and Canada could live to fight on.

They did so with more urgency and a little more risk after coach Jesse Marsch introduced winger Jacob Shaffelburg and switched to an attacking 4-3-3 formation.

Suddenly the Argentine defence was under pressure and didn’t look at all comfortable as Canada got men forward and exploited the wide areas.

But they were almost caught out with a classic counter-attack as Martinez launched a quick long ball towards Messi, who broke way goalwards but with the crowd expecting to see the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner on target he made a hash of the chance.

His initial effort was parried by Crepeau and although Messi latched on to the loose ball and sought to go round the keeper, his shot was easily cleared by the covering Derek Cornelius.

Incredibly there was another great opportunity for the former Barcelona star to find the target and again he was unable to convert — cutting in from the right with only Crepeau to beat, Messi opened up his body but slid his shot wide of the post.

Crepeau was at his best again to keep out substitute Lautaro as Argentina struggled to put the game to bed but with two minutes of normal time remaining they did just that.

Messi produced another clinical, defence-splitting pass and this time Lautaro made no mistake, slipping past the advancing Crepeau to make it 2-0.

Lionel Messi became the most-capped player in Copa America history on Thursday.© AFP

World champions Argentina get an expanded Copa America under way on Thursday with Lionel Messi looking to add a second continental title in what is almost certainly his final appearance in the tournament. The 108-year-old competition is being held in the United States with the host nation among six teams from the CONCACAF region joining the 10 South American nations looking for a place in the July 14 final in Miami. While FIFA will be looking closely at the organization of the event, two years out from the World Cup which will be co-hosted by the USA, Canada and Mexico, the tournament’s rich history and prestige means it is much, much more than a ‘trial event’.

Argentina have won the Copa 15 times but only once, in 2021, during the Messi era and coach Lionel Scaloni has stuck largely with his World Cup-winning squad, with veterans Angel Di Maria and Nicolas Otamendi likely taking their final bow in a major tournament.

Whether this is Messi’s goodbye to elite international football is yet to be found out – the eight-times Ballon d’Or winner, now playing in Major League Soccer with Inter Miami, will turn 37 four days after Thursday’s opener in Atlanta against Canada and has yet to decide whether he will try to play in a record sixth World Cup.

“It’s great to have records and continue to achieve things but I won’t take part in a World Cup just to say I’ve done six,” Messi told ESPN last week.

“If I feel good and everything is in place for me to be there, fine, but I won’t go just to go. It’s very difficult to imagine what can happen because it’s still two years away. I don’t need to commit right now to whether or not I’ll be there,” he added.

What is certain is that Messi, who has managed his workload to try to be in peak condition for the tournament, would relish the chance to win a third straight major tournament with his country after so many years of frustration with his national team.

Tough opposition

After facing Canada, Argentina take on Chile in New Jersey before finishing their group A action against Peru in Miami but they know that tough opposition awaits in the knock-out stage with rivals Brazil and Uruguay the two expected challengers for the title.

Brazil have struggled in CONMEBOL qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup having won just two of their opening six games and they currently sit in sixth place in the standings having lost to Uruguay, Colombia and Argentina.

There are several familiar names missing from Dorival Junior’s Brazil squad with Casemiro, Gabriel Jesus and Thiago Silva left out while Richarlison and Neymar are both missing due to injury.

The pressure will be on the Real Madrid attacking pair of Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo to translate their club form into success for the Selecao while there is much excitement around the senior tournament debut of 17-year-old talent Endrick, who is set to join Real next month from Palmeiras.

Uruguay, also 15-times winners, have impressed under their 68-year-old Argentina coach Marcelo Bielsa, who has brought his trademark high-energy style to the team and raised expectations with recent wins over Argentina and Brazil.

Liverpool forward Darwin Nunez will lead the line although Bielsa has the option of introducing veteran Luis Suarez from the bench.

Colombia head into the tournament without a loss in over two years and with Liverpool’s livewire winger Luis Diaz a constant threat and James Rodriguez enjoying a late career revival, Nestor Lorenzo’s team can’t be discounted.

The USA will hope that they can generate some sorely needed excitement after losing their way since a creditable run to the last-16 at the World Cup.

Coach Gregg Berhalter is under some pressure to show he can get his team, which relies on the smart wing play of Christian Pulisic, to compete with teams from outside of CONCACAF.

Mexico have guested frequently in the Copa in the past and reached the final in 1993 and 2001, but they look well below their usual level although they can, as always, count on huge support in the USA.

This is the second time the Copa America is being held in the USA, after the Centenary tournament in 2016, and while that is a break with tradition the presence of significant immigrant communities from all the competing nations, should ensure big crowds at the mostly NFL stadiums being used.

