• Mattia Zaccagni strikes at death to crush Croatia and send Italy through to last 16

• Spain complete perfect Euro 2024 group stage as Albania go out

Spain continued their flawless start to Euro 2024 with a 1-0 victory over Albania on Monday, securing their third consecutive win in the tournament. Ferran Torres’ superb strike in the 13th minute, assisted by Dani Olmo, was enough to seal the win.

Spain, already qualified for the last 16, dominated the match with Torres, Mikel Merino, and Joselu coming close to scoring. Despite Albania’s spirited efforts, with Kristjan Asllani and Armando Broja testing Spanish keeper David Raya, they were unable to find the net. This result sees Spain top Group B, while Albania exits the tournament.

In the other Group B match, Italy secured a dramatic 1-1 draw against Croatia, earning them a place in the last 16 as group runners-up. The match was tightly contested, with Croatia’s Luka Modric having a penalty saved by Gianluigi Donnarumma in the 54th minute. However, Modric quickly redeemed himself by scoring the rebound, becoming the oldest scorer in European Championship history at 38 years and 289 days.

Italy fought back and, in added time, Mattia Zaccagni scored a stunning equalizer from distance, breaking Croatian hearts and ensuring Italy’s progression. Croatia, with two points, now awaits the results from other groups to see if they can advance as one of the best third-placed teams.

Spain topped Group B with nine points, Italy followed with four points, and Croatia finished third with two points. Albania, finishing last with one point, has been eliminated. This result guarantees that England, France, and the Netherlands will finish at least among the best four third-placed teams, securing their spots in the knockout stages.

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The UEFA European Championships 2024 group stage draw has been conducted, setting the stage for the tournament. The draw took place in Hamburg, and here are the groups:

Group A:
– Germany
– Hungary
– Scotland
– Switzerland

Group B:
– Spain
– Albania
– Croatia
– Italy

Group C:
– England
– Denmark
– Slovenia
– Serbia

Group D:
– France
– Austria
– Netherlands
– Play-off winner A (Poland, Estonia, Wales, or Finland)

Group E:
– Belgium
– Romania
– Slovakia
– Play-off winner B (Israel, Iceland, Bosnia-Herzegovina, or Ukraine)

Group F:
– Portugal
– Turkey
– Czech Republic
– Play-off winner C (Georgia, Luxembourg, Greece, or Kazakhstan)

The tournament is set to begin on June 14, 2024, with Germany hosting Scotland at the Allianz Arena at 8 p.m. BST. The top two teams from each group will advance to the last 16, joined by the four best third-place teams. The remaining three finalists will be confirmed in March after the conclusion of the play-offs.

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After serving the Croatian team for 13 and a half years, Dejan Lovren confirmed his retirement from the international level.

The centre-back featured in every game in his side’s unexpected run to the 2018 World Cup final, where they were beaten 4-2 by France, earning 78 caps for his country during that time and tallying five goals in the process.

The seasoned defender, who has made 563 appearances for club and country, made his international debut in an exhibition match against Qatar in October 2009, which Slaven Bilic’s team went on to win 3-2.

In a strange turn of events, his final international appearance for his nation took place in Qatar, although it resulted in a 3-0 loss to eventual World Cup champions Argentina in the 2022 tournament’s semifinals, with the former Liverpool star faltering at the back.

In an open letter to his fans, Lovren called his decision to hang up his boots for his nation “somber news” and discussed the emotions he had experienced.

As a spokesperson of the Vatreni, he also urged young supporters to “look up to” the Croatian squad as “your superheroes” in his final message.

‘I want to address you today with some somber news, but believe me, the decision that I am about to announce is one that I made with an open heart and a lot of consideration,’ the ex-Liverpool star began.

‘This announcement does not come easily to me, and while I am writing this letter, I am doing my best not to cry, but I hope by now you have come to know me as a man with heart and a man that does not hide his emotions.

‘The time has come for me to say my final goodbye to the Croatian national team, though I will remain a huge supporter of the Vetrani and will follow the team in each coming match.’

