Messi’s break was one of celebration. He arrived in Buenos Aires on October 2, missed the 7-0 win over Burkina Faso and said goodbye to the national team on October 6 with a goal and two assists in a 3-0 win over Benin in front of more than 85,000 fans. He left as Argentina’s most-capped player with 208 appearances, record scorer with 126 goals and record assist with 64 assists.

Four days later, he was back in Miami and the transition was seamless. Messi started and captained Inter Miami against DC United, where he scored a brace to reach 934 career goals.

The two goals took his season total to 23 and kept him as the outright leader of the MLS Golden Boot race, while the win ended a five-match winless run for Inter Miami.

Ronaldo returns after a turbulent break

Cristiano Ronaldo’s international break was far more troubled. The Portuguese forward left the national team’s camp after a fallout with coach Jorge Jesus, having played only in the match against Wales on the first matchday of the UEFA Nations League.

After not getting any minutes against Norway on the second matchday, he decided to leave the camp, which sparked a major controversy over his future with Portugal. However, after a turbulent few weeks, the captain confirmed that he has not retired from international duty, and the federation has opened the door for his return in the next international window in November.

His return to Al Nassr on Friday, October 9, was a welcome change of atmosphere. The home fans chanted his name before kick-off and raised a banner in his honor that read “Greatness is earned,” and Ronaldo repaid them in the 23rd minute, pouncing on a rebound for his 980th career goal.

Al Nassr won 3-0 and rose to 19 points, but Al Hilal’s win over Al Ittihad in Saturday’s clash lifted them to 21 and left Al Nassr third in the Saudi Pro League, two points behind the leaders and level on points with Al Qadsiah, which holds second place on goal difference. Ronaldo, meanwhile, now sits 20 goals away from becoming the first player to reach 1,000, while Messi, with 934, is 66 away.

Messi’s goal came from a pass by Luis Suárez, who is the star of the night for the home side. The Uruguayan had opened the scoring less than three minutes into the match and added a second goal before halftime, tapping in a rebound after Messi’s shot was saved by the goalkeeper. He then completed his performance by setting up Messi for the third, having been involved in all three of his team’s goals.

But the night was not over for Messi. In the 60th minute, the Argentine scored his second goal of the match and made it 4-0, dribbling past several DC United defenders before finishing across the goal with a precise shot.

With those goals, the Argentine reached 23 goals this MLS season with the Herons and remains the outright leader of the MLS Golden Boot race, where he is aiming for a second consecutive award. He also has 13 assists, and with six regular-season matches still to play, he has plenty of time to extend his lead.

Messi and Ronaldo’s race to 1,000 career goals

Messi’s brace against DC United took him to 934 career goals, including 672 with Barcelona, 126 with Argentina, 104 with Inter Miami and 32 with Paris Saint-Germain. Cristiano Ronaldo, meanwhile, scored his 980th goal on Friday, for Al Nassr against Al Diriyah, which leaves the Portuguese forward 20 goals away from the historic milestone while Messi still needs 66.

The gap between them is 46 goals, and the picture is different for each player. Messi, now 39, retired from international soccer after the win over Benin on October 6, so every goal from here on will come with Inter Miami, while Ronaldo, 41, still has both Al Nassr and the Portugal national team as options, although his recent fallout with Jorge Jesus has put his international future in question.

Either way, Ronaldo is the clear favorite to become the first player to reach 1,000 goals, with Messi chasing the milestone as the only other player to have passed 900.

The appearance was the 118th of his Inter Miami career, which ties him with goalkeeper Drake Callender for second place on the club’s all-time appearances list.

Only one player remains ahead of him. Noah Allen, a homegrown defender who now plays for the Chicago Fire, holds the club’s all-time record with 132 appearances after passing Callender’s previous mark in April. Messi and Callender, now with Minnesota United, share second place with 118 each, followed by Sergio Busquets and Robert Taylor with 116 apiece.

Luis Suárez follows in sixth place with 113 appearances, ahead of Benjamin Cremaschi with 107, Jordi Alba with 103, Yannick Bright with 101 and Leonardo Campana with 100, completing the top 10. With Allen no longer adding to his total, Messi needs 14 more appearances to tie the record and 15 to take sole possession of it.

Can Messi surpass Allen’s record in 2026?

The short answer is no. Messi sits at 118 appearances after the DC United match, and with six regular-season matches left on the official MLS schedule, he would reach 124 if the captain plays all of them.

The playoffs could add more matches, but not enough. Inter Miami, currently third in the Eastern Conference, would enter Round One, a best-of-three series between November 20 and December 2, and could play up to three matches there. The Conference Semifinals follow on December 5 and 6, the Conference Finals on December 11 and 12, and MLS Cup on Friday, December 18.

A run all the way to the final would give Messi a maximum of six playoff matches, for a ceiling of 130 appearances. Even a path through the Wild Card round would raise that ceiling only to 131. That leaves the Argentine two matches short of tying Allen and three short of passing him in the best possible scenario, so the record will probably fall in the first matches of the 2027 season.

The Brazilian forward used his Instagram account to apologize to his teammates and the club’s supporters. “I am still happy… I want to apologize to my teammates and Real Madrid fans,” Vini wrote.

The words came just hours after a night that began as a moment of redemption for the Brazilian, who had been left out of Jose Mourinho’s starting lineup and came on in the 51st minute with the match still goalless.

Vinícius had an immediate impact, as Real Madrid broke the deadlock in the 62nd minute through Yan Diomande, and nine minutes later the Brazilian finished off a fast counterattack, which seemed to make it 2-0.

However, referee Isidro Díaz de Mera was sent to the monitor by the VAR, and after the review he disallowed the goal because Vinícius had pulled Saliba’s hair at the start of the move, and showed him a straight red card. The Brazilian was visibly furious as he left the pitch, and his teammates had to calm him down.

Vinícius’ suspension could rule him out of El Clásico

The next step will be the disciplinary decision from the Competition Committee, which will determine how many matches Vinícius misses after reviewing the referee’s report. Early analysis in the Spanish press suggests the action could be classified as violent conduct, which carries a ban of two to three matches, although some estimates go up to four.

Because Real Madrid’s next two league matches are against Sevilla on October 18 and Barcelona on October 25 at the Camp Nou, even the minimum sanction would rule him out of the Clásico, where Real Madrid will need all its attacking options as it tries to close the six-point gap on the league leaders.

With Vinícius likely to be unavailable, Yan Diomande is in line to take over his place on the left wing. The Ivorian winger arrives in good form after scoring his first goal for Real Madrid against Villarreal, a strike that proved decisive in a 1-0 win and earned him praise as the match’s standout player.

Vinícius began the LaLiga match on the bench, and Mourinho brought him on in the 51st minute in place of Trent Alexander-Arnold. The match was still goalless at that point, and Real Madrid had been struggling to break through until Yan Diomande opened the scoring in the 62nd minute.

In the 71st minute, Vinícius finished off a fast counterattack with a right-footed shot from the center of the box after an assist from Jude Bellingham, which seemed to make it 2-0. However, referee Isidro Díaz de Mera was sent to the monitor by the VAR, and after the review he decided to disallow the goal because Vinícius had pulled an opponent’s hair at the start of the move, an action for which he was also sent off.

The dismissal adds to a difficult stretch for Vinícius, who had scored just one goal in his first seven LaLiga games this season. It also puts Real Madrid in a tough spot as it looks to stay in the title race, knowing that only a win will keep it from falling further behind Barcelona.

Real Madrid stays in touch with Barcelona

Even with ten men, Real Madrid held on for a 1-0 win over Villarreal. The visitors pushed late, but the hosts defended the lead, with Diomande’s strike proving enough. The victory lifts Mourinho’s side to 18 points, although it remains a considerable distance behind Barcelona.

Hansi Flick’s side beat Getafe 3-0 with goals from Gordon, Gabriel Jesús and Koundé to improve to eight wins from eight and 24 points, which leaves Real Madrid six points behind. Atlético Madrid also remains firmly in the fight, sitting second with 19 points after a 2-1 win over Alavés.

For the next match, against Sevilla on October 18, Real Madrid will be without Vinícius, but it will look to build on the strong form of Diomande, who scored his first goal for the club and was named MVP of the Villarreal match.

Henderson wasted no time making his mark. He opened the scoring after just over a minute, sweeping in a first-time finish off the inside of the far post after Cole Palmer dribbled into the box and pulled the ball back.

Moments later he turned provider, helping set up Morgan Rogers for the second goal, giving him a goal and an assist inside two minutes and 29 seconds, a combination only Emile Heskey has managed faster in Premier League history.

The numbers behind the night go beyond the speed. According to Opta, Henderson is the oldest player to be directly involved in three goals in a Premier League game since Cristiano Ronaldo in April 2022, when the Portuguese star was 37 and scored a hat-trick against Norwich. At 36 years and 115 days, he also became the oldest Chelsea player ever to do so, overtaking a list that previously included Gianluca Vialli.

For Henderson, the performance was also a statement for his team, as it helped Chelsea secure its first top-flight win since the end of August. João Pedro added two goals of his own, while Evanilson scored a consolation for Bournemouth, but the night belonged to the veteran midfielder.

Ronaldo continues to shine at 41

The comparison is also timely. Ronaldo, now 41, scored his 980th career goal for Al Nassr on Friday, October 9, opening the scoring in the 23rd minute of a 3-0 win over Al Diriyah. The goal came in his first match since leaving the Portugal camp and helped lift Al Nassr to 19 points, level with Al Qadsiah at the top of the Saudi Pro League table.

Ronaldo’s latest strike is his fourth of the Saudi Pro League season, and he is already looking to add to a strong record in the competition. He won the Golden Boot in 2023-24 with a league-record 35 goals and again in 2024-25 with 25, then scored 28 last season, when Julián Quiñones edged him out on the final day with 33.

That means he has scored 88 league goals over his last three seasons, and he now chases a third Golden Boot. For now, though, Ivan Toney is a long way ahead with 11 goals, which leaves Ronaldo seven behind, but there is still plenty of the season left to close the gap.

On Friday, Atletico posted on its official X account that it wanted to congratulate Real Madrid for “continuing to make history” by proving that “100% of the global medical community was wrong”.

The message was also accompanied by hashtags such as #MiracleRecovery and #Grade3Sprain, a clear reference to the usual timeline for that kind of injury, which typically keeps players out for two to three months. Valverde, however, returned to training with the group and was included in the squad list just 17 days after the medical report.

Valverde was hurt in the derby on September 20, which Atletico won 2-1 at the Metropolitano, after a hard challenge from Kang-in Lee in the first half. The midfielder finished the game, but the worry only set in once the final whistle blew and swelling appeared around his ankle. Two days later, on September 22, the club confirmed a third-degree sprain, with his recovery listed as “pending evolution.”