A popular travel influencer and YouTuber has been found dead at his home just hours after he was arrested as part of a child pornography probe in Argentina. According to the New York Post, Leonel Esteban Borroni’s body was found by a relative at his home on the outskirts of Buenos Aires on May 17. He was found hanging from a skylight with his hands and legs bound with plastic ties. Police suspect that he took his own life, but are awaiting autopsy results.

The travel influencer was known by his social media username “Un Leon Viajero” which means “A Lion Traveller” in English. He had 164,000 followers on Instagram where he posted photos of motorbike trips to places like Ecuador, Venezuela and French Guiana.

Notably, he had been arrested following the alleged discovery of child pornography on his electronic devices. He was released on bail just hours after appearing before a judge as part of an ongoing investigation into human trafficking and sexual abuse. 

The influencer is believed to have refused to answer questions about the child porn allegedly found.

The case came to light after the Argentinian authorities received a tip-off from a US-based agency specialising in combating child exploitation. Another five men and a woman, aged between 20 and 50, have also been implicated in the investigation.

His last post on Instagram was two weeks ago when he shared a picture of himself on the back of a motorbike and bid “goodbye” to some of his followers. He wrote, “What a beautiful moment I am living Laions, saying goodbye to some social media and entering others.”

He’d earlier posted: “In these eight years of touring places I never thought I would reach I achieved my travelling goal, I am happy for all that I could shoot, and above all for having health and support of the Laions, I hope the universe helps me to enjoy it all I walked from another place with more comfort, I deserve it. Thank you.”

The Indian women’s hockey team continued its winless streak in the Belgium leg of the FIH Pro League, slumping to 0-3 defeat against Argentina on Sunday. Celina Di Santo (1st minute), Maria Campoy (39th) and Maria Granatto (47th) scored for Argentina in India’s final match of the Belgium leg. Argentina stormed ahead in the very first minute, dissecting the Indian high press and penetrating to the shooting circle, where Di Santo deflected in Granatto’s shot to score their first goal. As India struggled to play out of their half, a period of Argentinian dominance followed, resulting in a penalty corner eight minutes into the game, but they failed to extend their lead.

India began stringing a few passes together and got into the game. They forced Argentine goalkeeper Clara Barberi into action after a low drive into the circle from Udita found Lalremsiami, who failed to score from close range.

Argentina regained control of the proceedings in the second quarter, earning a slurry of penalty corners but an alert duo of Bichu Devi Kharibam and Salima Tete helped keep the ball out of the nets.

A rare Indian foray into the shooting circle resulted in a penalty corner but Deepika’s drag flick was comfortably kept out.

Argentina pressed hard in the rest of the quarter but the Indian defence held firm to keep the scoreline 0-1 heading into the second half.

India earned a penalty corner early in the third quarter but failed to create a goal scoring opportunity.

Argentina made a breakthrough in the 39th minute, as Campoy picked up the ball on the left wing and bulldozed into the circle, dodging a few challenges and slotting it past Savita Punia to double their lead.

India had a chance to score in the last minute of the quarter but Navneet Kaur’s tomahawk was saved by Barberi.

Argentina earned a penalty corner as soon as the final quarter began and Granatto directed Agustina Gorzelany’s flick over Savita into goal to increase their lead.

Argentina stepped up the intensity after the goal and pegged India back, creating multiple chances through Granatto but a resilient Indian backline managed to thwart any further advances.

The Indian women’s hockey team will now take on Germany in its next match at London on June 1.

The World Cup-winning captain and Inter Miami star Lionel Messi will lead Argentina’s 29-man squad for upcoming friendly matches ahead of the Copa America competition. As per ESPN’s report on Tuesday, the defending World Cup and Copa America champions will lock horns with Ecuador on June 9 at Chicago’s Soldier Field and Guatemala five days later at in Landover, Maryland before putting the Copa America title on the line. Copa America will take place from June 20 and July 14 in the USA, with Argentina being the defending champions, having won the title in 2021. Argentina is level with Uruguay for most Copa America titles at 15 each.

The team managed by Lionel Scaloni includes 22 of 26 names from the 2022 FIFA World Cup winning team in Qatar, such as Messi and Angel De Maria. Missing from the team are stars like: Paulo Dybala (AS Roma), Juan Foyth (Villarreal) and Thiago Almada (Atlanta United FC).

Teams are supposed to submit their final Copa America squad by June 15, with 26 players per team being the maximum size, as confirmed by the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) last week.

Argentina will open their Copa America campaign against Canada or Trinidad and Tobago on June 20 in Atlanta, then move on to New Jersey for a match against Chile then play Peru at Florida.

Argentina, the defending world and South American champion, opens Copa America against Canada or Trinidad and Tobago on June 20 in Atlanta, then plays Chile five days later in East Rutherford, New Jersey, and Peru on June 29 at Miami Gardens, Florida.

