Argentina

In practice, the event served as an opportunity to denounce Russian President Vladimir Putin—and, perhaps, to pressure the Argentine government ahead of the ...

And on the left, there seems to be this nostalgia for an anti-colonialism that assumes the United States is automatically in the wrong and that its adversaries are inherently virtuous.” [limited oversight](https://www.reuters.com/article/us-space-argentina-china-insight-idUSKCN1PP0I2) from the Argentine government. [suggesting](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/may/04/brazil-lula-zelenskiy-blame-war) last May that Putin and Zelensky bore equal responsibility for the war. [traveled to Moscow](https://www.reuters.com/markets/asia/argentinas-fernandez-set-china-russia-tour-after-imf-accord-2022-02-01/) in the hopes of expanding ties with Russia. “They are distrustful of the intentions of the U.S. [voted](https://www.batimes.com.ar/news/world/with-argentinas-backing-united-nations-votes-to-suspend-russia-from-human-rights-council.phtml) to suspend Russia from the U.N. “They’re aligned with the United States and the social democratic governments of Western Europe but not overly so.” Casullo added that this position of relative neutrality “comes very naturally to this government. Perhaps it’s no surprise then that Brazil was one of [seven countries](https://www.infobae.com/en/2022/04/07/the-23-countries-that-supported-putin-in-the-un-vote-that-suspended-russia-from-the-human-rights-council/) in Latin America and the Caribbean to abstain from the April 2022 [U.N. Recently, on the war’s one-year anniversary, the Argentine government issued a [statement](https://www.cancilleria.gob.ar/es/actualidad/noticias/un-ano-del-inicio-de-la-guerra-en-ucrania-argentina-reitera-su-condena-la) condemning Russia’s aggression and calling dialogue “the only path.” The Argentine president later [affirmed](https://www.ft.com/content/fc8d51c8-5202-4862-a653-87d1603deded) that his country would not be sending arms to Ukraine during a separate meeting with Scholz in January this year. [topping 100 percent](https://edition.cnn.com/2023/03/14/intl_business/argentina-inflation-tops-100-percent-intl-latam/index.html) and a [social crisis](https://foreignpolicy.com/2022/09/21/argentina-cristina-fernandez-kirchner-corruption-trial-assassination-attempt/) unseen since the economic crash of 2001 appear remote. (In Latin America, only Chilean President Gabriel Boric has condemned Putin’s invasion [from the start](https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/03/14/latin-america-s-ukraine-war-stance-is-trapped-in-the-past/7da2ab8a-c257-11ed-82a7-6a87555c1878_story.html).)

Lionel Messi, 35, claimed his 99th international goal from a free-kick after 89 minutes, sending the 83000 fans at the Monumental de Nunez Stadium in Buenos ...

"Everyone who wears this shirt gives their all and sometimes the results don't come. Let's enjoy the third star." Lionel Messi, 35, claimed his 99th international goal from a free-kick after 89 minutes, sending the 83,000 fans at the Monumental de Nunez Stadium in Buenos Aires into raptures; "I always dreamed of this moment, to celebrate with you in my country Argentina," said Messi after the game

Lionel Messi and his Argentina teammates struggled to keep their emotions in check on Thursday evening as they took to the pitch for the first time since ...

A vast array of Panama players also tried their best to get photos with the 35-year-old at the full-time whistle before he was joined by his wife and children on the pitch. Messi then spoke to the crowd and gave his thanks for their support. I don't want to forget all the teammates I had before because we also did everything possible to get it. [Paris Saint-Germain](https://www.irishmirror.ie/all-about/paris-saint-germain) forward reach another astounding career landmark with his 800th goal on both a club and country level. Fireworks were then let off outside of the stadium as the reigning world champions returned to the pitch. Messi - captaining Argentina once more - looked to be choking back the tears before letting a smile break out on his face. Elsewhere, the likes of Rodrigo de Paul and manager Scaloni hugged their children ahead of kick-off. The good feeling certainly continued during the match as Argentina earned a 2-0 victory against Panama. Before the game, the fans were certainly in fine voice as they toasted their heroes. Each player was given a replica World Cup to celebrate with. [Diego Maradona](https://www.irishmirror.ie/all-about/diego-maradona). The South American side claimed their third title earlier this season, Messi’s performances inspiring them to eventual victory against France.

Lionel Messi, Emi Martinez and the Argentina squad were given an incredible reception from supporters in their first game since lifting the World Cup.

Argentina were made to wait for the breakthrough as Panama goalkeeper Jose Guerra produced a number of saves and the defence fought hard to keep the World Cup champions out. His strike from a free-kick on 89 minutes sent the fans into raptures again, after substitute Thiago Almada scored the opener 11 minutes earlier with a follow-up strike from a Messi free-kick that had come back off the post. The team then lined up opposite the Panama players in the usual pre-match display, and were greeted by a wall of noise from fans as they chanted without pause.

Time appeared to stand still as Buenos Aires paid tribute to its World Cup champions at the Monumental - just don't ask Messi to dance.

[Inter](https://theathletic.com/football/team/inter/) striker, and the fans in the stands, urged Messi to show off his moves. Later in the week, a video was posted of Messi waving to screaming fans from the window of his car on a highway. The players then celebrated like they did in December, dancing around the pitch and throwing Messi up in the air. Scaloni himself is a national hero and the team bear his name — they are affectionately called “La Scaloneta” — but even he serenaded Messi when he took the mic. As he talked, he took the opportunity to salute those who did not have the same fortune on the big stage. From the tears at the national anthem to the more “colourful” celebrations afterwards, it was all there: the good and the bad. They deserve all the recognition of the Argentinian people because they also gave their all for this shirt. And between the celebrations on the pitch in Qatar three months ago and those at the Monumental on Thursday night, it would be hard to tell the difference given the authentic joy of everybody inside the stadium, from the jubilant fans to the players themselves. This was always going to be a party and DJs and bands were laid on throughout to ensure those who queued outside the stadium from mid-morning were catered for. There would have been enough celebrations inside the stadium without a historic Messi goal, but he added one anyway (after several off-target attempts, it must be said). Even when the celebrations come a day or so after the event, it can be hard to recapture the magic. Tickets sold out just over an hour after going on sale, with close to a million fans left in the virtual queue.