He added: ‘I want to tell every single young football player in the country that they must look at the Croatian national team as a completely other dimension of football – look at these players as your superheroes.’

With 19 international appearances under his belt, Lovren ranks 19th all-time in Croatian history and was an integral part of one of their most successful teams.

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Lovren not only won silver in the 2018 competition, but he also played a key role in the defense for the team that won bronze in Qatar in 2022 after defeating Morocco in the third-place play-off.

Throughout his time with the Vetrani, Lovren represented his country at four different World Cups, as well as the postponed 2020 European Championships, when his team was eliminated in the round of 16.

He thanked each of his past coaches after describing his delight in donning the renowned red-and-white check shirt and his belief that he had committed several mistakes in his early years with the squad.

But he singled out the past five years with Croatia as his most fondly-remembered, adding: ‘The most beautiful chapters of my national team story were the ones that we wrote in the past five years. This is, if I’m being honest, still a complete dream to me. 

‘So many emotions went through me, especially in 2018 and 2022, and I find it difficult to put these experiences into words. 

‘I lived my life in hope that I would get to experience moments like those, and when they did come, I lived them with immense pride. These memories will remain in my heart forever.’

He also offered a word to his team-mates, adding: ‘I want to thank all of my former and current team-mates on this beautiful, unforgettable journey. We had our ups and downs, we cried together and we celebrated together, and I’ll always carry you in my heart. 

‘I spent more than a decade playing with some of you. I see you as my brothers, and you stood by me in my toughest moments. Thank you.‘

The 33-year-old currently turns out for French side Lyon, having arrived from Russian champions Zenit St. Petersburg – who he joined after the end of his successful spell at Liverpool in 2020.

Lovren won the Champions League, Premier League, and UEFA Supercup at Anfield, but he never took home a trophy for his nation.

In addition to Luka Modric, Mario Mandzukic, Darijo Srna, Ivan Rakitic, Mateo Kovacic, and Ivan Perisic, Lovren was a member of one of Croatia’s best generations of players.

He departs a side that has the likely long and successful career of Josko Gvardiol to look forward to, with the RB Leipzig star set to feature for Croatia for at least the next decade, aged just 21.

Lovren ended his announcement with a call for his national teammates to pull together and continue to show the unity ‘that sets us apart from everyone else’.

‘I’d like to say one more thing – I might be stepping down as a player, but at least you’re gaining a new fan. Let’s stick by each other’s side like we have so far, because the unity among us has always been the one quality that sets us apart from everyone else – it is our greatest strength.

‘From the bottom of my heart, thank you,’ he concluded.

Thank you @HNS_CFF for everything!

Forever in my heart. ❤️🙏🏼 pic.twitter.com/GSebjeEKK8

— Dejan Lovren (@Dejan06Lovren) February 23, 2023

This post appeared first on Mp3bullet.ng... Read Original post on Dejan Lovren announces his international retirement with Croatia..

Bronze medalists in the 2022 World Cup, Croatia will face the Netherlands in the Nations League semifinals in June, while Italy and Spain will renew their rivalry in the other game.

Last year, the four countries won their respective League A groups and will compete in the mini-tournament this summer to determine the 2022-23 title.

Wednesday’s draw, conducted at UEFA headquarters in Switzerland, has the Dutch hosting the Croats, fresh from reaching the World Cup semifinals in Qatar, in Rotterdam on June 14 with Italy and Spain clashing in Enschede the next day.

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The winners will compete in the final in Rotterdam on June 18, with the third-place playoff taking place earlier that day in Enschede.

Spain finished second to France in the last edition in 2021, defeating hosts Italy in the semifinals with a Ferran Torres double in a 2-1 victory in Milan.

Italy and the Netherlands also return for a second appearance at the finals while this is Croatia’s first time.

Italians finished third in 2021, while the Dutch finished second in Portugal’s maiden competition in 2019.

Every European nation competes in the Nations League every two years. The nations are split into four-tier leagues. It has basically taken the place of friendly matches that were formerly held on days designated for international competition.

The 2023 #NationsLeague Finals!

