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Messi Scores as Argentina Beat Brazil in Riyadh Friendly

Argentina celebrates victory against Brazil during the Superclasico in Riyadh on Friday. (SPA)
Argentina celebrates victory against Brazil during the Superclasico in Riyadh on Friday. (SPA)
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Messi Scores as Argentina Beat Brazil in Riyadh Friendly

Argentina celebrates victory against Brazil during the Superclasico in Riyadh on Friday. (SPA)
Argentina celebrates victory against Brazil during the Superclasico in Riyadh on Friday. (SPA)

Lionel Messi struck on his return to international duty Friday following a three-month ban as Argentina defeated fierce rivals Brazil 1-0 in a friendly in Riyadh. The Superclasico was held as part of the Riyadh Season festival.

The Barcelona forward was suspended by CONMEBOL for accusing South American football's ruling body of "corruption" after he was sent off in July's third-place play-off with Chile at the Copa America.

Messi netted the only goal of the game at the King Saud University Stadium on 13 minutes, tapping home the rebound after his penalty was saved by Brazil goalkeeper Alisson.

His effort came shortly after Manchester City striker Gabriel Jesus rolled a spot-kick wide for Brazil, who were playing without the injured Neymar.

Messi, who scored with a pair of free-kicks in his last game with Barcelona, twice threatened from set pieces in the second half before Liverpool 'keeper Alisson beat away a powerful drive from Leandro Paredes.

Rodrygo, the 18-year-old who scored a sensational Champions League hat-trick with Real Madrid this month, made his Brazil debut as he replaced Willian for the final 20 minutes.

However, Brazil were unable to find an equalizer as their winless run since capturing the Copa America title extended to five matches.

The match was attended by 25,000 spectators, including Chairman of the General Authority for Entertainment Turki Al-Sheikh.

"It's important to win and it is always nice to beat Brazil, for the rivalry, which feels a lot of late," said Messi.

"It's good for everything that is to come, to continue growing while looking towards the qualifiers and the next Copa America (in 2020)."

The meeting between the two South American giants was the second in Saudi Arabia in little over a year. Brazil beat Argentina 1-0 in Jeddah in October 2018.

Brazil also defeated Argentina 2-0 at home in the semi-finals of this year's Copa America, a controversial match that left Messi complaining the hosts had benefited from favoritism.

Brazil will play a friendly against South Korea in Abu Dhabi on November 19, in their final game before South American qualifying starts for the 2022 World Cup in March.

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Sports

Injured Serena’s Wimbledon Doubles Bid with Sister Venus in Doubt

US player Serena Williams waves as he leaves the court after being defeated by Australia's Maya Joint during their women's singles first round tennis match on the second day of the 2026 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on June 30, 2026. (AFP)
US player Serena Williams waves as he leaves the court after being defeated by Australia's Maya Joint during their women's singles first round tennis match on the second day of the 2026 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on June 30, 2026. (AFP)
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Injured Serena’s Wimbledon Doubles Bid with Sister Venus in Doubt

US player Serena Williams waves as he leaves the court after being defeated by Australia's Maya Joint during their women's singles first round tennis match on the second day of the 2026 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on June 30, 2026. (AFP)
US player Serena Williams waves as he leaves the court after being defeated by Australia's Maya Joint during their women's singles first round tennis match on the second day of the 2026 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on June 30, 2026. (AFP)

Serena Williams could be forced to pull out of the Wimbledon doubles event after the American legend suffered a knee injury in her first-round singles defeat.

Williams, playing her first singles match in four years, was beaten by Australia's Maya Joint in a three-set epic on Centre Court late on Tuesday evening.

The 44-year-old, who retired in 2022, made a sensational comeback in June, playing doubles tournaments at Queen's Club and Berlin.

She is due to join forces with sister Venus Williams in the women's doubles first round against Camila Osorio and Solana Sierra.

There had been no indication of any injury to the 23-time Grand Slam singles champion during the Joint loss.

But Serena did not attend the mandatory post-match press conference, instead issuing a short quote through tournament organizers.

Players can be fined for skipping media duties, but it was revealed on Wednesday that Williams is dealing with a knee problem.

A statement from the seven-time Wimbledon singles champion's agent Jill Smoller read: "Serena tweaked her right knee at the end of the first set and was therefore excused from her media obligations by the Wimbledon and WTA medical teams.

"She left site that night unaided and is doing everything she can to be ready for her doubles match later this week."

Williams later added on Instagram: "It felt so good to be back on the grass at Wimbledon. I'm incredibly thankful for the wild card - and even more grateful my daughters got to see that it's never too late to chase something you love.

"I tweaked my knee late in the first set, but I'll be doing everything I can to be ready for doubles with Venus Williams.

"Congratulations to Maya Joint on a great match, and thank you to everyone who showed up and showed me so much love. That feeling will never get old."

Serena and Venus, 46, who were given a wildcard entry into the tournament, have won the Wimbledon doubles six times, with their most recent title coming in 2016.

Serena has not won a Grand Slam singles crown since the 2017 Australian Open, while Venus last lifted a major singles trophy at Wimbledon in 2008.

Serena said her astonishing comeback was motivated by a desire to play in front of her two young daughters.