Real Madrid kept his return under wraps until it announced the squad for the Villarreal match, and Jose Mourinho made clear on Friday that nothing is decided yet. The coach called Valverde “the doubt” and said the club would define on Saturday how to handle him, so it remains unclear whether the midfielder will start or return from the bench.

Madrid’s clubs can’t afford to lose sight of Barcelona

The sarcasm comes with real stakes in the LaLiga table. Barcelona is perfect so far, with seven wins from seven matches and 21 points, which gives it a comfortable cushion at the top. Atletico Madrid sits second on 16 points, level with Real Betis, while Real Madrid is fourth on 15 after five wins and two defeats.

That gap explains why both sides need to win this weekend. Real Madrid hosts Villarreal on Saturday, October 10, while Atlético travels to face Alavés on the same day, and Barcelona is also in action against Getafe.

Ronaldo opened the scoring in the 23rd minute at Al-Awwal Park, pouncing on a rebound in front of an empty net after goalkeeper Waleed Abdullah could only parry Kingsley Coman’s powerful strike. Samu Costa made it 2-0 in the 35th minute, heading home a corner delivered by Joao Felix, while Coman wrapped up the win in the 77th minute.

The match carried extra weight for Ronaldo after the turmoil of recent days, where he left the Portugal camp following his fallout with coach Jorge Jesus. The home fans made their feelings clear before kick-off, chanting his name and raising a banner in his honor, and he repaid them with the opening goal.

The result also keeps Al Nassr in the title race. The win took them to 19 points, level with leaders Al Qadsiah but behind on goal difference. However, Al Hilal or Al Ittihad could overtake both with a win in their clash on Saturday, October 10.

Golden Boot still out of reach

The scoring table shows how much ground Ronaldo still has to make up. Ivan Toney leads the Saudi Pro League with 11 goals in eight appearances, well ahead of the rest. Francisco Trincão, Mateo Retegui and Alexandre Lacazette follow with five each.

A little further down, Ronaldo is listed with four goals in seven appearances, leaving him well behind the leader of the table. The Portuguese star is not the only player in the Saudi Pro League with four goals, which makes the race for the Golden Boot tighter and more intense.

Al Qadsiah’s Julián Quiñones, Al Ittihad’s George Ilenikhena, Steven Bergwijn and Youssef En-Nesyri, and Al Hilal’s Sergej Milinković-Savić are all level with him, so the race behind Toney is crowded. At 41, Ronaldo would need a big run of goals to close the gap, and Toney has set a pace that is hard to match.

“He is not the only candidate in the running but this is the name to keep under consideration,” Romano explained. The update comes just days after Messi said goodbye to the national team on October 6 with a goal and two assists in a farewell match against Benin, ending a 17-year run with the shirt that began in March 2009.

The 21-year-old Como midfielder had already been linked to the number in recent weeks. In early September, ESPN Argentina insider Federico Bueno reported that Lionel Scaloni had designated Paz as Messi’s heir, but only if the coach renews his contract, which is expected to be negotiated in the coming months.

Paz wore the No. 18 in his first senior caps with Argentina. At Como he has worn the No. 10, contributing 13 goals and seven assists last season as the club qualified for the Champions League for the first time.

The young attacking midfielder is the leader of the Italian side, and he shares some similarities with Messi: he plays in a comparable position on the pitch and is also left-footed. That gives him a clear edge in the race to become the next wearer of Argentina’s iconic No. 10 shirt.

Dibu Martínez adds fuel to the Paz speculation

Before Messi’s farewell, Emiliano “Dibu” Martínez had already joined the debate. The Chelsea goalkeeper commented “new number 10?” on a photo of his Argentina teammate posted on Paz’s official Instagram account. The comment came days after the 4-0 win over Bolivia, in which Paz scored one of Argentina’s goals.

Whether it was a real hint or just Martínez sharing his own wish remains unclear, but it quickly drew attention. Still, Dibu’s comment doesn’t settle the matter, as other names like Alexis Mac Allister, Julián Álvarez and Enzo Fernández have all been mentioned as alternatives, and Scaloni has not said who will get the shirt.

With the Matchday 8 Saudi Pro League game between Al Nassr and Al Diriyah tied at 0-0, Kingsley Coman unleashed a powerful shot that the goalkeeper saved, and Ronaldo pounced on the rebound to score the first goal of the match.

With this strike, Cristiano now has 980 career goals and is just 20 away from becoming the first player in soccer history to reach the 1,000-goal mark. It is his fourth goal of the season, all of them scored in the Saudi Pro League.

Ronaldo’s goal comes at a good moment for the forward, who returned to club action after a turbulent week with Portugal that ended with him leaving the national team camp.

Back on the pitch with Al Nassr, he answered with a goal that moves him closer to the 1,000-goal milestone and gives him a boost of confidence after a difficult spell away from the club.

Al Nassr fighting for the top spots

If Al Nassr hold on to their partial lead, the three points would take them from 16 to 19 and put them level with Al Qadsiah at the top of the Saudi Pro League table. Al Qadsiah reached that mark earlier on Friday with a 5-0 win over Al Khaleej, so goal difference would decide who sits first.

A win would also put Al Nassr one point ahead of Al Hilal, who have 18 and have yet to play their Round 8 match, and two ahead of Al Ittihad, who have 17 and will face each other in the Clásico later in the round. For a team that came into the match third after a difficult run of results, it would be an important step toward getting their season back on track.

The claim comes after a difficult stretch for Postecoglou, who joined in July on a two-year contract to replace Jorge Jesus. The Australian guided Al Nassr to five straight wins in all competitions and was named the Saudi Pro League’s Manager of the Month for August, a start that made him an early success story in Riyadh.

The team was unable to sustain that form, however, losing 2-1 to Al Ittihad and drawing 1-1 with Al Khaleej before suffering a 4-0 defeat to Al Ain in the AFC Champions League Elite, the heaviest loss Ronaldo has experienced since arriving in Saudi Arabia in 2023.

Amid this difficult stretch for Al Nassr, the idea has emerged that Martínez could take over the team, where he has been linked to the club before. Reports earlier this year said the Spanish coach was in talks to take charge of Al Nassr after the World Cup, although Postecoglou ultimately ended up being the one chosen for the job.

For now, Al Nassr sit third in the Saudi Pro League with 16 points, two behind leaders Al Hilal, and Postecoglou will be on the touchline on Friday when the team host Al Diriyah.

Saudi Arabia shut the door on Martínez

Al Nassr might not be the only Saudi job Martínez has been linked to since leaving Portugal. Reports in recent weeks claimed the Spanish coach had already reached an agreement to take over the Saudi national team, a story that appeared to threaten the position of Georgios Donis, but the federation quickly stepped in to put an end to the speculation.

“The manager is continuing with the national team, and no decision has been taken regarding a change in the coaching staff,” the Saudi Arabian Football Federation said in an official statement, while urging media outlets to verify information through official channels.

Donis had good reasons to feel under pressure. The Greek coach took charge in late April, replacing Hervé Renard on a contract that runs through July 2027, and his first big test did not go well, as Saudi Arabia drew with Uruguay and Cape Verde and lost 4-0 to Spain, finishing last in their World Cup group and failing to advance for the sixth straight tournament.

But the mood around him has changed since Tuesday, when Saudi Arabia beat the UAE 2-0 in Jeddah to win the Gulf Cup for the fourth time in their history, ending a drought of more than two decades. That title appears to have secured Donis’s position, at least for now, and he will be expected to build on that momentum ahead of the 2027 AFC Asian Cup.

The Brazilian winger will sit out the LaLiga match against Getafe on Saturday and the Champions League trip to Galatasaray in Istanbul on Tuesday, with the German coach opting for a cautious approach as the forward recovers from a thigh problem.

Speaking at Friday’s pre-match press conference, Flick explained that the situation does not appear to be serious, but that the club cannot afford to take risks. “It is not a major injury, but it is something that must be taken into account because he had many injuries,” the coach explained. Flick also noted that the tests showed something, but not a significant injury, recalling that Raphinha suffered three problems in the same area last season.

The injury occurred while Raphinha was on international duty with Brazil. He scored a penalty in the 4-2 win over Australia on September 29, but was substituted at halftime because of muscle discomfort, which led him to leave the national team’s camp and miss the 4-0 win over India.

The Brazilian Football Confederation said that medical examinations revealed a small muscle edema in the posterior region of his right thigh, and tests ruled out a muscle tear.

The absence is a significant one for Barcelona, since Raphinha has been in outstanding form this season, scoring 14 goals in his first eight appearances across all competitions as the club won its first seven LaLiga matches.

Gabriel Jesus set to replace Raphinha

With Raphinha unavailable, Gabriel Jesus will take his place in the starting lineup against Getafe. It would be the first start for the Brazilian striker since he joined Barcelona from Arsenal this summer, as he has so far appeared in four matches, all off the bench.

“The idea is for Gabriel Jesus to start. He has improved a lot, he has adapted, he understands our style of play and he is very strong inside the box. He has trained very well these three weeks and he is ready,” the German coach explained.

Despite playing just 41 minutes in total, Jesus has already scored two goals, one against Racing Santander and another against Feyenoord in the Champions League, which came only seven minutes after he stepped on the pitch.

The four players who have signed new deals are Abdulrahman Al-Anzi, Yousef Al-Tahan, Fawaz Al-Mashhour and Abdulrahman Sufyani, a player that Al Hilal reportedly tried to sign on two occasions.

This is the second renewal for Sufyani, who was rewarded for his strong performances with Al Nassr‘s U-21 side in last season’s Saudi Elite League. Al Nassr had previously renewed the young player in December 2025 on a three-year deal, according to Saudi media, a move that also came amid reports of interest from their rival.

Alongside the renewals, the club announced the signing of Tunisian Yassine Salam from Al Ettifaq to strengthen its youth categories, as well as goalkeeper Abdulhadi Al-Alwan, who joins on loan from Al Fateh until the end of the current season.

Al-Alwan is already part of the first-team picture, as Ange Postecoglou has called him up for Friday’s Saudi Pro League match against Al Diriyah to cover for injuries in goal.

Youth side struggles in the U-21 league

The reinforcements arrive at a difficult time for Al Nassr’s U-21 team, who have been struggling since the beginning of the season. The club sit 14th in the Saudi U-21 Elite League with six points from two wins and two defeats, which puts them at risk of missing out on the quarterfinals at the end of the campaign.

The announcements also come as the club’s financial restrictions have reportedly been lifted, according to reports on Thursday, although there has been no official confirmation. If that is the case, Al Nassr could now look to go after free agents in the market, something that was not possible while the restrictions were in place.

Ultimately, the renewals and new signings show that Al Nassr are trying to build for the long term, protecting their most promising young players while adding reinforcements to a youth side that needs to improve.

With Sufyani and the rest of the group now secured, the club will be hoping that investment in its academy starts to pay off, both in the U-21 league standings and in producing players who can eventually make the jump to Ronaldo’s first team.