🇳🇱🇭🇷🇪🇸🇮🇹 Who will go all the way? pic.twitter.com/K53XCIVHx4

— UEFA EURO 2024 (@EURO2024) January 25, 2023

This post appeared first on Mp3bullet.ng... Read Original post on UEFA Nations League semi-final draw unveiled [See fixtures].

The Brazilian striker Richarlison’s incredible scissor-kick volley against Serbia in the two teams’ opening Group G match in Qatar was chosen as the best goal of the World Cup after a fan vote.

The goal was Brazil’s second in a 2-0 win. Tottenham star Richarlison scored three goals in total in the tournament.

The Tottenham forward’s strike came in the 73rd minute of the South American side’s opening game of the tournament to wrap up a 2-0 win.

FIFA announced the effort was voted the best goal of Qatar 2022 by fans. Richarlison was around 12 yards from the goal and utilized his first touch to flip the ball up in the air after teammate Vinicius Jr. delivered a beautiful outside foot cross from the left side.

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The former Everton player then twisted as the ball hit the ground and produced a flawless volley while his body was in the air.

Voted by you and only you:

🕊🇧🇷 @richarlison97's bicycle kick is one for the books and your 🥇 Hyundai Goal Of The Tournament! #HyundaiGOTT2022 | #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/ZADZr56ds9

— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) December 23, 2022

The following strike eluded Serbian defender Milos Veljkovic’s attempts to block the ball and went beyond his keeper Vanja Milinkovic-outstretched Savic’s right arm.

Richarlison had earlier started the scoring for Brazil and added his third goal of the tournament in a 4-1 triumph over South Korea in the second round.

Unfortunately, Brazil’s World Cup campaign ended in the quarterfinals after a penalty shootout loss to Croatia. Serbia finished last in Group G after failing to win any of their three matches.

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Morocco has finally returned to Rabat after their fantastic campaign at the 2022 World Cup which was ended in the semi-finals by France.

The Atlas Lions, who made history by being the first country from Africa to play in the semifinals in the Gulf country, were a surprise entry in the international tournament.

The last match at Al Bayt Stadium saw France defeat Morocco 2-0, putting a stop to Morocco’s fantastical journey. They faced Croatia in the third-place playoff match, but they fell short 2-1.

Tens of thousands of Moroccans flocked to the capital to welcome the North Africans back on Tuesday, giving them a hero’s welcome. Later, King Mohammed VI arranged a luncheon for the team managed by Walid Regragui.

The Atlas Lions of Morocco 🇲🇦 on an open bus parade cheered on by fans in Rabat after a heroic and historic fourth place finish at the World Cup in Qatar. pic.twitter.com/81oUU1TsNP

— Usher Komugisha (@UsherKomugisha) December 20, 2022

The parade in Rabat has sparked debate on social media with other fans claiming it was much better than Argentia’s trophy parade.

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“Morocco heroes welcome looks far much better than Argentina’s trophy parade. But I know you are not ready for this issue. So I will leave it for today,” said Junior Levy Driver, and his sentiments were echoed by Onwuka Onyedikachi Ogubunka, who said: “More glorious than Argentina own that look like a local carnival.”

Obong M E Essien said: “Wow Wow wow!!! This is real love indeed. Africa is rising to the top. Well done Morocco,” while Am-omubo Victor Godwin opined: “Next World Cup to come Africa will be on top.”

Watch Video:

https://twitter.com/JazzAntics/status/1605409312196763648?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1605409312196763648%7Ctwgr%5Eeaaafe3f2bfe76484cc140200bb068cf3abc1227%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.goal.com%2Fen-ng%2Fnews%2Fwatch-morocco-receive-heroic-welcome-in-rabat-after-making-world-cup-history%2Fblt92e3a7c175d5f3bd

Morocco’s national team, ranked 4th in #Qatar2022 !! Open bus Parade in the Capital of Morocco, Rabat today.#FIFAWorldCup @FIFAcom @CAF_Online pic.twitter.com/zu67jAGQwd

— Chaymae Khebouiz (@CKhebouiz) December 20, 2022

This view of Morocco open team bus parade in Rabat 🔥 pic.twitter.com/fPAB2qP5Os

— FT90Extra (@FT90Extra) December 20, 2022

The Atlas Lions received an unforgettable homecoming on an open bus parade cheered on by fans in Rabat. Amazing to witness this part of history. Just crazy #FIFAWorldCup #AtlasLions #dimmaghrib #rabat #Morocco pic.twitter.com/J4tpScHLgg

— Ahmed Larouz (@larouz) December 21, 2022

The Atlas Lions, who won all of their group-stage games and then defeated Spain and Portugal, will now turn their attention to the upcoming African Nations Championships in Algeria in January.

