The World Cup Qualifiers are progressing with great positivity around the globe. With Brazil and Argentina already qualified now, it waits to see who else gets into the top 4 ranks. So upcoming Argentina vs Colombia will be an amazing fixture as well.

Argentina vs Colombia: World Cup Qualifiers – Match Details

Date – 02/02/2021
Time – 5:00 AM
Venue – Estadio Mario Alberto Kempes, Córdoba, Argentina

Argentina vs Colombia: Team News

Team News: Argentina FC

Argentina is coming back into this fixture with a hard-fought 2-1 win over Chile. Meanwhile, Argentina has already qualified for the FIFA World Cup 2022. Scaloni's men have already assured themselves of a place in Qatar with 32 points to their name as they sit second in the table – still four adrift of runaway leaders Brazil – and the unbeaten streak is on the line here. A brilliant strike from Di Maria and Lautaro Martinez sealed the game for the South American team. Also, Argentina is also making an unbeaten run with no losses in their last 5 matches.

Suspensions:

Nicolas Otamendi, Nicolas Tagliafico, Rodrigo de Paul, and Leandro Paredes are all out of contention for this game. This is following their card collection in the Qualifiers.

Injuries: 

Scaloni is expecting Guido Rodriguez, Emiliano Buendia, Lucas Ocampos, and Maxi Meza back in the fold, but the COVID-positive Alexis Mac Allister remains out and Papu Gomez is a doubt due to ankle pain.

Comebacks:

Marcos Acuna and Lucas Martinez Quarta are expecting to be drafted into the backline.

Argentina recent form in this competition-

1-2 win against Chile
0-0 draw against Brazil
0-1 win against Uruguay
1-0 win against Peru
3-0 win over Uruguay

Colombia FC:

On the other hand, Colombia is coming into this fixture with an unfortunate 0-1 loss against Peru. Colombia is expecting to hold their place in the top four if they manage to reach it, but the loss against Peru made things different. Just the opposite of their upcoming opponents Colombia is having a six-game streak without a win in World Cup Qualifying. Moreover, their best players Radamel Falcao and James Rodriguez have now gone six games without a goal in the section. So the goal-scoring prowess is a must if Rueda's side is to make a late charge for the top-four spots.

Suspensions:

Yerry Mina is banned for a handful amount of bookings.

Injuries:

No one is injured for the upcoming fixture.

Comebacks:

Colombia are having all of its players available.

Colombia recent form in this competition-

0-1 defeat against Peru
0-0 draw against Paraguay
1-0 defeat against Brazil
0-0 draw against Ecuador
0-0 draw against Brazil

Argentina vs Colombia: Head-to-Head

Matches: 13
Argentina: 7
Colombia: 2
Draw: 4

Possible Line-ups:

Argentina: E. Martinez; Molina, Martinez Quarta, Li. Martinez, Acuna; Di Maria, Lo Celso, Rodriguez, Ocampos; La. Martinez, A. Correa

Colombia: Ospina; Cuadrado, Tesillo, Sanchez, Mojica; Rodriguez, Barrios, Uribe, Diaz; Falcao, Borja

Argentina vs Colombia Dream11 Prediction:

Two of the top Asian football powerhouses, Japan and Qatar are being considered to compete against Argentina National Football Team for the exhibition matches In India. The matches are likely to be held at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi, Kerala.

Kerala Sports Minister V. Abdurahiman announced in a press conference on Tuesday that the world champions will grace the Indian soil in 2025. AFA representatives are set to visit Kerala within six weeks and finalize Messi and co's trip to 'God's Own Country'. 

#Kerala Sports Minister V Abdurahiman revealed that the #Argentina football team, including legendary player #LionelMessi, will visit the state next year for an international match. 😲⚽ https://t.co/mYvR9OwP5Khttps://t.co/mYvR9OwP5K pic.twitter.com/gzeQP20eIF

— Hindustan Times (@htTweets) November 20, 2024

However, there have been no official confirmations on Argentina's potential opponents, but TOI has confirmed that AFA has asked for a list of opponents from the Kerala State Government, and AFA will choose their rivals themselves. 