Argentina roster for Copa America friendlies

GOALKEEPERS: Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa), Franco Armani (River Plate), Geronimo Rulli (Ajax Amsterdam)

DEFENDERS: Gonzalo Montiel (Nottingham Forest), Nahuel Molina (Atletico Madrid), Leonardo Balerdi (Marseille), Cristian Romero (Tottenham), German Pezzella (Betis), Lucas Martinez Quarta (Fiorentina), Nicolas Otamendi (Benfica), Lisandro Martinez (Manchester United), Marcos Acuna (Sevilla), Nicolas Tagliafico (Lyon), Valentin Barco (Brighton)

MIDFIELDERS: Guido Rodriguez (Betis), Leandro Paredes (AS Roma), Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool), Rodrigo De Paul (Atletico Madrid), Exequiel Palacios (Bayer Leverkusen), Enzo Fernandez (Chelsea), Giovani Lo Celso (Tottenham), Valentin Carboni (Monza).

FORWARDS: Angel Di Maria (Benfica), Lionel Messi (Inter Miami), Angel Correa (Atletico Madrid), Alejandro Garnacho (Manchester United), Nicolas Gonzalez (FC Porto), Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan) Julian Alvarez (Manchester City).

Sunil Chhetri to retire after the match against Kuwait on June 6© X (Twitter)

President of Argentina, Javier Milei. File

Argentina’s monthly inflation rate eased sharply to a single-digit rate in April for the first time in half a year, data released Tuesday showed, a closely watched indicator that bolsters President Javier Milei’s severe austerity program aimed at fixing the country’s troubled economy.

Prices rose at a rate of 8.8% last month, the Argentine government statistics agency reported, down from a monthly rate of 11% in March and well below a peak of 25% last December, when Mr. Milei became president with a mission to combat Argentina’s dizzying inflation, among the highest in the world.

“Inflation is being pulverized,” Manuel Adorni, the presidential spokesperson, posted on social media platform X after the announcement. “Its death certificate is being signed.”

Also Read: What is the outlook on the global economy? | Explained 

Although praised by the International Monetary Fund and cheered by market watchers, Mr. Milei’s cost-cutting and deregulation campaign has, at least in the short term, squeezed families whose money has plummeted in value while the cost of nearly everything has skyrocketed. Annual inflation, the statistics agency reported Tuesday, climbed slightly to 289.4%.

“People are in pain,” said 23-year-old Augustin Perez, a supermarket worker in the suburbs of Buenos Aires who said his rent had soared by 90% since Mr. Milei deregulated the real estate market and his electricity bill had nearly tripled since the government slashed subsidies. “They say things are getting better, but how? I don’t understand.”

Mr. Milei’s social media feed in recent weeks has become a stream of good economic news: Argentine bonds posting some of the best gains among emerging markets, officials celebrating its first quarterly surplus since 2008 and the IMF announcing Monday it would release another $800 million loan—a symbolic vote of confidence in Mr. Milei’s overhaul.

“The important thing is to score goals now,” Mr. Milei said at an event Tuesday honoring former President Carlos Menem, a divisive figure whose success driving hyperinflation down to single digits through free-market policies Mr. Milei repeatedly references. “We are beating inflation.”

Shrinking economy

Even so, some experts warn that falling inflation isn’t necessarily an economic victory—rather the symptom of a painful recession. The IMF expects Argentina’s gross domestic product to shrink by 2.8% this year.

“You’ve had a massive collapse in private spending, which explains why consumption has dropped dramatically and why inflation is also falling,” said Monica de Bolle, a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics who studies emerging markets. “People are worse off than they were before. That leads them to spend less.”

Signs of an economic slowdown are everywhere in Buenos Aires—the lines snaking outside discounted groceries, the empty seats in the city’s typically booming restaurants, the growing strikes and protests.

At an open-air market in the capital’s Liniers neighborhood, Lidia Pacheco makes a beeline for the garbage dump. Several times a week, the 45-year-old mother of four rummages through the pungent pile to salvage the tomatoes with the least mold.

“This place saves me,” Pacheco said. Sky-high prices have forced her to stick to worn-out clothes and shoes and change her diet to the point of giving up yerba mate, Argentina’s ubiquitous national drink. “Whatever I earn from selling clothes goes to eating,” she said.

Mr. Milei, a self-proclaimed “anarcho-capitalist” and former TV personality, warned his policies would hurt at first.

“It’s not his fault, it’s the Peronists who ruined the country, and Mr. Milei is trying to do his best,” said Rainer Silva, a Venezuelan taxi driver who fled his own country’s economic collapse for Argentina five years ago.