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FIFA updates the national team’s world rankings following the 2022 World Cup. Despite winning the 2022 World Cup, Argentina saw a justifiable increase in their position in FIFA’s updated men’s world rankings but failed to overtake Brazil for the top slot.

Argentina climbed into second place a day after defeating France in a thrilling World Cup final in Qatar, while rival South American nation Brazil remained in first place despite Selecao’s elimination from the tournament in the quarterfinals. World Cup finalist France moved up one place to third.

Argentina or France would’ve usurped Brazil had Sunday’s finale been decided within the allotted 120 minutes of playing time.

But since shootout victories are worth fewer points than a regulation win, according to FIFA’s calculation, Brazil’s place atop the rankings was assured when extra time was over at Lusail Stadium in Doha.

While Argentina won four games in regulation and two on penalties after losing its opening match to Saudi Arabia, Brazil won three matches in Qatar before losing to Croatia on penalties.

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While all was going on, the United States moved up three spots to 13th place, passing Mexico as the highest-ranked CONCACAF country. While Canada lost the most ground, falling 12 spots to 53rd, Mexico is rated 15th.

Following an unexpected run to the World Cup semifinals, Morocco shot up the rankings. The Atlas Lions are now the highest-ranked team in Africa after moving up 11 spots to place 11. Following exceeding expectations in Qatar, Australia and Cameroon also experienced double-digit increases, moving up to positions 27 and 33, respectively.

Belgium, however, dropped two spots from second to fourth after failing to advance through the group stage. The Red Devils are in front of sixth-placed Netherlands and fifth-placed England.

Top 20 rankings:

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After having trouble containing Lionel Messi in the World Cup semifinals, Josko Gvardiol claims he will gain knowledge from the experience of playing against him.

Messi embarrassed the Croatian defence in the World Cup semifinal between the two sides by turning him inside-out and finding a way through him to set up Julian Alvarez for the third goal.

The centre-back, who believes he held his own against Messi for the full 90 minutes, asserted that the attacker is a different animal when representing his country.

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He told reporters: “It was a nice experience even though I played against him in the club last season. He is a completely different type of player in the club and in the national team, I am glad that I played against him even though we lost. But today and tomorrow I will be able to tell the children that I guarded Messi for 90 minutes. I guess we will beat him next time.”

Gvardiol’s reputation among the European elite is still improving despite Messi’s constant manipulation of him. The RB Leipzig defender, who will not be cheap after signing a contract extension with the club in the summer, is reportedly being pursued by Chelsea, Manchester City, and Real Madrid.

By eliminating Croatia, Argentina earned a spot in the national title game, where they will play France on Sunday. On Saturday, Croatia will compete against Morocco for third place.

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Raphael Varane and Ibrahima Konate are the latest players to fall ill in the France team ahead of Sunday’s World Cup final against Argentina, pushing the number up to five.

France manager Didier Deschamps had already confirmed that winger Kingsley Coman would be the third player, while Adrien Rabiot and Dayot Upamecano were both ruled out of the semi-final victory over Croatia after contracting a virus that a handful of players blamed on the air conditioning systems used in Qatari stadiums.

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Coman complained of flu-like symptoms and Deschamps conceded on Friday morning that France has the battle to avoid an outbreak in the camp ahead of the final against Argentina in two days.

“Coman had a fever this morning,” Deschamps said. “We have had a few cases of flu-like symptoms. We are trying to be careful so that it does not spread. The players have put in a great effort on the pitch and obviously their immune systems have suffered.