Kerala's Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has also shared a heartfelt message on Facebook:

Confirmation awaits

Argentina will face two leading Asian teams for the friendlies in Kerala next year but the opponents are yet to be disclosed. However, the venue of the match is yet to be announced as the venue will be finalized after the AFA officials visit the State within the next six months. The Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi is the most suitable destination with a capacity of almost 42000.

🏟️ Messi to Kerala! Argentina 🇦🇷 is set to play a friendly match in Kochi in 2025, likely against Qatar or Japan.

📢 Sports Minister V. Abdurahiman confirmed the news after talks with the Argentine FA in Spain.

💸 Hosting costs estimated at ₹100 crore, including ₹36 crore… pic.twitter.com/swvhSJAMLJ

— football news india (@fni) November 21, 2024

The dates are not announced yet as well. However, two dates during the FIFA International break window in October 2025 are the tentative fixture as of now. Further discussions between the State Government and the AFA and the official announcement is yet to happen. 

Fans hope that Lionel Messi will come to India after 14 years since he played in Argentina's friendly match against Venezuela at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata. However, Messi's arrival can only be confirmed after the official announcement as the Argentine legend will definitely be the center of attraction for Indian football fans.

Read Also | Trophies won by Argentina in International Football (Men's)

Football is a sport full of drama, distress, excitement, and unforgettable moments that are cherished from generation to generation. Goals are the highlighting factor that decides the fate of a team and that is why the near-misses leave the fans in agony and sometimes change the course of football's history.

These fumbles in front of the goal are surprising and unexpected at the same moment. In this article, we delve into the most shocking misses in football history.

Erling Haaland 

(Manchester City vs Liverpool, 2022 FA Community Shield Final)

The Norwegian goal-machine emerged as an absolute cheat-code for Manchester City since his move to Man City in 2022. However, he came to England as and promising youngster but faced criticism from fans after his open goal miss in his very first match for Manchester City in the FA Community Shield Final on 30 July 2022 against Liverpool.

Phil Foden unleashed a left-footed strike in the seventh minute of injury time and it was denied by Liverpool keeper Adrian, but Erling Haaland wasted an open chance to score from the second ball as he hit the crossbar from a close range to the goal. Liverpool won the game by 3-1.

Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting

(PSG vs Strasbourg, Ligue 1 2018-19)

The Cameroonian International featured for teams such as Bayern Munich and Paris-Saint Germain, and he was a part of the PSG squad who were runner-ups in the UCL 2019-20. Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting also scored the winner in injury time against Atalanta in the quarter-final of the same UCL campaign.

😳 We're not exactly sure what Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting was doing here⁉️ The @PSG_English man denied his own teammate and left the ball sitting on the goal line. pic.twitter.com/blFnaPoOQA

— beIN SPORTS USA (@beINSPORTSUSA) April 7, 2019

However, Choupo-Moting got down in history for a bizarre instance in a 2-2 draw against Strasbourg in Ligue 1 during his first season with the French side. Christopher Nkunku successfully chipped the opponent keeper with a shot that was about to go in, but Choupo-Moting somehow stopped the shot on the line in an attempt to tap it in, but his intervention led the threat to get cleared. 

Neal Maupay

(Brentford vs Cardiff City, EFL Championship 2017-18)

Neal Maupay, the French forward who spent most of his career in England, joined Brentford in 2017 and went on to be a headline for his incredible open-goal miss against Cardiff City in the 2017-18 EFL Championship. 

On this day in 2017... 🗓

Neal Maupay pulled off one of the WORST misses you’ll EVER see for Brentford 🤯
pic.twitter.com/xD1Pd87wPE

— Second Tier podcast (@secondtierpod) November 18, 2022

The golden opportunity emerged as Ollie Watkins won the possession in front of the box by beating Sean Morrison in a duel and he fooled the keeper to pass it to Maupay, who only had an open goal in front of him.

However, Maupay took some time to slot it home as defender Sol Bamba ran onto the goal-line to stop the shot. Surprisingly, Maupay did not let Bamba do anything as he fired it inches off the post. Brentford eventually lost the game by 0-2.

