Argentina & Messi get heroes' welcome, Kane & Ronaldo records, Italy woe & Ghana's late show
International football returned this week for the first time since the World Cup with an exciting evening of action on Thursday. Here, a look at the major stories...
International football was back with a bang on Thursday night. After a few friendlies and a couple of African Cup of Nations qualifiers earlier in the week, last night’s matches saw some of the planet’s top teams in action for the first time since the World Cup. And the storylines didn’t disappoint.
Argentina and Messi make triumphant return after World Cup win
When Argentina won the World Cup in December, Lionel Messi said he would not be retiring from international duty because he wanted to “play as a world champion with the Argentine national shirt”. He must have been imagining nights like this.
Flanked by his wife and three sons, Messi was handed a replica of the World Cup and joined his team-mates (who each had one, too) in lifting the trophy on the centre of the pitch in front of 83,000 jubilant fans at River Plate’s Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires.
Messi made a speech before kick-off and saluted the fans. “I always dreamed of this moment,” he said. “To be able to celebrate with you.” And the Argentina captain also made the point of thanking his team-mates from previous years, even though they had come up short when it mattered most. “I don’t want to forget all the team-mates I had before,” he said. “They deserve the respect of the Argentine people because they gave everything for the shirt.”
After all that, the game itself seemed secondary. Against Panama, coach Lionel Scaloni picked the same XI that had started the World Cup final against France. Messi hit the post with a free-kick in the first half and then again after 78 minutes. Thiago Almada was there the second time to capitalise on the rebound and open the scoring. And then, with a minute left, Messi squeezed another free-kick just inside the woodwork this time for his 99th Argentina goal and the 800th of his career. Incredible. The world champions had left it late, but the party had been under way for hours by then.
Cristiano Ronaldo becomes most-capped player in history
Cristiano Ronaldo may no longer be playing his club football in Europe, but the five-time Ballon d’Or winner has shown no signs of wanting to end his international career. After all, there are more records still to be broken.
On Thursday night, Ronaldo became the most-capped player in the history of international football as he made his 197th appearance for Portugal. The former Real Madrid and Manchester United forward made his debut for the Seleção way back in 2003, meaning he has now played in 21 different years for his national side.
Against Liechtenstein on Thursday in Euro 2024 qualifying, Portugal won 4-0 and Ronaldo scored twice: the first came from the penalty spot; the second was an unstoppable free-kick blasted into the top corner from just outside the box.
Ronaldo is already the leading scorer in international football and Thursday’s brace took him to 120 goals for Portugal. Of those currently playing, only Messi (on 99) is close to him. With a more attack-minded coach in charge after Roberto Martínez replaced Fernando Santos and a Euros qualifying group also featuring Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Slovakia and Luxembourg, he should have plenty more chances to add to his tally in the coming months.
Kane now England’s top scorer outright
The last time Harry Kane took a penalty for England, the ball flew over the crossbar and the Three Lions’ World Cup hopes went with it. But against Italy in Naples on Thursday night, he made no mistake as he dispatched his kick low into the corner as Gianluigi Donnarumma dived the other way.
It was his 54th goal for England and that makes him the nation’s all-time top scorer, surpassing Wayne Rooney’s 53. He has also done it in far fewer games: Kane has 54 in 81 compared to Rooney’s 53 in 120. And you could tell how much it meant to him as he roared in celebration after making it 2-0 in Naples.
England had dominated in a fine first half and could have had more goals at the break. The Three Lions won 2-1 in the end and afterwards, Kane thanked team-mates past and present, staff, fans, family and everyone who had helped him reach the landmark. “It’s a magical night,” he said.
Along with that missed penalty against France in Qatar, Kane’s toughest night for England may have been the 2021 defeat to Italy in the final of the Euros. That was a glorious opportunity for some silverware which is still missing in a superb career which has seen him top the list of all-time scorers for both Tottenham and England.
Despite all the goals, Kane has his detractors. Much of the criticism comes from fans of Tottenham’s rivals, some of it because he has not won any team trophies yet. But Rooney is an admirer. “Great man, unbelievable goalscorer and an England legend,” the former Manchester United striker tweeted. Amen.
Italy are struggling again
It is hard to believe that Italy won the Euros in 2021. The Azzurri were excellent during that tournament and deservedly went all the way, beating England on penalties in the final at Wembley. And it wasn’t only the Euros: Roberto Mancini’s side set a new world record as they went unbeaten for 37 matches.
But failure to qualify for last year’s World Cup was a huge disappointment and Thursday’s 2-1 loss to England will raise further doubts over Mancini’s role.
The 58-year-old was heavily criticised for his tactics and team selection on Thursday and Italy could have been three down after a first half described as “tragic” by La Gazzetta dello Sport, with Jack Grealish having missed an open goal late in the opening period.
Mancini made changes in the second half and Italy improved. They pulled a goal back through Mateo Retegui, who represented Argentina as a youngster and was making his debut. But it was not enough and the Azzurri are already on the back foot with their qualification campaign barely under way.
Ghana leave it late in Hughton’s first game
It was a dream start for Chris Hughton as Ghana coach on Thursday, but the Black Stars left it late. After Angola had failed to deal with a free-kick in the sixth and final minute of added time and the ball was scrambled off the line, it was blasted into the net by Antoine Semenyo from five yards out.
Semenyo’s strike was his first for Ghana and sealed the win in front of a packed crowd at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi. It also ensured a happy debut for Hughton as coach and saw the Black Stars take a three-point lead at the top of Group E in African Cup of Nations qualifying.
Hughton, a former Republic of Ireland defender who spent most of his playing career at Tottenham and took Brighton into the Premier League in a successful five-year spell in charge, worked as a technical advisor with Ghana during the World Cup last year. The 64-year-old, whose father was Ghanaian, was appointed as coach by the Black Stars in February.
Before the game, there was a minute’s silence for former Ghana winger Christian Atsu, who tragically lost his life at the age of 31 in February following the devastating earthquake in Turkey. Ghana play Angola again on Monday.