18 resultsfor “Argentina first World Cup match 2023”
Cup matches, in Houston, Dec. 28, 2025. The Astrodome is pictured on right. (AP Photo/Jon Shapley)](https://www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/AP26035000226133-1772177362.jpg?w=770&resize=770%2C513&quality=80) Houston Stadium hosted Super Bowls in 2004 and 2017 [File: Jon Shapley/AP Photo] ## 5. Kansas City
match after captain Wataru Endo withdrew from the squad with a foot injury before announcing his retirement from international football. The 33-year-old Liverpool midfielder said he had “no regrets” over the decision after
first time in his career at club level. "A goalscorer who became an Iniesta" was how one Argentine analyst described it. ## The captain's burden - and liberation ![Argentina captain Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup
Argentina [Marcos Brindicci/Getty Images] ## 2. World Cup stats: by the numbers **⚽ Advantage: Mbappe** Mbappe, 27, is the least experienced but is entering his third World Cup as statistically the most proficient goal-scoring forward
2023 [File: Frederic Dides/AFP] ## ⚽ Nico Paz (Argentina) This 21-year-old attacking midfielder is widely tipped as a leading candidate to succeed Lionel Messi, with the 38-year-old football legend set for what could
matches. That is after they went 34 years (1985-2019) without a win over their closest rivals. They are now playing successive World Cups – to qualify for the World Cup in [Qatar in 2022](/news/2022/12/1/despite-early-world-cup-exit-canada-has-high-hopes-for-future
first historic ticket to a World Cup. A 100% record in five home games, and not conceding a goal was pivotal to their progress. On the final day of qualifiers, Cape Verde started two points
Argentina (June 22, Dallas), Algeria (June 27, Kansas City) Austria will train at the University of California at Santa Barbara’s football facility, which often hosts the US men’s and women’s national teams
2023 and reached the semifinals of the 2022 World Cup. Scotland and Haiti complete a group in which Morocco will expect to secure qualification. The bigger question is not whether the Atlas Lions can advance
Argentina on 18 July. He will not qualify for England in time to face South Africa in Johannesburg on 4 July in the opening round of this summer's Nations Championship. Janse van Rensburg
first Copa America final in more than 20 years in 2024 and will look to push Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal for top spot. **Favourites for automatic qualification:** Portugal and Colombia ## **Group H: Spain, Cape Verde
first World Cup in North America this summer: Cape Verde, Curacao, Jordan, and Uzbekistan. Here is Al Jazeera’s short guide to the debutants at this year’s competition. ## Cape Verde - **FIFA world ranking
2023](https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-pictures/burna-boy-concert-new-york-1234785173/z7a_1635/)). And Shakira is no stranger to making World Cup music.  to defend their title in that competition. They also qualified for this World Cup under their own steam, securing their spot in North America with a [2-1 win over
Argentina and Nigeria at Foxboro Stadium in Massachusetts in June 1994. **Richard Sellers/Allstar/Getty Images** Richard Sellers/Allstar/Getty Images That's what Kevin Tallec Marston, a research fellow at the International Centre for Sports Studies in Switzerland
2023 **Jonathan Pearce:** I fancy Algeria could repeat the thrills Morrocco gave us four years ago so I've picked a trio of their players to look out for. Aouar is the first of those
matches," Juan Pablo Sorin said at the time. "You get to notice which coaches are winners and which aren't. He's managed to get to the stage where if two or three players
matches, including a possible Argentina-Portugal quarterfinal, anticipated as a Lionel Messi-Cristiano Ronaldo showdown. Kansas City overcame major odds to become one of 11 US venues for the [biggest World Cup ever](/sports/2026/5/7/whats-the-full-match-schedule-groups-and-format-for-world-cup-2026