According to Saudi newspaper Arriyadiyah, Simakan took part in the full team training session on Thursday, the day before the match, and has entered Postecoglou’s plans.

His recovery could have been a real problem for the coach, since the doubts about his fitness threatened to leave Al Nassr short in defense, but the Frenchman’s return gives the team a key piece at a moment when it needs stability at the back.

The match against Al Diriyah, scheduled for 2 p.m. ET, comes at an important point for Al Nassr in the standings. The club sits third in the Saudi Pro League with 16 points, two behind leaders Al Hilal and one behind Al Ittihad, who occupy second place with 17.

Postecoglou’s side is also coming off a 4-0 loss to Al Ain in its last outing, so a solid defensive performance against a newly promoted side would help them turn the page. The game also marks Ronaldo’s return to club action following a turbulent international break with Portugal, which ended with the forward leaving the national team camp.

Several other absences force changes for Al Nassr

Simakan’s return comes with some bad news for Postecoglou, as Abdulelah Al-Amri has been left out of the squad due to fatigue after winning the Gulf Cup with Saudi Arabia, while Abdulrahman Ghareeb has also been excluded because he is not physically ready to play, according to Arriyadiyah.

The club will also be short in goal, so Postecoglou has called up young goalkeeper Abdulhadi Al-Alwan to cover for the injuries to Nawaf Al-Aqidi, Raghad Al-Najjar and Mubarak Al-Buainain.

Nawaf Boushal, Abdullah Al-Khaibari and Abdullah Al-Hamdan, who also won the Gulf Cup with Saudi Arabia, arrived at the club’s headquarters alongside Al-Amri, though the report does not specify their status for the match.

According to Argentina’s Infobae, Tevez has already received the green light from Juan Román Riquelme to use Boca Juniors’ stadium once all of this season’s competitions are over. No date has been set yet, but the outlet reports that Sunday, December 20 looks like the most viable option, which will be the last official match in Argentina this year.

The proposed date would also fit the schedules of both stars. The MLS Cup final is set for Friday, December 18, so Messi, who just retired from international soccer, would only have Inter Miami commitments to attend to, while Ronaldo’s participation with Al Nassr is expected to end on December 14.

The idea would be to put them in the same team, reportedly a rest-of-the-world side facing the Boca squad that won the 2003 Intercontinental Cup under Carlos Bianchi. Tevez shared the Argentina dressing room with Messi and played alongside Ronaldo at Manchester United between 2007 and 2009, and this could be the first time the two legends share the same team.

Expected guest list features Boca legends and international stars

According to Infobae, the guest list is expected to be as extensive as the event itself. From Boca Juniors, the names mentioned include club icons Martín Palermo, Guillermo Barros Schelotto, along with Riquelme himself. Leandro Paredes, Boca’s current captain, may also receive a special invitation even though they never played together.

Among his former Argentina teammates, reports highlight Sergio Agüero, Gonzalo Higuaín and Ángel Di María, although the rest of the invitations are still to be defined. Tevez is also close to international stars he has met throughout his career, such as Gianluigi Buffon, Andrea Pirlo and Giorgio Chiellini, and none of these appearances has been confirmed yet.

Ultimately, the biggest attraction of Tevez’s farewell will be the possibility of seeing Messi and Ronaldo on the same side after nearly two decades of rivalry that defined an era of soccer. Neither player has confirmed his attendance publicly, and the date and final details are still to be announced, but with both reportedly agreeing to take part and their schedules lining up for late December, the dream of watching them share a pitch as teammates for the first time is closer than ever.

According to the latest update, Vinicius is now valued at €130 million, which is €10 million less than his previous valuation and a drop of €70 million from the €200 million he reached in October 2024, shortly after helping Real Madrid win the Champions League.

The reduction comes as the 26-year-old struggles to find his best level for both club and country. For Real Madrid, he has scored just one goal in eight matches this season, to go with three assists in 652 minutes, and the criticism intensified after the 2-1 derby defeat to Atlético Madrid, when Yan Diomandé replaced him before the hour mark and made an immediate impact.

With Brazil, the picture has not been much brighter: he converted a late penalty in the 4-2 win over Australia, but the performance was far from a standout one, and a week earlier he had a forgettable hour in the 1-1 draw in Townsville before being substituted.

Even so, Vinicius continues to have the full backing of the people who coach him. Carlo Ancelotti said after the win over Australia that “Vini Jr. deserves my patience” and that, even when he is not at his best, “he can still make the difference“. José Mourinho has also kept him in the starting lineup at Madrid despite the criticism, and the club recently reinforced its confidence in the forward by extending his contract until 2032, only two months ago.

From €200 million to €130 million in two years

Vinícius’ valuation reached its peak at €200 million in October 2024, after a season in which he helped Real Madrid win the Champions League. His value has been falling gradually since mid-2025, and this is the lowest figure attached to his name since November 2022, when he stood at €120 million just before the World Cup in Qatar, although at that time his price was on the rise rather than in decline.

Vinícius’ poor run could also open the door for other attacking options at Real Madrid. Yan Diomandé’s valuation jumped from €90 million to €120 million, the biggest increase in LaLiga, while Arda Güler reached €100 million for the first time, and both are in a position to take advantage if the Brazilian’s struggles continue.

Messi’s contract with Inter Miami runs through the end of the 2028 MLS season, but the club’s leadership do not want that date to mark the end of the relationship. Jorge Mas, the team’s managing owner and CEO, considers that the project built around Messi requires an investment of between $70 million and $80 million per year, taking into account all the elements linked to the player.

Xavier Asensi, the club’s president of business operations, has also revealed that Inter Miami already contemplate the scenario after Messi’s retirement and the chance that he can become part of the club’s ownership group once he stops playing professionally. BBC Sport reported that his agreement already includes a pathway to receive a minority stake in the team after his playing career ends, and that Messi prefers the idea of owning a club to coaching one.

Even so, nothing has been signed yet: there is no confirmed agreement to extend Messi’s contract through 2030, a date that for now should be understood as a long-term horizon and not as a closed renewal. For the moment, Messi’s immediate focus will be on the field, with Inter Miami set to host DC United on Saturday, October 10, at Nu Stadium in the MLS regular season.

How Messi turned Inter Miami into MLS’s most valuable club

Since Lionel Messi arrived in July 2023, Inter Miami have gone from a young franchise with promise to the league’s biggest commercial force. The club was valued at around $600 million before his signing, and Forbes now puts that figure at $1.35 billion, making Inter Miami the most valuable team in MLS ahead of LAFC.

The growth has come with trophies as well: the 2023 Leagues Cup, the 2024 Supporters’ Shield and the 2025 MLS Cup, a 3-1 win over Vancouver in which Messi provided an assist.

That growth explains why Inter Miami want to keep him for as long as possible. Keeping Messi reportedly costs the club between $70 and $80 million a year, according to Mas, but the commercial return has so far outweighed that investment. With much of the club’s recent value tied to his presence, Inter Miami are reportedly working on a long-term plan that would keep him involved beyond his playing career, including a potential path to a shareholder role.

According to Al Nassr insider Abdulaziz Al-Asimi, the club’s medical staff are working to get French defender Mohamed Simakan ready for the match. His availability will reportedly be determined during training on the day of the game, which means Postecoglou will not know until Friday whether he can count on him.

Al Nassr’s training sessions are now at full strength after the players who were away on international duty returned to the squad. Postecoglou, who had spent two weeks preparing without his national team players, can now work with the complete group ahead of Friday’s match.

The coach also used his pre-match news conference on Wednesday, October 7, to give a positive update on Ronaldo, who returns to his club after a turbulent week with Portugal, saying that the forward is fully fit and ready to play.

Al Nassr arrive at the match after a heavy 4-0 defeat to Al Ain in the AFC Champions League Elite on September 15, and they will look to return to winning ways in the league, where they sit third in the table with 16 points, two behind leaders Al Hilal and one behind second-placed Al Ittihad.

Cristiano Ronaldo chases the Saudi Pro League Golden Boot

Ronaldo returns to the league with some ground to make up in the scoring charts. The 41-year-old has scored three goals in the Saudi Pro League this season, against Al Riyadh, Al Taawoun, and Abha, a tally that leaves him tied for ninth place with 14 other players.

He is seven goals behind the leader, Al Ahli’s Ivan Toney, who has 10 in seven games, and also trails Neom’s Alexandre Lacazette, who has five, as well as six players who have four each, among them Al Ittihad’s George Ilenikhena, Steven Bergwijn, and Youssef En-Nesyri.

With his last goal, against Abha on September 9, he reached 979 for his career, which leaves him 21 short of the 1,000-goal milestone, and with Al Nassr’s busy schedule ahead he will have plenty of opportunities to close the distance on Toney and the rest of the leaders.

Speaking at the post-match news conference, Scaloni first addressed how Argentina will replace its captain. “The only way to compensate is with a team. Everyone has to contribute,” he said, adding that the team no longer has a player who opens a match with a flash of genius, but can do many things together, even if Messi is irreplaceable.

Then he turned to his own situation, giving a very positive hint about his future with the national team. “If all goes well, I will continue as coach,” Scaloni explained before adding that “Messi’s legacy is the biggest example we can take.”

Scaloni’s contract expires in December 2026, and although he casted doubt on his future after the World Cup, he has since opened direct negotiations with AFA president Claudio “Chiqui” Tapia to extend his deal through the next World Cup.

The talks are advanced and could be settled in the coming weeks, with the reported plan being for him to stay until the end of 2030, a deal that would allow him to coach his third World Cup, after Qatar 2022 and North America 2026.

What’s next for Argentina

Argentina’s next matches will come in the November FIFA window, which runs from November 9 to 17, with a maximum of two games per team, marking the first time the national team plays without Messi in the squad.

The AFA has not yet announced opponents or venues, although one latent possibility is the long-delayed tour of Asia, which was originally planned for this window but was postponed so Messi’s farewell could take place in Argentina.

The road to the 2030 World Cup looks different for Argentina than for most teams. As one of the three countries that will host centenary games, together with Uruguay and Paraguay, Argentina has an automatic berth in the tournament, which means the team will not have to go through the usual qualifying process.

CONMEBOL has not yet announced how it will decide the rest of its entrants, since it is still waiting to learn whether FIFA will accept its proposal to expand the World Cup to 64 teams, so the format of the South American qualifiers remains unclear.

Against that backdrop, the latest FIFA ranking was released on Wednesday, October 7, and it shows how both national teams stand after the international break.

Spain stayed at the top with 2,011.57 points after a strong run in the UEFA Nations League. Argentina held steady in second place with 1,972.80 after winning all three of their friendly matches, followed by France with 1,958.86 and England with 1,925.59. It is the first ranking update since the World Cup, and it follows the window that ran from late September into early October.