“Dayot Upamecano felt bad right after the game against England. It happens when you exert yourself so much, you are more prone to getting these viruses. We’re taking all the necessary precautions.”

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On Sunday afternoon at the Lusail Iconic Stadium, Argentina and the defending champions France will face off in a tantalizing final in the title match of a glittering World Cup 2022 tournament.

Following a 2-0 victory over African trailblazers Morocco in the semifinals, Les Bleus will take the field on the Lusail pitch as the first participants in the final in 24 years.

In the meantime, Croatia was denied a repeat appearance in the title event by Lionel Scaloni’s team with a 3-0 victory in the final four, and it’s not surprise that attention has been concentrated on one player in the lead-up to the game.

The matchup between Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi of Paris Saint-Germain will always be promoted as the major event, despite Antoine Griezmann’s all-action attempts. After Brazil’s quarterfinal departure, the feted stars of the past, present, and future (as well as the current) triumphed. Qatar Sports Investment, who also happens to control PSG, hedged their bets with a third superstar forward.

Both Messi and Mbappe have five goals as they compete for the Golden Boot, but Messi is enjoying a statistically stronger tournament with three assists to Mbappe’s two, giving him the tiny advantage.

• Team News:

Marcos Acuna and Gonzalo Montiel are now again at Scaloni’s disposal after being given their second bookings of the tournament against the Netherlands and being forced to witness the semi-final from the suspension step.

While Lisandro Martinez, much to the dismay of Manchester United fans, is once again limited to substitute minutes, Montiel is fighting an uphill battle to replace Nahuel Molina on the right, and Acuna can confidently step in to replace Nicolas Tagliafico in what will likely be a four-man backline.

The only injury concern for La Albiceleste should be Alejandro Gomez, who is still recovering from an ankle sprain and may only be able to sit on the bench. Hearts were in mouths when Messi was spotted giving his hamstring a once-over in the semifinals.

There is no reason to believe that the seasoned attacker won’t be able to start the game, where he should secure the record for most World Cup appearances with 26. With a slight change in formation, Angel Di Maria, who is nearing the end of his international career, might join the experienced attacker.

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The hot-headed Leandro Paredes would be the unfortunate name to make way if Di Maria can prove his fitness in time, as Paulo Dybala and Lautaro Martinez aim to improve their output as impact substitutes once more.

Dayot Upamecano and Adrien Rabiot were the next casualties in the France camp due to the continual air conditioning in Qatar, and Kingsley Coman also felt unwell ahead to the semi-finals.

The first XI should consider applications from Rabiot and Upamecano who are reportedly feeling better. However, Deschamps has a bigger problem at the back. The former can expect to replace Youssouf Fofana in the midfield right away.

Although Konate, who played against Morocco, rightfully received good acclaim, Deschamps will still be expected to use Upamecano again in his tried-and-true system, and Coman, who missed training on Thursday, was never going to challenge for a starting position anyhow.

Theo Hernandez suffered a pair of knee injuries against Morocco, but his spot in the starting lineup for the final is not likely to be jeopardized, while Kylian Mbappe will renew his solo struggle with fellow five-goal sensation Messi for the Golden Boot.

If his aggressive efforts are successful, the 23-year-old would become the youngest player to score in more than one World Cup final, and he will be aided by creator-in-chief Antoine Griezmann, who has created a tournament-high 21 chances for his teammates thus far.

• Possible Lineup:

Argentina possible starting lineup:
E. Martinez; Molina, Romero, Otamendi, Acuna; De Paul, Fernandez, Mac Allister; Di Maria, Messi, Alvarez

France possible starting lineup:
Lloris; Kounde, Varane, Upamecano, T. Hernandez; Tchouameni, Rabiot; Dembele, Griezmann, Mbappe; Giroud

• Score prediction:

Prediction: Argentina 1-2 France

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In the third-place playoff on Saturday at the Khalifa International Stadium, a World Cup 2022 bronze medal is on the line between Croatia and Morocco, and neither team should turn their back on a podium finish on the biggest stage.

