Di María: “I will be grateful for life, now I am just another fan”
“Fideo” offered a few words to the public in the center of the Monumental playing field, where he was accompanied by his family, players and coaching staff, as part of his farewell as a footballer for the Argentine National Team.It’s a difficult time to talk, I have a lot of feelings inside. First of all, I want to thank all the people who work at the AFA and the club. I lived through difficult times with them for 16 years and in the end I ended up having so many joys with them,” he said.
Along those lines, he thanked his teammates, “young and old,” because “they gave me the opportunity to win everything. It is thanks to them that I am leaving today in this way, with all this tribute.”I will be grateful for life, now I am a bigger fan“I will be cheering for them at the Copa America and World Cups.”
Finally, he thanked his wife and two daughters who were by his side. “I want to thank my family for the love they gave me all these years when things weren’t going well. They supported me fully, my parents, my sisters, my wife’s family. To my two beauties, to my wife, who put up with everything for me, they didn’t leave anything to hurt me.. I thank you eternally for accompanying me.”
The emotional tribute to Di María has begun
In the run-up to Argentina’s match against Chile, for the seventh round of the South American Qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup, “Fideo” bids farewell to the albiceleste team, in a ceremony full of emotion, with the presence of the players and his family on the Monumental playing field.
The candy cabal, a must in the pre-party
As usual, Leandro Paredes y Rodrigo de Paul They jumped onto the field minutes before the team’s warm-up to eat some sweets and feel the warmth of the public arriving at the Monumental.
Conmebol recognized Di María’s career: “A historical figure”
The South American Football Confederation highlighted the Argentine’s “exceptional runs” ahead of the seventh round of the Qualifiers Angel Di Mariathe Uruguayan Luis Suarez and the Chilean goalkeeper Claudio Bravowho announced their retirement from their respective national teams.
“Conmebol will recognize three American champions who are retiring from international football, after exceptional careers and unparalleled contributions to South American football. Ángel Di María of Argentina, Luis Suárez of Uruguay and Claudio Bravo of Chile will receive replicas of the Conmebol Copa América trophy as a tribute to their careers and what they achieved with their respective national teams,” the South American organization’s website stated.
Bolivia crushed Venezuela 4-0 and entered the play-off zone
With so many of Ramiro Vaca, Carmelo Algarañaz, Miguel Terceros and Enzo Monteirothe team from the highlands thrashed the Vinotinto at the Municipal Villa Ingenio stadium and was temporarily placed in 7th position (6 points), a place that gives them a ticket to the Intercontinental Play-Off Tournament to decide a passage to the 2026 World Cup. The Venezuelans were fourth in the table, with 9 points, in a qualifying position on the way to the United States-Mexico-Canada.
The shirt that the Argentine National Team will wear tonight, in the locker room
The social networks of the Albiceleste team published three images with the kit that the team will wear against Chile. You can see the jerseys of German Pezzella, Rodrigo De Paul, Marcos Acuña and Julian Alvarez. In the other photos, the one of Lake Martinez and that of Lautaro Martinez.
The voice of footballers against the extreme right
By Jose Luis Lanao
Should footballers express their opinion on politics? Is it appropriate for them to do so? The debate was opened this break following some statements by Kylian Mbappé in which, following the victory of the far right in the first round of the French legislative elections, The French footballer called for mobilization and not to vote for the extremesin clear reference to Marie Le Pen’s party.
La Scaloneta in the 2024 Qualifiers: six matches to test names
By Juan Ignacio Provéndola
For the past few years we have been preparing for Lionel Messi’s retirement from the Argentine National Team, without ever considering the scenario that will arise from tonight, when Argentina will play its first match without Ángel Di María. Fideo’s farewell, crowned in the recent Copa América final, opens the Scaloneta to a new stage that, at the same time, is also crossed by the occasional marginalization of Messi.
Bolivia defeats Venezuela 2-0 at the end of the first half
In the city of El Alto, the local team beat the team led by Fernando Batista with goals from Ramiro Vaca (13 PT) and Carmelo Algarañaz (50 PT), from a penalty, in the opening of the 7th date of the South American Qualifiers.
Argentina national team: the post-Messi era is approaching
By Daniel Guiñazu
Starting from this window of the South American Qualifiers, the Argentine National Team begins to transition into the post-Messi era. Although the captain of the world champions and two-time champions of America has not yet given any public signs that he is thinking about retirement, the coaching staff he leads Lionel Scaloni He has been privately evaluating since last year how to carry out the succession without it being traumatic for the team.
It is a fact that as long as he is not affected by injuries at Inter Miami, Messi will continue to respond to the call-ups. What nobody knows, perhaps not even himself, is until when. Maybe he will make it to the final of the Qualifiers, which is scheduled for exactly one year from now, and that would be the most desirable scenario. Maybe he will go down earlier. To assume, however, that he will make the physical and mental effort necessary to play in the sixth World Cup of his unrivalled career at the age of 39 is an exercise in imagination that no one is in a position to undertake a year and a half before the big event.