The biggest movement inside the top 10 came from Portugal. Despite the turmoil around Ronaldo, who left the national team’s camp after the team’s first two matches of the window, Portugal rose from seventh to fifth, with 1,807.69 points, moving ahead of Brazil, now sixth with 1,806.51, and Morocco, seventh with 1,805.34.

FIFA ranking: Full top 10

Belgium, the Netherlands, and Mexico complete the top 10, with no changes in their positions. The next official FIFA ranking will be published on November 18, after Portugal’s final two group games in the Nations League, against Denmark on November 14 and Wales later that month.

The latest ranking leaves Argentina in a strong position as it begins a new chapter without Messi, still second in the world and behind only Spain. Portugal, for its part, climbs to fifth in the middle of the most turbulent week of Ronaldo’s international career, though the margin over Brazil and Morocco is slim enough that a few results in November could reshuffle that part of the table.

“Leo, so many years defending your country and a story that will remain forever. All my respect for what you have achieved with Argentina. A hug,” Ronaldo wrote. The comment quickly caught fire on social media, reaching 10,000 likes in under 10 minutes and drawing thousands of replies.

Messi, 39, retired from Argentina on Tuesday, October 6, with a 3-0 win over Benin at a packed Monumental, where he scored a goal and provided two assists. He leaves the national team as a World Cup champion and as its all-time leading scorer, top assist provider, and most-capped player.

Ronaldo’s message arrives in the middle of his own turbulent international window with Portugal, after he walked out of the national team’s camp. However, the forward later clarified that he is not retiring from international soccer and promised “one or more farewell matches.”

Messi’s full message after his retirement

“Yesterday was my last match and I already miss wearing the sky blue and white. I know I’m making the right decision. It was an incredible journey, full of joys and also some sadness, but I’m clear that every step I took was worth it.

And there were many things I was left to say. It is impossible for me to express everything I feel in a few words or in a post. This journey would have been impossible without my family, who were always by my side and supported me, especially in the hard times, when I needed it most.

My friends, all the teammates and coaches I had, along with their staff, were also essential. I don’t want to forget Diego, who put our country where it deserved to be and who, as I always say, I know helped us by being here with us and also from heaven, at every step we took.

Thank you to the clubs I played for, for always respecting my feelings and allowing me to dedicate myself to my country whenever it was time to put on the national team shirt. And, of course, thank God: without his guidance and will, we wouldn’t even be dreaming of having come this far.

I am grateful. I love you all very much, I’m going to miss you, and I will always thank you for having been by our side, by my side”.

“Cristiano Ronaldo is fresh, fit and ready to play, which is good for us,” the Australian said. Ronaldo returns to his club after leaving Portugal’s camp in Denmark last week following a disagreement with Jorge Jesus over his involvement in the Nations League match against Norway.

Postecoglou was also asked for his take on the dispute and chose not to get involved. The Al Nassr coach spent four years in charge of Australia’s national team, and he used that experience to explain his decision.

“I was a national team coach for four years, and I didn’t like it when other coaches spoke about me,” he said. He added that Ronaldo has given his full effort at the club and that his morale is very high.

Al Nassr will play Al Diriyah on Friday, October 9, at Al Awwal Park in Matchday 8 of the Saudi Pro League. The reigning champions are third in the table with 16 points, two behind leaders Al Hilal and one behind second-placed Al Ittihad.

Ronaldo’s turbulent international break

Cristiano’s problems began in Jorge Jesus’s first match as Portugal coach, a 1-0 win over Wales on Thursday, September 24. The forward had an uneventful night, with no standout moments, and was replaced in the second half. Three days later, on Sunday, September 27, Ronaldo did not play at all in Portugal’s 2-1 win over Norway, with his replacement, Gonçalo Ramos, among the protagonists.

Jesus said he had told Ronaldo before kickoff that he would not start but might bring him on late. The captain warmed up for 20 to 30 minutes without getting on, and he headed straight to the locker room after the final whistle instead of celebrating with his teammates.

The situation escalated on Wednesday, September 30, on the eve of the match against Denmark in Copenhagen. Jesus told his news conference that Ronaldo would not start that game either. Soon after, the captain left the team’s training camp.

The federation confirmed his departure and said preparations would continue with the remaining 24 players. It was the first time in his 23 years with Portugal that Ronaldo had walked out of a camp. Portugal won 4-2 in Denmark on Thursday, October 1, then beat Norway 2-1 at home on Sunday, October 4.

After that second win, Jesus explained what had happened with the forward during the international window and said that Ronaldo would be in the next squad if he wants to be. Finally, on Tuesday, October 6, Ronaldo broke his silence with an extensive statement of nearly 2,000 words, saying that Jesus had broken his word twice.

The first time, he said, came against Norway: the plan had been to rest him, but on the day of the game the coach promised him 30 minutes, and he spent the second half warming up and never got on. The second time, he said, was a news conference that bore no resemblance to what they had agreed privately the day before.

Even so, Ronaldo accepted his share of the blame. He apologized to his teammates and asked the federation to punish him without leniency, also making clear he is not done with Portugal and promising “one or more farewell matches”. For now, the next chapter belongs to the federation, which has yet to decide on any sanction, and to the pitch: Ronaldo is back with Al Nassr this Friday, and Portugal return to action on November 14.

“I read the statement and now, like I do every day, I’m going to the Federation headquarters to work, to think about the Portuguese national team,” Jesus explained. “I have nothing more to say”.

It was not the coach’s first reaction. When he was first asked about the statement, Jesus said he had not read it yet because he was watching Portugal’s Under-21 match, and that he would have time to read it later. Hours later, after reading it, he opted for a much more restrained tone, which suggests he wants to close the debate publicly while the squad prepares for what comes next.

In his statement, Ronaldo said that Jesus had broken his word by telling him he would play around 30 minutes against Norway, a match in which he warmed up from halftime but never came on.

🗣️ Jorge Jesus já leu comunicado de Ronaldo: «Vou para a Federação trabalhar, pensar na equipa» https://t.co/aqN7Uem67k

— Record (@Record_Portugal) October 7, 2026

The 41-year-old apologized to his teammates for leaving the camp, said he would accept any sanction and ruled out retiring from the national team while promising “one or more farewell matches”.

When could Ronaldo return to Portugal?

The earliest realistic return for Ronaldo would be November. Portugal, which has already qualified for the next round of the Nations League with 12 points from four games, returns to action on November 14 against Denmark, and closes its group stage against Wales on November 17.

Jesus said after the win over Norway that Ronaldo would be called up for the next squad if he is playing for Al Nassr and wants to return, adding that the decision is up to the player. Ronaldo, for his part, said he will be available once he serves whatever suspension is imposed on him.

That suspension is the main question mark. According to ESPN and A Bola, Portuguese Football Federation rules say an unauthorized departure from national team activities can bring a suspension of one to six months and a fine of 500 to 1,000 euros.

Ronaldo said he accepts the consequences of leaving the camp and asked the Federation not to reduce his punishment, but no sanction has been announced, so it is not yet clear whether he could be available in November. In the meantime, he returns to club action with Al Nassr on Friday, October 9, against Al-Diriyah in the Saudi Pro League.

The anthem was performed by singer Fabio Santana, a Islas Malvinas (Falkland Islands) veteran, and Messi sang along with his children and a crowd that was moved to tears as well.

It was the last time he heard it as a player for the national team, and the emotion overflowed when the final verses were reaching their end. Earlier in the day, Messi had already been seen wiping away tears on the way to the stadium.

Messi is playing his 208th and final match for Argentina after 21 years with the national team, in which he scored 125 goals, won the 2022 World Cup, the 2022 Finalissima and the Copa América twice, and became the most-capped player in its history.

الاسطورة يذرف الدموع 💔💔💔 https://t.co/eg7OOfmRcD

— Messi World (@M10GOAT) October 6, 2026

The next question: who inherits the No. 10?

Messi’s farewell also opens one of the most symbolic debates in Argentine soccer: who will wear the No. 10 after him. Coach Lionel Scaloni has said the shirt will not be handed to anyone right away, and that it will stay reserved until after the match against Benin.

According to TyC Sports, Nicolás Paz and Franco Mastantuono are the main candidates. Other names being discussed include Alexis Mac Allister, Enzo Fernández and Thiago Almada, while ESPN Argentina’s Federico Bueno reports that the team has an internal plan for Paz to inherit it if Scaloni renews his contract, which expires on December 31.

Retiring the number, as AFA president Claudio Tapia once promised, is not an option in official tournaments. FIFA requires World Cup and Copa América squads to use consecutive numbers from 1 to 26, so Argentina cannot leave the No. 10 empty, a rule that already blocked an attempt to retire Diego Maradona’s shirt before the 2002 World Cup.

His departure leaves much more than a gap in attack: Messi has worn the captain’s armband since 2011, through the Copa América titles, the Finalissima, and the 2022 and 2026 World Cups, so Argentina needs a new leader to take it from here.

That leader is Cristian “Cuti” Romero. Coach Lionel Scaloni confirmed in late September that the 28-year-old Atlético Madrid defender will inherit the armband once Messi plays his last match, ending the speculation over who would take on one of the most demanding roles in world soccer.

Scaloni explained the choice with a simple argument: Romero was already Argentina’s third captain, behind Messi and Nicolás Otamendi, who also retired from international duty after the World Cup.

“Cuti is the right one,” he said. The coach also named Emiliano Martínez, Rodrigo De Paul and Lautaro Martínez as players who can wear the armband when needed, a sign that the leadership group is being rebuilt around the core of the 2022 champions.

Romero was not new to the role. He had captained Argentina three times before the announcement: in a 1-0 win over Chile in 2025 World Cup qualifying, in a friendly against Venezuela that October, and in a 2-1 win over Mauritania before the 2026 World Cup. His first match as the official captain came against Bolivia in Cordoba, his hometown, where Argentina won 4-0 and Romero scored the third goal with a header.

The defender who became a leader

Romero said that coming back to the stadium where he began his career with Belgrano ten years ago, now wearing the armband, was something he never imagined, and that he feels ready for the responsibility.

He has made 59 appearances for Argentina and scored five goals, all with his head, which makes him a constant threat from set pieces. He was part of the teams that won the 2021 Copa América, the 2022 Finalissima, the 2022 World Cup and the 2024 Copa América.

After starting his career at Belgrano, Romero moved to Italy, where he played for Genoa and Atalanta. In 2021 he joined Tottenham, where he established himself as a leader of the team, and this season he moved to Atlético Madrid for a reported 40 million euros, at the explicit request of Diego Simeone.

On Tuesday, Messi will play his last match as Argentina’s captain, and he is set to formally hand the armband to Romero in front of almost 90,000 fans at the Monumental. Romero has said no one will replace Messi, but that the team has to move forward and take Argentina back to the top, with the first chapter of the post-Messi era already under way.

Heading into it, he has 207 caps, 125 goals and 68 assists, making him the most-capped player and the all-time leading scorer in the history of the national team.

