Sports
Messi sits out Argentina victory in Miami friendly
The Argentina national team, playing without Lionel Messi, beat Venezuela 1-0 on Friday in a friendly at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.
Messi was at the stadium watching the match from the stands with his family.
“I decided that Leo [Messi] would not play,” said Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni.
“We wanted to try Lautaro [Martinez] and Julian [Alvarez] and had Jose Manuel Lopez on the bench. I thought it was a valid option. In the end, Flaco [Jose Manuel Lopez] couldn’t enter the game, so he’ll enter the next one. But it was my decision, simply that.”
Despite his absence, La Albiceleste triumphed against Venezuela with a lone goal by Giovani Lo Celso after connecting with teammate Lautaro Martínez to find the back of the net. Argentina managed to dominate in the final third to record 19 shots, 11 on target, against the South American rival.
When asked if Messi would be available to feature in the team’s upcoming friendly against Puerto Rico on October 14, Scaloni remained hopeful.
“Let’s hope Messi can be there on Tuesday, we’ll see how things unfold in the coming days.”
Messi’s Inter Miami teammate Rodrigo De Paul began the game on the bench for Argentina, substituting in the second half for Atlético Madrid star Julián Álvarez.
Inter Miami head coach Javier Mascherano, however, welcomed the opportunity to see Messi play with the club when facing Atlanta United at Chase Stadium on Saturday night in a regular-season Major League Soccer match, just one day after Argentina’s friendly against Venezuela, before insisting he had not spoken to the player about his involvement.
“I’d love it. Imagine being able to have Leo Messi, but the reality is he hasn’t been with us, and I’ll repeat this because we’re talking about Leo,” said Mascherano. “But there’s Rodrigo [De Paul], there’s Telasco, yes…Messi can play at any time, obviously. The issue afterward is that I can’t talk to you about something that’s counterfactual because he’s not with us, and the truth is, I haven’t spoken to Leo. I haven’t spoken to Leo. Now we’ll see tonight what happens.”
Though Inter Miami already qualified for the 2025 MLS playoffs, the team continues to aim for a higher place on the Eastern Conference table to ensure home-field advantage in the post-season.
Argentina added that Franco Mastantuono would miss the remainder of the camp due to a left thigh injury.
Twenty men have been charged in a point-shaving scheme involving more than 39 college basketball players on more than 17 NCAA Division I teams, leading to more than 29 games being fixed, according to a federal indictment unsealed Thursday in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
Fifteen of the defendants played college basketball during the 2023-24 and/or 2024-25 seasons, according to the indictment. Some have played this season. Two of the players named in the indictment, Cedquavious Hunter and Dyquavian Short, were sanctioned in November by the NCAA for fixing New Orleans games.
At least two of the defendants, Shane Hennen and Marves Fairley, were also charged in a federal indictment in the Eastern District of New York centered on gambling schemes in the NBA.
Former NBA player Antonio Blakeney was named but not charged in the indictment. The indictment describes Blakeney as being “charged elsewhere.”
The scheme, according to the indictment, began around September 2022 and initially was focused on fixing games in the Chinese Basketball Association. The group later targeted college basketball games, offering bribes to college players ranging from $10,000 to $30,000 to compromise games for betting purposes, according to the indictment.
“In placing these wagers on games they had fixed, the defendants defrauded sportsbooks, as well as individual sports bettors, who were all unaware that the defendants had corruptly manipulated the outcome of these games that should have been decided fairly, based on genuine competition and the best efforts of the players,” the indictment said.
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USAA on Thursday announced the three finalists for the NFL’s Salute to Service Award, and a dynasty in San Francisco could be on the rise.
After 49ers star George Kittle took home the award last year, Christian McCaffrey is among three finalists for the league’s award, along with Dallas Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson and Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones as the finalists — Jones was a finalist last year, as well.
“The finalists for the 15th Annual Salute to Service Award presented by USAA have used their platforms to be exceptional advocates for the military community, reminding us that service doesn’t stop when the uniform comes off,” Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Bob Whittle, Senior Vice President and Head of Military Affairs at USAA, said in a release.
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Christian McCaffrey, Jake Ferguson and Aaron Jones are this year’s Salute to Service Award finalists. (, G Fiume, and John Fisher/Getty Images)
“The NFL and USAA applaud Jake Ferguson, Aaron Jones, and Christian McCaffrey as deserving finalists who have demonstrated exactly what the award stands for — using the power of football to connect with, empower, appreciate and uplift our service members, veterans and their families.”
McCaffrey launched 23 and Troops in 2021 to focus on post-traumatic stress and athlete-level care for veterans. The foundation has raised $700,000 for military support and paid off holiday layaway for 515 military families.
San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (23) celebrates his touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons in the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025, in Santa Clara, California. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Ferguson has partnered with USAA to visit local military bases and supported the National Medal of Honor Museum, including an event in 2024 in which 900 students joined in person and thousands more virtually.
Jones grew up in a military household. His father, Alvin, served 29 years in the Army, while his mother, Vurgess, served for 27. Jones’ older brother, Xavier, serves in the Air Force. Jones and his twin brother, Alvin Jr., founded the A&A All the Way Foundation in 2020 to support the youth of military families.
The winner will be announced at NFL Honors in San Francisco on Feb. 5, the same night the MVP, Offensive and Defensive Players and Rookies, and Coach of the Year will be crowned.
George Kittle of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates after a touchdown with Christian McCaffrey of the San Francisco 49ers during the fourth quarter in the game against the Seattle Seahawks at Levi’s Stadium on Dec. 10, 2023, in Santa Clara, California. (Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
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Whittle and Kittle will be among those on the judging panel for the award.
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Monday night’s game featuring hometown Miami and championship-starved Indiana is one of the toughest tickets in sports.
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