Cristiano Ronaldo

(Manchester United vs Sheffield United, Premier League 2006-07)

Cristiano Ronaldo, arguably the greatest footballer ever, also finds himself on this unfortunate list. The dreaded Portuguese netted the most goals in football history, although his unbelievable miss came in his early days at Old Trafford. Ronaldo wasted this open-scoring chance during a Premier League game against Sheffield United in 2006.

Cristiano Ronaldo pic.twitter.com/qKDPSCU4Nz

— LSPN_FC (@LSPN__FC) November 11, 2024

A sublime backheel by Wayne Rooney opened a space in front of the box for the Red Devils as Ryan Giggs intercepted the pass before cutting a grounder through Sheffield's defence. The ball comfortably found Cristiano Ronaldo but his strike flew over the crossbar from a very close distance to the goal.

Lionel Messi 

(Argentina vs Trinidad and Tobago, Friendly, 2014)

Lionel Messi, the other footballer who is arguably considered the greatest footballer of all-time, has also entered this fateful list due to his unbelievable blunder for Argentina against Trinidad and Tobago on 4 June 2014, prior to the 2014 FIFA World Cup. 

Angel Di Maria fired into the opponent box and released a comfortable pass before the ball could cross the goal-line, but Messi failed to respond quickly as the defender cleared the ball from in front of an open goal before even Messi could intercept.

Randal Kolo Muani

(France vs Argentina, 2022 FIFA World Cup Final)

This wasted scoring opportunity changed Argentina's football history as Argentina lifted the 2022 FIFA World Cup by beating France in penalties, following an unnerving 3-3 draw after extra time. 

The 120-minute Final showcased a brilliant display of football ending in a 3-3 draw between France and Argentina, before going down to penalties to decide the world champion. However, France could have snatched the World Cup if Randal Kolo Muani was not denied by Emiliano Martinez in the last minute of the game.

The last minute save by Emi Martinez from Kolo Muani's shot will go down in the history as arguably the most clutch save in a World Cup Final and a very memorable for us Messi Fans. With that save I knew Messi was going to have a date with destiny. 🇦🇷 pic.twitter.com/BtfArjcFIs

— Messiologist 🇦🇷🇪🇸 (@breathMessi23) February 11, 2023

A lobbed pass was intercepted by Kolo Muani in front of Argentina's box as Nicolas Otamendi failed to intercept, but Kolo Muani's first-touch attempt was denied by Argentina keeper Emiliano Martine who stretched his leg to stop the shot. Only 47 seconds were left before the final whistle! This miss will remain iconic for the heroic save by Emi rather than the blunder by Kolo Muani.

Fernando Torres 

(Chelsea vs Manchester United, Premier League 2011-12)

Fernando Torres was arguably the top striker in the world in and around 2007 to 2010. Chelsea broke the British transfer record to acquire the Spaniard from Liverpool in January 2011. Somehow, 'El Nino' failed to replicate his Liverpool performance at Stamford Bridge, and his disappointing tenure with the Blues was highlighted by a moment during a match against Manchester United in September 2011.

This Torres miss vs Man United, one of the biggest misses in prem history pic.twitter.com/B52St4Z6qM

— GreatMan (@UtdGreatt) February 27, 2024

Torres already scored the only goal for his team but Chelsea was behind 3-1. In the 83rd minute, Ramires played a beautiful through that cut the United defense open in half. Torres intercepted the ball and managed to ease past David de Gea with a skillful feint, having an open goal in front of him.

However, Torres surprisingly shot the ball wide of the post and missed the golden chance which went down as one of the worst misses in the Premier League history.

Yakubu Ayegbeni

(Nigeria vs South Korea, FIFA World Cup 2010)

Nigeria faced South Korea in a do-or-die match after two consecutive defeats in the Group stage of FIFA World Cup 2010, and Yakubu Ayegbeni crashed the headlines but not quite for the right reasons.

Like Yakubu Aiyegbeni Like Yakubu Mahmoud 🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️pic.twitter.com/EleHzAGR6A

— ỌjịUgo™️🍫👁️‍🗨️ (@OjiUgo_nwa) October 10, 2023

Midfielder Yusuf Ayila delivered a ball right into the six-yard box where Ayegbeni received the pass, but he missed the absolute sitter from inches close to the goal. The match eventually ended in a 2-2 draw and Nigeria finished at the bottom of the group.