Messi made his senior debut on August 17, 2005, in a friendly against Hungary in Budapest, where, incredibly, he was sent off less than a minute after coming on as a substitute. Seven months later, on March 1, 2006, he scored his first goal for Argentina against Croatia, and he kept scoring for the next two decades.

His 125 goals came in 54 friendlies, 36 South American World Cup qualifiers, 21 World Cup matches and 14 Copa América games, an average of 0.60 per game. He passed Gabriel Batistuta as Argentina’s top scorer during the 2016 Copa América Centenario, and his total is now more than twice Batistuta’s 56. Only Cristiano Ronaldo, with 146 for Portugal, has scored more international goals.

Six World Cups and a record book of his own

Messi’s six World Cups, from Germany 2006 to this summer’s tournament in North America, produced some of the biggest numbers the competition has seen. He holds the records for matches played (34), wins (23) and assists (12), and his 21 goals rank second all-time, behind only Kylian Mbappé’s 22.

He is also the only player to win the Golden Ball twice, in 2014 and 2022, and in Qatar he became the first to score in the group stage, round of 16, quarterfinals, semifinals and final of the same World Cup. Even in his last tournament, at 39, he scored eight goals with four assists and became the oldest Argentine to score at a World Cup.

His mark at the Copa América is just as unusual, with 39 matches across seven editions, the most in the history of the tournament, and 14 goals, which leave him tied for fifth on the all-time scoring list. In South American qualifying, his 36 goals in 72 matches are the most ever scored in that competition.

The wait that ended at the Maracana

For years, the one thing missing from Messi’s résumé was a senior title with Argentina. He lost finals at the Copa América in 2007, 2015 and 2016, and at the 2014 World Cup. After the 2016 loss to Chile, he briefly retired, saying the national team was not for him after losing two consecutive finals. However, he returned that same year to keep fighting with Argentina and try to win a title.

The drought ended in 2021, when Argentina beat Brazil 1-0 at the Maracana to win the Copa América, its first senior title in 28 years. From there, the trophies came one after another: the 2022 Finalissima with a 3-0 win over Italy at Wembley, the World Cup in Qatar after a 3-3 draw and a penalty shootout win over France in which he scored twice, and the 2024 Copa América with a 1-0 extra-time win over Colombia.

Counting the 2005 Under-20 World Cup, where he won the Golden Ball and Golden Boot, and the 2008 Olympic gold medal, he won six titles in an Argentina shirt.

One last night at the Monumental

Messi has worn the captain’s armband since 2011, and on Tuesday he will wear it for the last time. The match against Benin, which sold out in under two hours, will be his 208th and final appearance for the national team, a farewell his teammates and the country have been preparing for weeks.

Kane scored in the 40th minute, collecting a lofted cross from Morgan Rogers and finishing low into the bottom left corner to make it 2-0 before halftime. England had taken the lead through a Vladimír Coufal own goal in the 25th minute, which came after a cross from Kane himself.

As if that weren’t enough for the captain, he added another goal after the break to make it 3-0 at Wembley, reaching 91 for England. He had already made history before halftime, when he extended his team’s lead.

Only seven players have scored 90 goals for their national teams: Ali Daei, Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Sunil Chhetri, Romelu Lukaku, Robert Lewandowski and now Kane.

Ronaldo leads the list with 146 goals for Portugal, Messi, who plays his farewell match for Argentina tonight, follows in second place with 125, while Daei rounds out the podium with 108 goals.

A historic night for Kane

The goals were not the only milestone for Kane at Wembley. The England captain made his 125th appearance for the Three Lions, matching goalkeeper Peter Shilton’s all-time record for the men’s national team. Shilton’s mark had stood since 1990.

Kane had already passed Wayne Rooney during the 2026 World Cup as England’s most-capped outfield player, and he is also the team’s all-time leading scorer. He is set to break Shilton’s record next month, when England face Croatia in Matchday 5 of the Nations League.

These marks add to a historic England career for Kane, who is the Three Lions’ all-time leading scorer, 38 goals ahead of second-placed Wayne Rooney. He also holds the national team’s World Cup scoring record with 14 goals, four more than Gary Lineker, and has scored seven times at the European Championship, a tally he shares with Alan Shearer.

“Those who love soccer have enjoyed you over all these years… Today is your last game with the shirt of your national team, of your country, and I hope you enjoy every second and that all of today’s tributes make you happy. It’s not just Argentina that thanks you, the world thanks you for everything you did for soccer. Thank you for making me love soccer even more, it was an honor to have played against you and even more so to make history by your side. THANK YOU Leo Messi,” Neymar wrote on social media.

Messi will say goodbye to the Albiceleste on Tuesday night against Benin at the Monumental in Buenos Aires, in a friendly arranged as his farewell. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. ET, and the match sold out in under two hours after tickets went on sale.

Messi announced his retirement from international soccer on August 31, weeks after Argentina lost the World Cup final 1-0 to Spain. He won’t be the only one saying goodbye: defender Nicolás Otamendi, who also retired from international duty after the tournament in North America, will get his own farewell too.

Messi leaves with 207 appearances, 125 goals and 68 assists, making him Argentina’s most-capped player and its all-time leading scorer. He played in six World Cups, holding the record for appearances (34), and his 21 goals rank second all-time behind Kylian Mbappé’s 22.

He also won the 2021 and 2024 Copa América titles, the 2022 Finalissima and the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, and he played 39 matches at the Copa América, the most in the history of the tournament.

Neymar and Messi: A close friendship that outgrew the pitch

Neymar’s tribute on Messi’s farewell day is no surprise, given how close the two have been for more than a decade. Messi is someone special to the Brazilian, and their bond was built on years as teammates, titles won together and, as shown on the international stage, a rivalry that never got in the way of the friendship.

They first shared a dressing room at Barcelona after Neymar arrived in 2013 and stayed until he left for Paris Saint-Germain in 2017. Alongside Luis Suárez, they formed the “MSN” trio, which won the treble in 2014-15 (La Liga, Copa del Rey and Champions League). Over 451 games, the trio scored 363 goals and won seven trophies, forming one of the deadliest attacking trios in soccer history.

After four years at different clubs, the pair reunited at PSG in 2021, when Messi joined Neymar and Kylian Mbappé in Paris. Together they won Ligue 1 twice and the Trophée des Champions in 2022, although the Champions League they were brought in to win never came, and both left the club in 2023.

Despite their great friendship off the pitch, on the international stage they were rivals, facing each other in one of South America’s most heated fixtures, Argentina vs. Brazil.

Messi and Neymar faced each other five times with their national teams, with the Argentine winning three to the Brazilian’s two. Most of those meetings were friendlies or World Cup qualifiers, but the most important was the 2021 Copa América final at the Maracanã Stadium, which Argentina won 1-0, giving Messi his first senior title. After the final whistle in Rio, Neymar embraced Messi on the pitch in a moment that went viral, and the two were later seen chatting in the tunnel.

The gesture showed that, despite the rivalry, Neymar was happy to see his friend win his first title with Argentina. Five years later, that bond is still on display, as the Brazilian thanks Messi on the day he plays his last game in an Argentina shirt.

The Arsenal winger’s absence from the XI comes just three days after he scored twice in England’s historic 7-0 rout of Croatia, and no injury concerns have been reported for him.

Instead, the decision appears to be one of rotation, with Tuchel having said that his starting side would be “a mix” of players who started and those who came off the bench against Croatia.

In Saka‘s place, Morgan Rogers and Eberechi Eze join captain Harry Kane in England’s attacking trio, while Jude Bellingham retains his spot at the starting XI in midfield alongside Elliot Anderson and Myles Lewis-Skelly.

England enters the match second in Group A3 of League A behind Spain, having won its last two games without conceding a goal, and will look to close out this international window on the best possible note. Kane, meanwhile, is set to equal Peter Shilton’s all-time record of 125 England caps with his appearance against the Czechs.

Confirmed lineup for England

Tuchel’s confirmed XI features several changes from the side that thrashed Croatia, with Bukayo Saka among the players rested after his brace on Saturday.

Jude Bellingham, who scored in that win, retains his place in midfield alongside Elliot Anderson and Myles Lewis-Skelly, while Morgan Rogers and Eberechi Eze support Harry Kane up front. Trent Alexander-Arnold takes the right-back spot, with Alex Scott and Ezri Konsa both unavailable through injury.

England confirmed starting XI: Jordan Pickford; Trent Alexander-Arnold, Jarell Quansah, Marc Guéhi, Lewis Hall; Elliot Anderson, Jude Bellingham, Myles Lewis-Skelly; Morgan Rogers, Harry Kane (C), Eberechi Eze.

Mexico comes in still searching for its first win of this new national team cycle under Rafa Márquez, having played to back-to-back 1-1 draws against Colombia and Peru, needing to come from behind in both to salvage the result.

The United States, meanwhile, arrives in good form under Mauricio Pochettino, having scored eight goals across its first two matches of the window with wins over Peru (4-1) and Chile (4-2).

Christian Pulisic remains one of the notable absences for the USMNT in this window, while Mexico will also be without Julián Quiñones as Márquez continues experimenting with his lineup heading into a new cycle.

The match also marks one of Tyler Adams’ first appearances since being officially named the USMNT’s new captain, taking over the armband from Tim Ream following his international retirement.

Confirmed lineup for Mexico

Márquez rested a large portion of his starting group against Peru to have them available for this one, with the attack under particular scrutiny after struggling to find the net against a tough USMNT backline so far this window.

Mexico confirmed starting XI: Raúl Rangel; Diego Campillo, Israel Reyes, Johan Vásquez, Jesus Gallardo; Luis Romo, Erik Lira, Orbelin Pineda, Santiago Sandoval; Roberto Alvarado, Santiago Giménez.

Confirmed lineup for USMNT

Pochettino will rely in his more experienced names combined with the younger talent that has impressed through the first two matches of this window, continuing to build depth ahead of the new cycle.

USMNT confirmed starting XI: Diego Kochen; Alex Freeman, Chris Richards, Auston Trusty, Antonee Robinson; Tyler Adams (C), Sebastian Berhalter, Malik Tillma, Gio Reyna, Cavan Sullivan; Julian Hall.

Harry Kane and Bukayo Saka each scored twice, with Jude Bellingham, Anthony Gordon and substitute Morgan Rogers also finding the net as Thomas Tuchel’s side ran riot in Rijeka, picking up their second win of the campaign in emphatic fashion.

The result sets an unwanted historical mark for Croatia, becoming the first team to lose by seven goals at home after having previously reached a World Cup final. The worst previous home losses by a World Cup winner or runner-up had been Brazil’s 1-7 defeat to Germany in 2014 and Hungary’s 1-7 loss to Yugoslavia in 1997.

Hungary’s other heaviest defeats of that margin, against West Germany in 1941 and the Netherlands in 2013, both came away from home, meaning Croatia’s loss stands alone as the first of its kind on home soil.