The 2018 finalists lost to Argentina 3-0 on Tuesday, preventing them from participating in the title bout in Qatar. Although Morocco put up a good fight, they had trouble turning their pressure into chances, much alone goals, against France.

After losing their semifinal fixtures, Croatia and Morocco will square off against each other to claim third place in the FIFA World Cup 2022 on Saturday, December 17 at the Khalifa International.

Nevertheless, Morocco has guaranteed themselves a spot in World Cup history as the first-ever African semifinalist team, and they still have a chance to finish their Qatar campaign on a winning note.

Just a few weeks after their goalless draw in Group F, where the Checkered Ones were limited to just five shots against Regragui’s backline, Croatia and Morocco will once again square off. A similarly tenacious defensive performance might propel the Africans to a historic World Cup victory.

• Team News:

Croatia’s semi-final loss to Argentina was already marred by injury when midfield fulcrum Marcelo Brozovic withdrew in the 50th minute owing to discomfort and is now seen as a serious doubt for the third-place playoff.

Dalic has vowed to not risk any player who is not 100 per cent healthy, so Lovro Majer and Kristijan Jakic should be ready to step in for Brozovic in the middle if necessary. Twenty-year-old centre-back Gvardiol needs injections to play despite the pain of a foot injury in the middle of the week.

Gvardiol might be replaced by Josip Sutalo, a different highly regarded centre defender, while Ivan Perisic, a Tottenham Hotspur player who is now tied with Davor Suker in World Cup goals scored with six each, should keep his position on the left.

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For Morocco’s semi-final, Regragui unexpectedly managed to get all of Aguerd, Mazraoui, and Saiss back, but the injured trio withdrew one at a time — in Aguerd’s case, shortly before the game started.

Despite the fact that the severity of Saiss‘ and Mazraoui’s injuries are now unknown, both players were taken off the field after 20 minutes after being outpaced by Olivier Giroud. Mazraoui also left the field at halftime, leaving Regragui where he had started.

A return to a 4-3-3 may be necessary as Yahia Attiyat Allah and Selim Amallah attempt to regain their starting positions because Regragui is unlikely to risk either of the trio members for Saturday’s game.

• Possible Lineup:

Croatia’s possible starting lineup:
Livakovic; Juranovic, Lovren, Sutalo, Sosa; Modric, Jakic, Kovacic; Vlasic, Kramaric, Perisic

Morocco’s possible starting lineup:
Bono; Hakimi, El-Yamiq, Dari, Attiyat-Allah; Ounahi, Amrabat, Amallah; Ziyech, En-Nesyri, Boufal

• Score prediction:

The World Cup matchup between the two teams’ opponents will be their first-round opponent. The two teams battled to a scoreless draw in Group F during the murky months of November. Regragui was delighted with the cool, collected performance his team put on while the Croatian team confidently intimated that they could have won if they had taken more chances.

The two nations will be challenged for the top spot despite having the advantage of weakened ranks.

Prediction: Croatia 1-1 Morocco (Penalty will decide the winner).

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The rest of the Argentina team trained on Thursday without Lionel Messi, but the 35-year-old participated in an indoor recovery session with the players who took the field against Croatia on Tuesday.

Hundreds of photographers turned up at Argentina’s training base at Qatar University as around 13 players were put through their paces in the balmy evening heat in Doha.

But Messi was not among them, nor did he join the six starters who watched the session from the sidelines, sparking concerns that he might be nursing a thigh injury after clutching his left hamstring throughout the match against Croatia.

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But, according to Argentine newspaper Clarin, the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner has no injury issues ahead of Sunday’s final and his left hamstring is fine.

Messi was inside working on his rehabilitation in the gym together with the rest of Tuesday’s starting lineup, as well as Papu Gomez and Lautaro Martinez. The entire team had been granted the day off on Wednesday.

Argentina has no qualms about Messi competing in Sunday’s championship game at the Lusail Stadium because he is anticipated to be back working with the ball on the practice fields on Friday.

Currently, Angel Di Maria has proclaimed himself fit enough to start, leaving only Gomez’s ankle ailment as Argentina’s main injury concern after he rolled it against Australia in the round of 16.

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