Lionel Messi is set to start for Inter Miami against Al-Ahly at the Hard Rock Stadium this Saturday night, in the opening match of the Club World Cup.
Javier Mascherano’s team is expected to feature six Argentine players in the starting eleven, according to reports:
Óscar Ustari; Marcelo Weigandt, Maximiliano Falcón, Tomás Avilés, Noah Allen; Telasco Segovia, Sergio Busquets, and Benjamín Cremaschi or Federico Redondo; Tadeo Allende, Lionel Messi, and Luis Suárez.
Franco Mastantuono has joined Real Madrid from River Plate.
Mastantuono has signed a deal with the Spanish giants. Real Madrid announced the signing on Friday, stating that he will be joining them as of August 14 until June 30, 2031.
The Argentine will take part in the Club World Cup with River Plate later this month. At 17 years of age, he is the latest Argentine to join Madrid from the Argentine club.
He recently played his first match with the Argentina national team, having been substituted in during Argentina’s 1-0 win against Chile in the World Cup qualifiers.
Matías Almeyda is set to become the new coach of Sevilla.
Almeyda is going to be coaching in Spain. According to César Luis Merlo, the Argentine is the new coach of the Spanish club. There is a verbal agreement with documents being exchanged and a contract until June 2028 will be signed.
Having played at the club from 1996-1997, Almeyda previously coached River Plate, Banifled, Guadalajara, San Jose Earthquakes and AEK Athens. With those five clubs, he has won nine trophies, one of which was the CONCACAF Champions League in 2018 with Guadalajara.
In a recent appearance on the YouTube channel Los Edul, World Cup winner Leandro Paredes shared his thoughts on fatherhood, club football, his relationship with Lionel Messi and Neymar, and what the future might hold with Boca Juniors.
Asked about his life in Rome, Paredes reflected on a hectic but joyful time.
“We’re sleeping well with the baby. He wakes up to feed, but then goes right back to sleep. Everything’s 10 out of 10.”
Settling back in Italy has special meaning for his family.
“Rome is a city we love. We’ve always said this could be where we live after I retire. We’re really happy here.”
His return to Roma was full of ups and downs.
“It was a very tough season. We started with a coach we knew well and trusted, and after three games he was sacked. That changed everything. I went from playing 90 minutes every game to not playing at all.”
When asked about the shift under Daniele De Rossi, he said:
“With Claudio, everything changed. He gave me confidence, he valued me, and he always told me he wanted me to stay.”
Paredes admitted the benching made him question his future.
“I even thought about returning to Argentina. Not playing for two months really affected my mood.”
Regarding the Argentina national team, Paredes explained that despite his long-standing presence in the squad, he never takes his place for granted.
“I was scared I wouldn’t be called up because I wasn’t playing. Even though I’m part of the base Scaloni talks about, the fear was there.”
His recent performances for Argentina, including the wins over Uruguay and Brazil, reaffirmed his value.
“It had been a long time since I played both games in a double matchday. Playing the way I did in those matches was spectacular.”
On the emotional Copa América final moment with Messi:
“It hurt to see him like that on the bench, knowing he couldn’t continue. When I came in, I gave my all—for him, for the team.”
He also shared what Neymar texted him after Argentina’s dominant win in Brazil:
“He sent me a video from the game laughing and said, ‘You didn’t have to play like that!’”
“He’s incredibly respectful. Never once has he said anything bad about us. That’s why I admire him even more.”
Looking ahead, Paredes didn’t hide his dream:
“Another World Cup and winning the Copa Libertadores with Boca. That’s the dream.”
Asked if there’s space on his body for a new tattoo if he wins it, he smiled:
“Yes, I’ve got a spot ready for it.”
His connection to Boca Juniors remains alive.
“The desire is always there. My family, my friends, they all want to see me back in Argentina. I watch every game when the schedule allows.”
Paredes also hinted at a potential reunion in Argentina with a close friend and longtime teammate.
“I drive Dybala crazy,” he laughed. “As he said, he was a Boca fan as a kid and has the dream of playing in Argentine football. So I always tell him, if we go back to Argentina, come with me.”
And about the young Boca midfielder Milton Delgado:
“He plays really well. Very smart, very dynamic. I hope he keeps growing.”
As for the future, Paredes acknowledged he might follow a coaching path—with a twist:
“I don’t want to be the head coach. I want to be the assistant. Less responsibility—I’ll let Fide (Di María) handle the pressure.”
Thiago Almada, the goalscorer in Argentina’s 1-1 draw against Colombia, spoke to the media after the match and reflected on his link-up play with Lionel Messi:
“With Leo (Messi), I try to find him and give the ball back to him. We all know what he’s capable of on the field.”
In addition to his goal, the former Vélez Sarsfield player was involved in several promising exchanges with Argentina’s number 10, displaying the potential of their partnership.
Regarding the result, Almada said:
“We always want to win at home, but fortunately we were able to grab a point at the end.”
“We knew what was at stake for them. We just had to stay calm and do what we always do.”