It’s also by a wide margin the heaviest defeat in Croatia’s own history, surpassing a 6-0 loss to Spain in September 2018, which had come less than two months after Croatia’s run to the World Cup final in Russia.

Kane’s remarkable consistency

Kane’s brace against Croatia was yet another entry in what has become one of the most consistent scoring records in English soccer history, extending a run of form that has carried into this season as well.

According to Opta, Kane became the first player to score 10 or more goals for England in three separate calendar years, netting 10 in 2026, 16 in 2021 and 12 in 2019.

The feat comes off the back of a historic 2025-26 season in which Kane scored 72 goals between Bayern Munich and England, the second-highest single-season tally ever recorded behind only Lionel Messi’s 82 in 2011-12, and ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo’s own best campaign of 69.

With numbers like that piling up year after year, Kane has firmly entrenched himself as one of the strongest Ballon d’Or candidates heading into this year’s conversation, a recognition that has eluded him throughout his career despite his staggering production.

Speaking to reporters, Fernandes revealed he had spoken with Ronaldo directly and said he intended to repeat publicly what he told him privately: that regardless of how the situation unfolds, Ronaldo remains an irreplaceable figure for the national team and the country as a whole.

“Cris will never stop being the greatest symbol of our national team, the greatest symbol of our football and, probably, no, certainly, the greatest symbol of our country because of everything he has done, not only in Portugal but around the world,” he explained.

Fernandes, who has taken over the captain’s armband in Ronaldo’s absence, pushed back against the idea that the squad has been affected by the controversy, insisting the players remain focused and removed from the noise surrounding their former captain.

He closed by urging fans not to pick sides. “The country should not divide itself, that people should not take sides, and that we should experience all of this as one,” Fernandes said. “Cris is and will always be the greatest icon of our national team, our football and also world football. He deserves the respect of all Portuguese people, regardless of who likes him more or likes him less“.

Fernandes insists the squad is unaffected

Beyond his comments on Ronaldo’s standing within the national team, Fernandes also pushed back against the idea that the controversy has seeped into the squad’s day-to-day atmosphere, insisting the players have largely tuned out the noise surrounding their former captain.

“We are completely outside the matter. We are aware of what you are saying and what we are seeing,” Fernandes said. “Honestly, we spend a lot of time in the players’ room playing cards rather than watching television, so we are very removed from all the controversy surrounding this matter“. He added that he believes “every household should resolve its affairs behind closed doors,” and that he’s confident the situation will eventually be resolved “for both sides.”

Fernandes’ comments come as Portugal tries to move past the saga on the pitch, having won both matches since Ronaldo was left out of the starting XI — against Norway, when he remained an unused substitute, and then against Denmark, by which point he had already left the squad entirely.

With the captain’s armband now his to keep for the foreseeable future, Fernandes finds himself in the position of both leading the team through a turbulent stretch and managing the public narrative around his predecessor, a dynamic that looks set to continue at least until Jesus addresses the situation in full after Sunday’s match against Norway.

The development was confirmed by Burkina Faso insider Romain Molina, who had previously reported that several first-team players planned to skip the trip to Buenos Aires in protest.

He later revealed that only one member of Burkina Faso’s senior squad ultimately boarded the flight, with the rest opting to stay behind in Africa after yet another delay to their charter flight proved to be the final straw.

According to Molina, Burkina Faso’s federation called up its U-23 squad, whose match against Mali had been canceled, in order to avoid an outright no-show. “The flight from Casablanca had to depart late and will only arrive around 15:30 local time in Buenos Aires to play at 21:00. Shameful from start to finish,” Molina wrote on X.

The switch leaves Argentina facing an even greater mismatch than expected, with Burkina Faso missing key figures such as Edmond Tapsoba (Bayer Leverkusen), Arsène Kouassi (Lorient), Nasser Djiga (Wolverhampton) and Lassina Traoré (Shakhtar) for a friendly that was meant to showcase the senior national team.

Logistics company breaks silence on the situation

Eurodata Sport, the company responsible for organizing Burkina Faso’s travel logistics, released a statement from its founder, Jairo Pachón, addressing the situation. The statement emphasized that the only real issue was the cancellation of the original flight due to a technical fault with the aircraft, clearing both federations of blame.

The company also confirmed Romain Molina’s earlier reporting that several senior players had refused to travel. “Representatives from the Burkina Faso Football Federation and the government held several meetings with these players to ask them to reconsider their position and honor the commitment made with the AFA. However, despite these efforts, the players who had expressed their refusal maintained their decision,” the statement read.

La Roja opened the campaign with a 3-2 win over England at Wembley before thrashing Croatia 4-1 three days later, moving to six points and the top of Group 3 of League A.

The reigning world and European champions have now won nine straight games in all competitions and remain unbeaten over 90 minutes since a friendly against Colombia back in March 2024.

Czech Republic, meanwhile, sit bottom of the group without a point, having lost 2-1 to Croatia in their opener before falling 2-0 at home to England. Santi Denia’s side are already under pressure heading into this one, and they’ve never beaten Spain in seven previous meetings, with La Roja winning five of those and the most recent encounter, in June 2022, ending in a 2-0 Spain victory.

Yamal has been nothing short of unstoppable this international window, with three goals and an assist in Spain’s first two matches, and he’s set to lead the line again as De la Fuente looks to extend his side’s dominant run.

Confirmed lineup for Spain

De la Fuente is expected to shuffle his side from the one that routed Croatia, with Aymeric Laporte poised to return to defense and Rodri and Dani Olmo both back in midfield.

Spain confirmed starting XI: David Raya; Iván Fresneda, Robin Le Normand, Aymeric Laporte, Fran García; Pedri, Rodri; Lamine Yamal, Dani Olmo, Alex Baena; Roberto Fernández.

Confirmed lineup for Czech Republic

Denia’s confirmed XI brought a few changes from the projection, with Antonín Kinský starting in goal ahead of Matěj Kovář and Robin Hranáč left out of the back line entirely.

Czech Republic confirmed starting XI: Antonín Kinský; Michal Sáček, Štěpán Chaloupek, Ladislav Krejčí, Jiří Sláma; Lukáš Ambros, Roman Macek, Alex Král; Matej Radosta, Ondřej Lingr, Adam Hložek.

Rice pulled out of the squad before the window even began, following Arsenal’s Premier League defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion, as he continues managing both a hamstring issue and a long-standing lower back problem that dates back to his heavy workload during the World Cup.

England captain Harry Kane said Rice had “been struggling for a while” with the issue, suggesting the midfielder needed time to recover before returning to both club and country duty.

With Rice unavailable, Elliot Anderson and Alex Scott look set to continue carrying the midfield load, with Tuchel expected to field a strong lineup against Croatia given the Czech Republic is viewed as the softer fixture to come on Tuesday.

England dealing with a lengthy injury list

Rice wasn’t the only notable absence from Tuchel’s squad for this window, with Tino Livramento, Kobbie Mainoo, Cole Palmer and Marcus Rashford also left out before the Spain match that opened the break.

England has since also lost Nico O’Reilly to injury after he was withdrawn following last weekend’s 3-2 loss to Spain, with the FA confirming the 21-year-old returned to Manchester City for further tests and won’t be available for either the Croatia match or next Tuesday’s rematch with the Czech Republic at Wembley.

With O’Reilly out and no replacement called up, Newcastle’s Lewis Hall is in line for another start at left-back, having made just his second international appearance in Prague earlier this week.

At 38 years and 42 days old, Lewandowski surpassed the previous mark set by Ronaldo, who was 34 years and 120 days old when he scored a hat-trick for Portugal against Switzerland in the 2019 Nations League semifinal.

Lewandowski struck in the 24th, 47th and 86th minutes as Poland cruised past Romania, taking his international tally to 92 goals and marking the seventh hat-trick of his career with the national team. The performance also moved him into sole possession of sixth place on the all-time list of international goal-scorers.

The milestone came during Lewandowski’s 170th appearance for Poland, a record for the most caps in the nation’s history, underscoring the remarkable longevity that has kept the 38-year-old striker among Europe’s most dangerous forwards well into the twilight of his career.

Lewandowski’s place among Europe’s greats

Friday’s performance wasn’t just about the age record — it also pushed Lewandowski further up two of international football’s most exclusive lists. His 92 international goals now rank him third among all-time European scorers for their national teams, trailing only Cristiano Ronaldo’s 147 for Portugal and Romelu Lukaku’s 94 for Belgium, with the Fenerbahce forward having also scored today.

Lewandowski’s seventh career hat-trick for Poland also ties him with Hungary’s Sándor Kocsis, leaving just four European players ahead of him on that list: Ronaldo (10 for Portugal), Sweden’s Sven Rydell (9), Germany’s Gerd Müller (8) and Denmark’s Poul Nielsen (8).

At 38 years old and still adding to both lists, Lewandowski shows no signs of slowing down, continuing to close the gap on some of the biggest names in European soccer history with every international window that passes.

“Messi or Cristiano? I’ve been asked this question so many times, way too many times,” Muller said in a recent appearance as a guest on Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson’s podcast, The Late Run Show. “I think for the first ten years of my career, I was with Cristiano. But when I look at the whole picture, Lionel Messi is the greatest footballer, even though he’s now become a huge winner after what he achieved in 2022, what he did in the World Cup, and what he’s doing now too“.

Muller went on to explain that his admiration for Messi goes beyond trophies and numbers. “But even before that, I think the joy of watching him play football, and it’s not just a show, nor something that lasts for one year and then ends. It’s lasted, I don’t know, nearly two decades; numbers, joy, and that’s why I say, Lionel Messi is the greatest,” he added.

It’s not the first time Muller has walked back his earlier stance on Ronaldo. The German previously admitted that for the first decade of his career, he would have sided with the Portuguese star in the GOAT conversation, but that over time his pick shifted toward the Argentine after being won over by the class of his style of play.

The numbers behind Muller’s rivalry with Messi

Muller’s history against Messi’s Barcelona is nothing short of outstanding. The German forward tallied eight goals and contributed two assists in 10 clashes with the Spanish powerhouse, winning seven of those meetings to just three for Messi. He also faced Messi twice more during the Argentine’s stint at PSG, picking up back-to-back wins in the round of 16 of the 2023 Champions League.

On the international stage, Muller twice shattered Messi’s World Cup ambitions. The first blow came in the 2010 quarterfinals, when Germany dismantled Argentina 4-0. Four years later, on Brazilian soil, Muller played an influential role in the 2014 World Cup final as Germany edged Argentina 1-0, denying Messi what could have been his maiden world title.

A different story against Ronaldo

Muller’s numbers tell a different story when it comes to Ronaldo. The two faced off eight times in the Champions League between 2012 and 2018, during Bayern Munich vs. Real Madrid knockout clashes, with Ronaldo scoring nine goals across those meetings to Muller’s zero.