Ilija Sivonjic

(Dinamo Zagreb vs Cibalia Vinkovci, HNK 2006)

Croatian footballer Ilija Sivonjic's open miss in 2006 for Dinamo Zagreb against Cibalia is widely considered one of the worst misses in football history. 

Ilija Sivonjic pic.twitter.com/kVjs9VHkzY

— Football Hub (@FootbalIhub) November 8, 2024

In the 33rd minute of the game, one of his Dinamo teammates slotted the ball on target. Although it went past the opposition keeper, it was stopped by Sivonjic who attempted a backheel to tap it in. The ball inexplicably bounced off the goal line and one of the Cibalia defenders sent it out of play. 

Ronny Rosenthal

(Liverpool vs Aston Villa, 1996)

Ronny Rosenthal started his Liverpool career very well, scoring 7 goals in his first 8 games. He even scored a hat-trick in his first game against Charlton. However, he couldn't keep up this great form later.

Ronny Rosenthal with one of the worst misses of all time vs Aston Villa, 1992. pic.twitter.com/rOf0NRFVDI

— 90s Football (@90sfootball) January 27, 2021

In 1992 during Pool's PL encounter against Aston Villa, Rosenthal wasted a golden opportunity to score. Rosenthal intercepted a long ball from David James and dribbled past the goalkeeper, but misfired his left-footed strike to hit the crossbar. This miss is still remembered as one of the worst misses in Premier League history.

Rosenthal later joked about this famous miss and said:

"Does it bother me? No it doesn't matter now. I'm glad it happened!

"I'm glad I missed because I'm still on the map [because of it]."

via Birmingham Live

In their final home game of 2024, the United States Women's National Team delivered a memorable win for a packed Lynn family stadium in Louisiana, giving fans exactly what they hoped for. 

This victory was especially significant for midfielder Rose Lavelle, who celebrated her 100th cap with the national team. Here’s a recap of the key moments from the match.

Read Also| Youngest goalscorers in El Clasico: Lamine Yamal breaks 77-year-old record to become the youngest ever

First Half

The first shot of the game came from Vanina Preininger of Argentina in the 4th minute from 35 yards out and it was comfortably saved by goalkeeper Amanda Haught. USA responded in the 10th minute with a right footed shot from Emma Sears that was blocked.

OH YAY, NAE!#USWNT x @VW pic.twitter.com/BgrbbVQupZ

— U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) October 30, 2024

Both sides kept on mounting pressure on each other until 37th minute when Naomi Girma headed the ball from close range following a setpiece situation to give USA the lead her first international goal. Argentina tried to equalize through series of effort but were unable to find the back of the net.

Seven minutes later, Rose Lavelle delivered a corner, and Girma went for a header. The ball deflected off Cometti’s leg and into her own net, extending the United States’ lead to 2-0. This brought the first half to a close.

Read Also| Youngest players to score 50 Premier League Goals: Bukayo Saka joins the party

Second Half 

In her first cap and start, Alyssa Malonson assists Naomi Girma's first career brace!!! #USWNT x @VW pic.twitter.com/pmg0pcJsqx

— U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) October 31, 2024

Girma struck again early in the second half when Malonson passed to her, allowing Girma to head the ball into the upper right corner of the net in the 49th minute, increasing the lead to three goals. 

Read Also| Ballon d'Or 2024 Winners | Aitana Bontami and Rodri win the Ballon d'Or 2024

In the 82nd minute, Jaedyn Shaw had an opportunity for the USWNT but sent her right-footed free kick over the goal.

Read Also| Latest FIFA Rankings announced: Argentina remains on top, India climbs up to 125th

USWNT Upcoming Fixtures

The U.S. will finish the year with two matches in Europe, starting with a game against England at Wembley on November 30, followed by a matchup against the Netherlands in The Hague on December 3.

FIFA published the latest international rankings on 24 October 2024 after the international break in October 2024. The 2022 World Champions Argentina remains on top of the list. The Indian National Football team climbed up to 125th from their 126th position in the previous rankings published on 19 September 2024. 

