Villarreal are in very advanced negotiations to sign Thiago Fernández from Velez.
Thiago Fernández could be joining Villarreal in La Liga. According to César Luis Merlo, the deal is in its final stages and if the deal is reached, the 21 year old forward will join Velez in January 2026 as a free agent.
Argentina’s U17 national team defeated Valencia U20 2-1 to advance to the semifinals of the 2025 COTIF L’Alcúdia International Tournament. Goals from Ramiro Tulián and Uriel Ojeda secured the win after going down 1-0 in the first half.
After a 2-0 win over Chile in their opening match, Argentina faced Valencia. Argentina struggled in the first half, with limited attacking chances and risky play in their defensive third. A miscommunication between goalkeeper Alain Gómez and his defenders allowed Gabriel Alin to score for Valencia shortly before halftime.
In the second half, Argentina improved their play and created several scoring opportunities. Uriel Ojeda and Tulián both hit the crossbar, and Thomas De Martis missed a close-range chance. Argentina eventually equalized through a cross by Simón Escobar that Tulián converted with a bicycle kick to make it 1-1.
Near the end of the match, Tulián took a shot that the Valencia goalkeeper failed to control. Ojeda reacted quickly and scored from the rebound, giving Argentina the lead and sealing the win.
Although the tournament is for U20 players, Argentina chose to field their U17 team, made up mostly of players born in 2008 who recently competed in the South American U17 Championship. Coach Diego Placente explained the decision: “We’re using this tournament to prepare the players for the U17 World Cup in November. Competing against older teams helps them adjust to faster, more physical games.”
Argentina will face ADH Brazil this Friday in their last match of Group B.
Argentina’s starting XI vs. Valencia:
Fixture and standing of 2025 COTIF L’Alcudia tournament.
Giovani Lo Celso of Real Betis has been offered to Grêmio.
Lo Celso could be playing in Brazil. According to Matias Garcia, the 29 year old was offered to the Brazilian club.
The Argentine joined Real Betis last year from Tottenham Hotspur.
Lionel Messi will miss the MLS All Star game.
Messi is not going to take part in Wednesday’s game for the MLS All Star team against Liga MX All Star. The league updated the team on Wednesday and Messi’s name is not included.
The 38 year old did not train with the MLS All Star team on Monday. His participation for Inter Miami’s match against Cincinnati remains to be seen.
Druid Sport has been appointed as the exclusive commercial representative of the Argentine Football Association (AFA) in China, marking a major breakthrough in new commercial opportunities for the organization.
The agreement grants the international sports marketing agency the rights to manage and sell regional sponsorship packages for the AFA in the Chinese market, specifically in the lead-up to the FIFA World Cup 2026.
This landmark partnership positions Druid Sport at the forefront of AFA’s global expansion, creating new opportunities for Chinese businesses and fans to connect with one of football’s most iconic national teams and its legendary players.
With the Argentina National Team’s immense popularity in China — fueled by its FIFA World Cup legacy and the global appeal of players like Lionel Messi — the agreement represents a dynamic commercial opportunity for potential partners.
For Druid Sport, this deal marks another step in its strategic growth as a boutique international sports marketing agency with a strong track record in cross-market commercial partnerships. The agency’s China team brings specialist expertise to the table and has developed strategies and outreach plans to meet the tight timelines ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026.
Diarmuid Crowley, CEO of Druid Sport, stated:
“We’re incredibly proud to represent the AFA in one of the most commercially exciting and engaged football markets in the world. This partnership goes beyond sponsorship—it’s about building genuine commercial connections between Argentina’s football legacy and China’s rapidly evolving sports market, home to one of the largest and most affluent fan bases in the world.”
Claudio Tapia, President of the AFA, noted:
“This new alliance with an international agency like Druid Sport, a leader in the Asian sports industry, will pave the way for new sponsors in China to join the World Champions on the journey to the next FIFA World Cup.
We have done a great job in strategic markets such as China, Indonesia, Japan, and Korea, where we have a large fan base and a significant audience, which with the help of Druid Sport will increase significantly in the coming months.
It is important that companies with international projection support our National Team’s projects. This step will undoubtedly represent a new leap in quality in AFA’s global expansion.”
Leandro Petersen, Chief Commercial and Marketing Officer of AFA, added:
“We are aware of the importance, uniqueness, and enormous potential of the Argentina National Team in the Chinese market. Since 2018, AFA has developed a strategic plan with a strong focus on China, Asia, and the Middle East, and together with Druid Sport, a leading agency in the Chinese market, we will expand like never before.
We deeply believe in working together, promoting our brand, and expanding our commercial opportunities with Chinese companies in the near future. With this support from Druid Sport as the exclusive commercial agent in China, the FIFA World Cup 2026 opportunities are huge. We can undoubtedly assure that we will provide all future Chinese sponsors with more and better brand activations for the coming FIFA World Cup, thanks to the commercial assistance of Druid Sport.”
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