Her children watched their mother's loss to Joint alongside her husband Alexis Ohanian and Venus in the players' box on Tuesday.

Sports

Three People Die in Mexico World Cup Celebrations as Fans Crowd Streets

A football fan wearing a sombrero attends a watch party for the World Cup match between Mexico and Czechia on Reforma Ave., near the Angel of Independence monument in Mexico City, Wednesday, June 24, 2026. (AP)
A football fan wearing a sombrero attends a watch party for the World Cup match between Mexico and Czechia on Reforma Ave., near the Angel of Independence monument in Mexico City, Wednesday, June 24, 2026. (AP)
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Three People Die in Mexico World Cup Celebrations as Fans Crowd Streets

A football fan wearing a sombrero attends a watch party for the World Cup match between Mexico and Czechia on Reforma Ave., near the Angel of Independence monument in Mexico City, Wednesday, June 24, 2026. (AP)
A football fan wearing a sombrero attends a watch party for the World Cup match between Mexico and Czechia on Reforma Ave., near the Angel of Independence monument in Mexico City, Wednesday, June 24, 2026. (AP)

Three people died from suffocation as thousands of fans crowded Mexico City streets during World Cup celebrations, the capital's health secretariat said in the early hours of Wednesday.

The deaths occurred near the Angel of Independence landmark, where thousands of football fans had gathered to celebrate Mexico's 2-0 victory over Ecuador in the round of 32.

Emergency teams tended to three unconscious people at ‌different locations around ‌Paseo de la Reforma, authorities ‌said. ⁠The capital's most emblematic ⁠boulevard and the streets around it had been closed to traffic and set up for the soccer celebrations.

"After receiving advanced resuscitation efforts, the deaths of a 44-year-old man and a 19-year-old woman from suffocation have been confirmed," the health authority initially said ⁠on social media.

The third fatality was a ‌48-year-old woman who was ‌treated on a nearby street after suffering asphyxiation and died ‌after being taken to hospital, the secretariat added ‌in a later post.

Mayor Clara Brugada expressed her condolences to the families of the victims on X and urged everyone to "always celebrate with responsibility, care, and empathy".

Mexicans took ‌to the streets to celebrate after the national team ended a 40-year wait for ⁠a ⁠World Cup knockout victory at the Azteca Stadium in the capital, with the win against Ecuador sending the co-hosts into the last 16.

The fans' euphoria, amid cheering and chants, contrasted with images shared on social media of emergency responders and paramedics tending to distressed people lying on the ground in nearby streets.

With more than 20 million residents, Mexico City's metropolitan area is one of the most populous on the planet and is accustomed to large celebrations and huge crowds of people.

Sports

Messi Will Score More but I Want the Trophy, Mbappe Says

France's forward #10 Kylian Mbappe celebrates scoring his team's third goal during the 2026 World Cup round of 32 football match between France and Sweden at the New York/New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford on June 30, 2026. (AFP)
France's forward #10 Kylian Mbappe celebrates scoring his team's third goal during the 2026 World Cup round of 32 football match between France and Sweden at the New York/New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford on June 30, 2026. (AFP)
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Messi Will Score More but I Want the Trophy, Mbappe Says

France's forward #10 Kylian Mbappe celebrates scoring his team's third goal during the 2026 World Cup round of 32 football match between France and Sweden at the New York/New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford on June 30, 2026. (AFP)
France's forward #10 Kylian Mbappe celebrates scoring his team's third goal during the 2026 World Cup round of 32 football match between France and Sweden at the New York/New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford on June 30, 2026. (AFP)

Kylian Mbappe has been on Lionel Messi's heels as both players break new ground in World Cup scoring, but the Frenchman is more obsessed by lifting the trophy in New York on July 19 than becoming marksman supreme.

The 27-year-old netted a double as Les Bleus crushed Sweden 3-0 in the round of 32 on Tuesday to move one shy ‌of Messi's ‌record 19 goals at World Cups and join ‌him ⁠on top of ⁠the scoring charts in this edition with six.

"I think the goal, as I said, is to go as far as possible - to make it to (the final on) July 19th and come back here," Mbappe, who scored his 18 goals in 18 games, told reporters.

"We’re trying to win; we’re taking it one step at a time. ⁠Of course, the more goals you score, the ‌higher you climb in the rankings - ‌I’m not telling anyone anything new there.

"But I’m also convinced that Leo ‌is going to score more goals, so I don’t focus ‌too much on that. I’m more focused on the opponents we might face and how close we’re getting to our goal: the final."

Messi's Argentina face minnows Cape Verde in the last 32 on Friday. France next ‌take on Paraguay for a place in the quarter-finals, where they would face either co-hosts Canada ⁠or Morocco.

Paraguay took ⁠an ultra-defensive approach against Germany to knock the four-times world champions out on penalties in the last 32 on Monday and there is little chance that they will go out swashbuckling against France in Philadelphia on Saturday.

Les Bleus will not take anything for granted and will do their homework, Mbappe warned.

"I think we’ll keep working between now and the Paraguay match to see what we can improve, because there are still some sequences that aren't quite clear enough, there’s room for improvement," he said.

"Still, I think it’s positive overall, and our ability to score goals means we always have the chance to take the lead in matches."