FIFA Rankings: Top 10 (24 October 2024)

The World Champions Argentina continues to be in the 1st position even though they were handed over a -5.52 points deduction. Argentina ended the game against Venezuela in a 1-1 draw and had a majestic 6-0 win over Bolivia during this international break. 

Among the top 10, Brazil received the most points in this latest rankings as they received +12.35 points in total but they remain in the 5th position. Brazil had an away win against Chile by 2-1 and thrashed Peru by 4-0 on home soil. 

Colombia received the most points deduction in the top 10 teams and they have dropped to 10th after a -14.35 points deduction. However, Colombia lost 0-1 against Bolivia in an away match but had a 4-0 victory at home against Chile. 

Top 10

Indian National Football Team 

India faced a drop in the rankings published on 19 September 2024 as they slipped to 126th position from their previous 124th. However, India has now climbed up to the 125th position with +0.26 points received.

India was set to participate in a series of tri-nation friendlies against Vietnam and Lebanon during the international break in October 2024 but Lebanon withdrew due to political unrest in their country. India faced Vietnam on 12 October 2024 and the match ended in a 1-1 draw. 

Things we lob to see 😍

Farukh deftly lobs it over the keeper to equalise for India against Vietnam! ✨

Catch all the action from #VIEIND LIVE on #FanCode!#BlueTigers @IndianFootball pic.twitter.com/xlDz1LPFKU

— FanCode (@FanCode) October 12, 2024

The Indian team is yet to win a game under new manager Manolo Marquez and their next outing is set to be against Malaysia in a friendly on 19 November 2024.

Both in international and club football, goals often steal the limelight but in most cases, the orchestration that creates the pathway of a goal is an assist from a teammate. Every player plays very less international matches compared to club games and that is why it is tougher to accumulate a huge number of goals and assists in international football.

There are some players whose longevity, creativity, and passion for the game let them enter the chart of the players with most assists in international football. Let's look at the list consisting of the top 10 players. 

10. David Beckham - 36 Assists

The British football sensation, David Beckham made his debut with the England national team in 1996 and made 115 appearances before retiring from international football in May 2013.

Beckham was the Ballon d'Or Runner-up in 1999 and he was named English Player of the Year in 2003. In 2008, the FA enlisted him in the English Football Hall of Fame.  

Along with 17 international goals, Beckham also made 36 assists which makes him 10th in the list. 

9. Mesut Ozil - 40 Assists

One of the greatest playmakers the game has ever witnessed, Mesut Ozil debuted in 2009 for the Germany national team. Ozil played in three world cups with Germany and won the coveted trophy in 2014. 

Ozil retired from international football as a form of protest after Germany crashed out of the group stage in the 2018 World Cup and the DFB President Grindel accused him of racism. However, Ozil won the German Player of the Year Award 5 times in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, and 2016.

Before retiring, Ozil already made 92 appearances for Germany and had 40 assists by his name. 

8. Pele - 47 Assists*

Arguably one of the greatest footballers of all time, Pele debuted for the Brazil national team at the age of 16 in 1957 in a friendly against Argentina. He lifted three World Cups (formerly known as the Jules Rimet Trophy) for Brazil in 1958, 1962, and 1970 which is a Guinness record for the most World Cup wins by a single player.

The TIME named him as the greatest footballer of the 20th century and Reuters named him as the Greatest athlete of the century in 1999. 

According to some estimated data, Pele made 92 appearances for Brazil and he provided 47 assists before retiring from international football in 1977. 

7. Cristiano Ronaldo - 47 Assists

One of the most influential athletes of the 21st century and considered one of the greatest footballers ever, Cristiano Ronaldo debuted in the Portugal national team in 2003 and made a significant effect in Portuguese football for almost 22 years. 

Winning the EURO 2016 and UEFA Nations League 2018-19 for Portugal, the five-time Ballon winner established himself as the greatest Portuguese footballer of all-time.

Cristiano is now the captain of the national team and he has made 216 appearances for Portugal so far. He is the highest goalscorer ever in the history of international football as well with 133 goals by his name. Besides his brilliant goalscoring prowess, Ronaldo has also made 47 assists in international matches so far.