Real Madrid eliminated Bayern in three of their four ties during that stretch — in the 2014 and 2017 quarterfinals and the 2018 semifinals — with Bayern’s lone win coming via penalties back in 2012.

The delegation was supposed to depart for Argentina on September 30, but the flight was canceled and the squad has remained stuck in Morocco since, with no solution in sight as of Friday.

According to reports from journalist Romain Molina, Burkina Faso’s players are reluctant to make the trip given how tight the timeline has become, with a flight from Morocco to Buenos Aires typically taking between 16 and 24 hours.

The friendly is scheduled for Saturday, October 3, leaving an increasingly narrow window to resolve the situation before it would need to be called off entirely. It’s worth noting this is not Lionel Messi’s farewell match — that one is still set for Tuesday, October 6, against Benin, also in Buenos Aires.

Burkina Faso’s football federation released a statement Friday acknowledging the situation and the obstacles still standing in the way of a resolution.

Burkina Faso’s federation statement

“The Burkinabe Football Federation wishes to inform the national public, supporters of the ‘Etalons’ and its partners about the situation currently facing the Burkinabe delegation in Morocco, as part of the trip to Buenos Aires for the international friendly match between Argentina and Burkina Faso, scheduled for Sunday, October 4, 2026 at 00:00 GMT.

The senior national team’s travel was disrupted after the charter company canceled, without prior notice, the flight originally scheduled for September 30. That cancellation forced a reorganization of the delegation’s travel itinerary.

Since the incident occurred, the Ministry of Sports, the Federation and the Embassy have mobilized to find, as quickly as possible, a solution that would allow the delegation to continue its journey to Buenos Aires. Several options have been explored to reschedule the departure, but certain constraints — particularly related to travel time — have generated reluctance among the players”.

Les Bleus will again be without captain Kylian Mbappe, still recovering from the knee injury he suffered while scoring the winner against Türkiye on Matchday 1. It also marks a milestone of sorts for Zinedine Zidane, who takes charge of his first home game since replacing Didier Deschamps.

Italy arrives full of confidence after a 4-1 statement win over Türkiye in its last outing, with Roberto Mancini’s rebuilt Azzurri looking for back-to-back victories on the road.

With four competitive matches packed into 11 days this window, both managers are expected to rotate parts of their sides, but neither can afford to take the result lightly with group positioning on the line.

Confirmed lineup for France

With Mbappe and Ibrahima Konate both sidelined, Zidane will recall several key names who were rested or came off the bench against Belgium, including Ousmane Dembele, who will wear the captain’s armband.

France confirmed starting XI: Mike Maignan; Pierre Kalulu, Dayot Upamecano, Jérémy Jacquet, Adrien Truffert; Rayan Cherki, Lucas Da Cunha, Adrien Rabiot; Michael Olise, Ousmane Dembele, Desire Doue.

Confirmed lineup for Italy

Mancini’s lineup brought a few surprises compared to the Türkiye win, with Nicolo Barella and Gianluca Mancini left out in favor of Davide Frattesi and Giorgio Scalvini, while Moise Kean gets the nod up top alongside both Esposito brothers in an attacking trio.

Italy confirmed starting XI: Gianluigi Donnarumma; Michael Kayode, Giorgio Scalvini, Alessandro Bastoni, Riccardo Calafiori; Davide Frattesi, Sandro Tonali, Nicolo Fagioli; Sebastiano Esposito, Pio Esposito, Moise Kean.

Mbappe is sidelined after sustaining a knee injury against Türkiye on Matchday 1, picked up in the very moment he scored the game-winning goal. He left the France camp shortly after to begin his recovery, and his timeline has kept him out since, further thinning out Zinedine Zidane’s options for the match.

The game carries extra significance for Zidane, as it marks his first game in charge of France at the Stade de France since taking over as head coach. With Mbappe out, he’s expected to lean on Michael Olise and Rayan Cherki to carry the attacking load, with Ousmane Dembele wearing the captain’s armband in Mbappe’s absence.

Up front, Esteban Lepaul is expected to get the nod once again in Mbappe’s absence, just as he did in the win over Belgium. The Rennes forward, who finished as Ligue 1’s top scorer last season with 21 goals, made his France debut against Türkiye before starting against Belgium, and Zidane looks set to turn to him again to lead the line against Italy.

France enters the match atop Group A1 and could all but clinch a spot in the knockout stage with a win, while Italy arrives in good form after a 4-1 statement win over Türkiye in its last outing.

Mbappe isn’t the only one sidelined

Zidane’s injury concerns don’t end with his captain. Defender Ibrahima Konate is also unavailable for the match against Italy, leaving France to navigate Matchday 3 with a notably shorthanded backline.

Konate’s withdrawal came before the window even began, after he suffered a minor sprain to his right knee in training, ruling him out of all three of France’s matches this international break, against Türkiye, Belgium and now Italy. He returned immediately to Real Madrid for treatment, with Manchester United’s Leny Yoro earning a call-up in his place and his first senior France cap as a result.

The Chelsea goalkeeper commented “new number 10?” on a photo of teammate Nico Paz, sparking speculation over whether the Como playmaker is being lined up to inherit Messi’s shirt once the Albiceleste begins its new cycle toward the 2030 World Cup. Whether it was a genuine hint or simply Martinez sharing his own wish remains unclear, but the comment quickly caught attention given the timing.

Paz has emerged as one of the leading candidates for the number, both for his style of play and his growing influence in Lionel Scaloni’s setup. He delivered a standout performance, goal included, in Argentina‘s recent 4-0 rout of Bolivia, further strengthening his case as one of the players tasked with absorbing some of Messi’s creative responsibilities going forward.

Argentina has two matches left on this international break to build toward that transition, facing Burkina Faso on Saturday, October 3, before Messi’s emotional send-off against Benin on Tuesday, October 6, both at the Estadio Monumental.

Who else could wear the No. 10?

Beyond Paz, there’s been no shortage of names floated for the job. Some believe the shirt would be better suited to a proven World Cup winner than a 22-year-old still building his international résumé, with Alexis Mac Allister, Julián Álvarez and Enzo Fernández mentioned as alternatives who already carry the experience and pedigree to handle that symbolic weight.

Others have pointed to Franco Mastantuono, who, after turning heads with a sensational start to his professional career, was sold to Real Madrid and positioned himself as a potential successor to Messi for Argentina.

However, he hasn’t been able to replicate that early form in the Spanish capital and now finds himself on loan at Fiorentina, but he was still called up by Scaloni to play in the friendlies during this international window.

Mastantuono, however, is actually the last player besides Messi to wear the No. 10 for Argentina, doing so during a World Cup qualifier against Ecuador when the Argentine captain was unavailable. He wasn’t even the original choice that day — Thiago Almada was set to wear it before a muscle injury ruled him out, opening the door for Mastantuono to take it instead.

“Betrayal is a dish best served cold, and what goes around comes around. The only way is the way forward,” Aveiro wrote on her Instagram account, openly alleging that her brother had been deceived in the lead-up to his departure.

The post comes amid reports of a broken promise between Ronaldo and head coach Jorge Jesus ahead of the Norway match. According to multiple accounts, Jesus told Ronaldo he would be brought on as a substitute and had him warm up for roughly 30 minutes on the touchline, only to leave him unused until the final whistle.

That frustration came to a head this week when Ronaldo left Portugal’s training camp entirely, confirming his exit on social media without yet detailing his full reasoning. With Jesus set to address the saga after Sunday’s match against Norway, Aveiro’s comments add another public voice backing her brother’s side of the story in the meantime.

Portugal thriving without Cristiano Ronaldo in this Nations League

Whatever is happening behind the scenes, it hasn’t shown up in the results. Ronaldo started the opener against Wales but had little impact, seeing a goal ruled out for offside and otherwise going largely unnoticed before being substituted in the 1-0 win.

He then missed the Norway match entirely, with Gonçalo Ramos stepping in and scoring the winner, and was absent again for Thursday’s game against Denmark, which Portugal won 4-2 as Ramos found the net for a second straight match.

Three games, three wins, and zero goals or standout moments from the player long considered the heart of this team — a run that has only added to the uncertainty hanging over Ronaldo’s immediate future.

He won’t be available for Sunday’s match against Norway either, and with Portugal still having commitments against Denmark and Wales in November to close out the group phase, it remains unclear whether he’ll wear the Portugal shirt again at all in 2026.

The Manchester United forward escaped the attention of Rúben Dias before chipping the ball over Diogo Costa in the 55th minute, leveling the match at 2-2 at Parken Stadium.

Hojlund wheeled away and launched straight into Ronaldo’s signature jump-and-spin celebration, a gesture he’s used before to pay homage to the player he grew up idolizing.

The timing made the moment impossible to ignore, coming just a day after Ronaldo’s own dramatic exit from Portugal’s training camp amid his reported rift with Jorge Jesus.

Portugal didn’t miss Cristiano Ronaldo

Portugal didn’t miss a beat without Cristiano Ronaldo, beating Denmark 4-2 at Parken Stadium to extend its perfect start to the 2026-27 Nations League, with Gonçalo Ramos once again stepping up in his captain’s absence.

Ramos put Portugal back in front in the 25th minute, finishing low with his left foot after a through ball from Bruno Fernandes. João Cancelo had opened the scoring in the 13th minute before Mikkel Damsgaard leveled for Denmark at 1-1.

The match stayed open after Rasmus Hojlund escaped Rúben Dias to equalize again at 2-2 in the 53rd minute, breaking out a Ronaldo-style celebration of his own in the process.

Portugal responded in the second half, with Vitinha heading home in the 67th minute and João Félix adding a fourth with a powerful strike in the 87th to seal the win.

The result keeps Jorge Jesus’s side top of Group A4 with a perfect record through three matches, offering an early answer to the question of how Portugal would cope without Ronaldo both on the pitch and amid the turmoil surrounding his camp exit this week.

Vítor Pinto, subdirector of Portuguese sports daily Record, said publicly that Ronaldo’s frustration with the Portuguese Football Federation runs deeper than the senior team coach’s decisions, pointing instead to the situation involving his eldest son, Cristiano Ronaldo Jr.

According to Pinto, the fact that the 15-year-old was left off Portugal‘s U-17 call-up list was reportedly the final straw for Ronaldo, who did not hide his disappointment over the federation’s decision.

The claim lands in the middle of an already turbulent week for Portugal, with Ronaldo having walked out of the squad’s training base in Copenhagen just days before the trip to face Denmark, a decision reportedly tied to his reduced role under Jesus. The forward has yet to spell out his reasoning beyond saying the full story would come out in due course.

Neither Ronaldo nor the Portuguese federation have directly addressed the claims regarding Cristiano Jr.’s U-17 snub, and it remains unclear how much weight, if any, that decision carried in Ronaldo’s choice to leave camp. For now, the report adds fuel to a controversy that has already cost Portugal hundreds of thousands of social media followers and left the captain’s international future in doubt.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s uncertain Portugal future

With Ronaldo absent for the trip to Denmark, Portugal’s remaining Nations League commitments in 2026 come on October 4 against Norway, November 14 against Denmark, and November 17 against Wales.