6. Kevin De Bruyne - 49 Assists

Kevin De Bruyne is one of the finest midfielders of this generation for his exquisite playmaking ability and skillful display on the pitch. He is considered one of the greatest Belgian footballers ever and he was a very crucial part of the famous Golden Generation of Belgium. 

He was a memorable part of the Belgium squad that finished third in the 2018 World Cup and was included in the official 2018 WC Dream Team.

The 33-year-old midfielder made his Belgium senior team debut in 2010 and has made 107 appearances so far. During this journey, De Bruyne has provided 49 assists as of now.  

5. Sandor Kocsis - 50 Assists*

The Hungarian forward Sandor Peter Kocsis stands fifth on the list. Kocsis debuted for the Hungary national team in 1948 at the age of 18 and played almost 70 matches before retiring in 1966. 

Kocsis was the highest goalscorer in the 1954 World Cup with 11 goals including two hat-tricks. He also scored 6 goals for the Hungary national team in the 1952 Helsinki Olympics and led them to win the Gold medal.

According to estimated data sources, Sandor Kocsis scored 75 goals for the national team and he also made 50 assists in international football.

4. Ferenc Puskás - 53 Assists*

Another Hungarian, and probably the greatest Hungarian footballer ever, Ferenc Puskás made his debut for the Hungary national team in 1945. He played 85 games for the national team and scored 84 goals. 

Puskás was another crucial part of the Hungary team that won the Gold medal in the 1952 Helsinki Olympics as he scored 4 goals in that tournament. Puskás also scored 4 goals in the 1954 World Cup including the opening goal in the final but Hungary lost to West Germany by 2-3. 

Puskás also played for the Spain national team for 4 times. He was named European Player of the 20th Century by L'Equipe. 

Before retiring from football in 1966, Puskás had 53 assists by his name. 

3. Lionel Messi - 57 Assists

Arguably considered the greatest footballer ever, Lionel Messi is both one of the best goalscorers and playmakers to ever grace the game. Debuting in 2005, Lionel Messi has made 189 appearances for the Argentina national team so far. 

Messi's greatest honour with the national team came in 2022 when he led Argentina to win the 2022 World Cup, and he was named the Best Player of the Tournament. Messi is the only player to win two Golden Ball awards in 2014 and 2022. 

The record 8-time Ballon winner also won two Copa Americas with Argentina, consecutively in 2021 and 2024. 

With 112 goals for the national team, he also made 57 assists in international games and he will surely surpass the toppers of the list in his remaining appearances for Argentina. 

2. Neymar Jr. - 58 Assists

The greatest Brazilian footballer of this generation, Neymar Jr. is another forward whose display is not only exquisite in goalscoring but also in playmaking. 

Neymar Jr. made his debut with the Brazilian national team in 2010 and won the Golden Ball for being selected as the best player of the tournament in Brazil's Confederations Cup triumph in 2013. He scored 4 goals and made 2 assists in 5 matches in that tournament.

However, after suffering a horrendous injury in the 2014 World Cup, Neymar led the Brazil team to win the Olympics Gold on home soil in the 2016 Rio Olympics. 

Neymar is also the all-time highest goalscorer of Brazil's national football team with 79 goals by his name. Neymar is tied with the leader on this list with his 58 assists in 129 international appearances but he will surely clinch the top spot in his remaining career. 

1. Landon Donovan - 58 Assists

The USMNT footballing legend is the leader in this list which may shock some but does not demean his excellence. Landon Donovan is considered the greatest footballer the USMNT has ever had. Making his debut in 2000 for the USMNT, he made 157 appearances before retiring from international football in 2014. 

Landon Donovan appeared in 3 editions of the World Cup and scored 5 goals in 12 World Cup appearances. He also won 4 CONCACAF Gold Cups with USMNT in 2002, 2005, 2007, and 2013. After his retirement, Donovan was named as the greatest-ever USMNT player by The Guardian.

Landon Donovan is still atop the list with 58 international assists by his name. 

NB: In case of starred (*) players, there are no authentic records, and their stats are mostly estimated by various sources.