Jesus has said he’ll address the situation in full after Sunday’s match against Norway, telling reporters this week that he won’t “hide or run away” from the topic but wants to get through the rest of the window first.

Whether Ronaldo returns for any of the remaining matchdays is still unknown, and so is whether he’ll feature for Portugal again at all — if he doesn’t take the field in any of the three remaining matches, his last appearance for the national team would end up being the 1-0 win over Wales on matchday 1, back on September 24.

Portugal‘s official Instagram account lost more than 500,000 followers in less than 24 hours after news broke of Ronaldo leaving camp amid his reported rift with Jorge Jesus. The exodus was immediate and visible, with comments flooding the account from supporters making clear exactly who they had been following all along.

The backlash hasn’t fallen entirely on the federation or Jesus, however. A poll conducted by Portuguese outlet A Bola found that 78.2% of respondents placed the blame for the saga on Ronaldo rather than his coach, suggesting that even as his departure costs Portugal followers online, plenty of fans see the 41-year-old as the one who walked away.

For now, Ronaldo’s immediate future with the national team remains entirely unclear. It’s unknown whether he returns for Portugal’s remaining fixture in this window against Norway on October 4, or whether he waits until the November window against Denmark and Wales to make his reappearance.

There’s also no telling whether he has, in fact, played his last match for the national team altogether, leaving the federation, Jesus and fans alike to wait for the clarity the forward promised to provide in his own time.

Bruno Fernandes set to wear the armband in Ronaldo’s absence

With Cristiano Ronaldo out of the squad entirely for the trip to Denmark, the captain’s armband will fall to Bruno Fernandes, who has already stepped into that role for Portugal during previous Ronaldo absences, including a recent friendly against Mexico previous to the 2026 World Cup.

Fernandes is back in line for a start after being rested for the Norway match to manage a knock, and leading the side out in Copenhagen would mark another step in his growing status as Jesus’ on-pitch leader.

Ronaldo announced his exit in an Instagram post, saying that following Jesus’ press conference and a conversation with Portuguese Football Federation president Pedro Proença, he had decided to leave the camp, adding that he would “in due course” tell the Portuguese people the truth behind his departure.

The tension traces back to the win over Norway, when Ronaldo reportedly expected to start before Jesus turned to Gonçalo Ramos instead, who repaid the decision with the winning goal.

Ronaldo did not train with the group afterward, working apart in the gym before confirming he had left camp entirely, while Jesus has denied any real conflict, insisting he remains the one who makes the decisions.

With Ronaldo out of the squad picture for Denmark, Jesus is expected to stick largely with the group that beat Norway, while Rafael Leão looks set to inherit the captain’s number 7 shirt in his absence.

Confirmed lineup for Denmark

Brian Riemer will lean on home advantage with a settled back line and the experience of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg in midfield, while the Höjlund-Isaksen pairing looks to punish a Portugal side still adjusting to the fallout from Ronaldo’s exit.

Denmark confirmed starting XI: Mads Hermansen; Rasmus Kristensen, Joachim Andersen, Oliver Provstgaard, Joakim Mæhle; Morten Hjulmand, Pierre-Emile Højbjerg; Adam Daghim, Mikkel Damsgaard, Mohamed Daramy; Rasmus Højlund.

Confirmed lineup for Portugal

Jesus will keep Diogo Costa in goal behind a back four of Nuno Mendes, Rúben Dias, Renato Veiga and João Cancelo, with João Neves and Vitinha holding midfield and Gonçalo Ramos leading the line again after his winner against Norway.

Portugal confirmed starting XI: Diogo Costa; Nuno Mendes, Renato Veiga, Rúben Dias, João Cancelo; Rúben Neves, Vitinha; Rafael Leão, Bruno Fernandes, Pedro Neto; Gonçalo Ramos.

“What Leo has done is impressive, and we saw it up close. Just like Diego left, now it’s Leo’s moment. We have to pass on the message he left us to the kids coming through,” Martinez told TyC Sports following the win.

He continued reflecting on what Messi’s departure means for the squad. “These are feelings that are hard to explain. He guided us for a long time, he’s left a huge legacy in this country, in the world of football. Leo is irreplaceable. We’ll try to help the ones who are just starting out,” Martinez said.

Speaking separately with Telefe, Martinez acknowledged the challenge ahead for Argentina without its captain. “A change is coming, a process. Each of us has to take on the responsibility. I don’t think there will ever be another one like him, because he’s unique, because he was and will be the best player of all time,” he said.

Cristian Romero on what Messi has meant to him

Cristian “Cuti” Romero, now Argentina’s captain following Messi’s exit, also reflected on the farewell, drawing on a close relationship built over years sharing the national team together.

“I was able to share a lot with him, he’s a great person. He has a humility that very few players have, and considering everything he’s won, that’s what makes him stand out. He’s always been an incredible person to me,” Romero said.

The Atletico Madrid defender went further, describing Messi as someone who helped shape his own path with Argentina. “He helped me a lot to adapt. He’s always helped the younger guys settle in the best way, and I built a relationship with him from there. He’s been my idol since I was very young, I watched him suffer with the national team, saw him win everything at the club level, and then got to share so many things with him. He’s truly the greatest of all time,” the defender concluded.

Romero’s words carry extra weight now that he’s the one tasked with leading Argentina into its next chapter. It figures to be a rebuilding stretch for the national team, one that got off to a strong start with a 4-0 rout of Bolivia, with Romero himself getting on the scoresheet alongside goals from Lautaro Martinez, Nico Paz and Jose Manuel Lopez.

Messi currently holds 207 caps and will add one more on October 6, when he makes his farewell appearance for Argentina against Benin at the Estadio Monumental. That match will close out his international career, freezing his final tally at 208 and leaving Modric with a fixed target to chase.

Croatia still has four Nations League games left this year: England in Rijeka on October 3 and the rematch with Spain in Split on October 6, followed by a trip to Wembley to face England on November 12 and a home game against Czechia in Osijek on November 15. If Modric features in all four, he would draw level with Messi at 208 by the end of the year, leaving the record to fall in 2027 at the earliest.

That timeline will depend on how Slaven Bilic handles his captain’s workload. The Croatia boss has been rotating Modric through this demanding window with an eye on his club commitments at AC Milan, where he is under contract through June 2027, but the midfielder made clear to Bilic and the Croatian Football Federation after the World Cup that he remained available to represent his country.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s record remains a distant target

Catching Cristiano Ronaldo, however, looks like a different story. The Portuguese forward leads the all-time list with 234 caps, 30 more than Modric, and unlike Messi, he has no plans to step away from the national team.

Ronaldo sat out Portugal’s 2-1 win over Norway, but he could add up to four more appearances this year against Denmark on October 1, Norway on October 4, Denmark on November 14 and Wales on November 17.

With both players at 41 and still active for their countries, the gap is unlikely to shrink as long as Ronaldo keeps getting minutes under Jorge Jesus, and he has offered no timeline for his retirement. “Is it possible? Yes. Is it very likely? Yes. But will it happen? No, I don’t know,” Ronaldo said ahead of Portugal’s Nations League opener against Wales, leaving Modric in need of both Ronaldo walking away and several more years of international football of his own to close the gap.

Lozano had not played for Mexico since March 2024, having been left out throughout Javier Aguirre’s tenure. Marquez brought the San Diego FC winger, currently on loan at LA Galaxy, back for his first squad and handed him a start against Colombia. “I think Hirving can still give us something more. He’s a difference-maker,” Marquez said when explaining the decision. However, he will not start against Peru on Tuesday.

That draw in Baltimore came courtesy of Gilberto Mora, who canceled out Luis Suarez’s ninth-minute opener with a 62nd-minute equalizer to become the youngest goalscorer in the history of the Mexican national team at 17.

Peru, meanwhile, arrives in need of a response after a 4-1 loss to the USMNT in Orlando on Saturday, with Gianluca Lapadula scoring the lone goal for Mano Menezes’ side.

Confirmed lineup for Mexico

Marquez will stick with the 4-3-3 he used against Colombia, with Obed Vargas and Alvaro Fidalgo coming into the midfield alongside Denzell García. German Berterame will lead the line, with Raul Jimenez and Julian Quinones still sidelined through injury.

Mexico confirmed starting XI: Óscar García; Jeremy Márquez, Víctor Guzmán, Everardo López, Mateo Chávez; Denzell García, Álvaro Fidalgo, Obed Vargas; Orbelín Pineda, Isaías Violante, Germán Berterame.

Confirmed lineup for Peru

Menezes will line up in a 4-2-3-1, with Pedro Gallese in goal, Yoshimar Yotun anchoring the midfield and Magallanes and Ugarriza leading the attack.

Peru confirmed starting XI: Pedro Gallese; Marco Huamán, Erick Noriega, Renzo Garcés, Marcos López; Wilder Cartagena, Oslimg Mora, Yoshimar Yotún; Piero Magallanes, Jairo Vélez, Adrián Ugarriza.

Both players had received a personal invitation from Messi to be part of the send-off, but the Giallorossi ultimately decided to keep them in Italy during the international break.

In an official statement, the club explained that the decision was made “for sporting and logistical reasons, taking into account the length of the intercontinental journey and the proximity of the Club’s upcoming competitive fixtures“. Fabrizio Romano added that Roma have no intention of approving a long international trip, as they want both Dybala and Molina back in team training next week.

Gian Piero Gasperini’s side returns to Serie A action against Como on October 11, and the club had been reluctant for days to have the two Argentines take two intercontinental flights in such a short span, according to Corriere dello Sport. Roma were particularly wary of the fatigue a round trip to Buenos Aires could cause just days before a league fixture.

Neither player was set to take the field against Benin anyway: Dybala was left out of Lionel Scaloni’s squad for this window, while Molina is still serving a seven-match international ban imposed after the incidents that followed the 2026 World Cup final against Spain.

Their presence would have been purely symbolic, an emotional reunion with the captain they lifted the 2022 World Cup alongside in Qatar, but Roma chose not to make an exception for either player at a key stretch of the season.

Roma’s full statement on Dybala and Molina

“AS Roma announces that Paulo Dybala and Nahuel Molina will not attend the event being held in Argentina for the match between Argentina and Benin on 6 October.

The Club acknowledges the significance of the occasion for both players, who share a close bond with Lionel Messi and were part of Argentina’s 2022 World Cup-winning team alongside him.

The decision has been made for sporting and logistical reasons, taking into account the length of the intercontinental journey and the proximity of the Club’s upcoming competitive fixtures.

AS Roma has the utmost respect for Lionel Messi and his extraordinary career and wishes him and the Argentine Football Association a very special evening.”