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In the world of football, Argentina announced a 28-member team for the upcoming World Cup Qualifiers against Chile and Colombia. While Lionel Messi was a prominent absentee, who is out with a ankle injury, the side will also miss Angel di Maria. Apart from it, Ilkay Gundogan of Germany and Switzerland goalkeeper Yann Sommer announced retirement from international football.
Read below to learn details about these top stories and other happenings in the sporting world in the last 24 hours.
Football
Argentina announce squad for World Cup Qualifiers; Messi ruled out
Argentina announced their squad for the forthcoming World Cup Qualifiers against Chile and Colombia. However, contrary to everyone's expectations, Argentine football great Lionel Messi missed a spot in the 28-member team. The Argentina’s football team captain will miss the clashes against Chile and Colombia due to injury. Messi suffered an ankle ligament injury during Argentina’s win over Colombia in the Copa America final played in July.
Al Nassr likely to sack coach Luis Castro ahead of Saudi Pro League
After Al Nassr’s embarrassing 4-1 loss in the Saudi Super Cup final against Al Hilal, it is being reported that the Saudi club might sack Portuguese coach Luis Castro. As reported by Marca, the Riyadh based club has decided to cut their losses with their coach. If reports are to be believed, Ronaldo had approved Castro’s appointment and the board led by Ibrahim Al Muhidib has now decided to relieve the Portuguese coach of his duties.
Thierry Henry steps down as France's U-21 boss
Thierry Henry has resigned as the coach of France's Under-21 national soccer team, according to an announcement by the French Football Federation (FFF) on Monday. His decision to step down comes just days after the team’s loss to Spain in the Olympic final. The FFF revealed that Henry, whose contract was set to run until June 2025, cited personal reasons for his departure.
Ilkay Gundogan announces retirement from international football
German football captain Ilkay Gündogan announced retirement from international football in a post on his social media. The 33-year-old, who has appeared in 82 international fixtures for Germany from 2011 to 2024, was last seen leading Germany in the 2024 Euro Cup where they lost by 1-2 margin in the quarterfinals against the eventual champions Spain.
Switzerland goalkeeper Yann Sommer retires from international football
On Monday, Yann Sommer, the Swiss goalkeeper, declared his retirement from international football at the age of 35, concluding a distinguished 12-year career with the national team. Over his tenure, Sommer earned 94 caps for Switzerland, debuting in 2012. His notable contributions included helping the Swiss team reach the quarter-finals of the European Championship last month, where they were narrowly defeated by eventual runners-up England in a penalty shootout.
Some major results in football are as under:
English Premier League
Leicester City 1:1 Tottenham Hotspur
Spanish La Liga
Real Valladolid 1:0 Espanyol
Villarreal 2:2 Atletico Madrid
German DFB Pokal
Eintracht Braunschweig 1:4 Eintracht Frankfurt
Italian Serie A
Leece 0:4 Atalanta
Juventus 3:0 Como
Tennis
Stefanos Tsitsipas asks ChatGPT to roast him; response goes viral
Greece tennis international, Stefanos Tsitsipas on Tuesday, August 20 tried his hands on the new Artificial Intelligence (AI) tool, ChatGPT. The 26-year-old, who made an early exit from Cincinnati Masters, sought some help from AI to “roast” him. In a reply which is going viral, the bot played beautifully with the words, as it compared his style of play with his daily lifestyle.
Jannik Sinner wins Cincinnati Open after hammering Frances Tiafoe 7-6, 6-2
World number one Jannik Sinner secured a significant victory at the Cincinnati Open by defeating Frances Tiafoe 7-6(4), 6-2 in the final on Monday, August 19. This win not only marked his fifth title of the year but also positioned him as a top contender for the upcoming US Open in New York.
Aryna Sabalenka beats Jessica Pegula to clinch iconic Cincinnati Open crown
Aryna Sabalenka showcased her formidable power and precision to defeat American Jessica Pegula 6-3, 7-5 and win the Cincinnati Open on Monday. This victory marks Sabalenka's sixth WTA 1000 title and sends a strong message ahead of the upcoming U.S. Open. Sabalenka, a two-time Australian Open champion, dominated the match with her powerful serve, dropping only nine points on serve and delivering 10 aces.
Others
PM Narendra Modi interacts with athletes ahead of Paris Paralympics 2024
Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, spoke to all 84 athletes who will be featuring at the upcoming 2024 Paris Paralympics. The Paralympics are scheduled to be held from August 28 till September 8 in the French capital. India will send its biggest-ever delegation, with 84 athletes competing across 12 sports, including archery, athletics, badminton, canoeing, cycling, blind judo, powerlifting, rowing, shooting, swimming, table tennis and taekwondo.
D Gukesh plays out draw against world champion Ding Liren in opening round of Sinquefield Cup
Indian Grandmaster D Gukesh clashed against the reigning world champion Ding Liren in the first round of the Sinquefield Cup in St. Louis, where he ended by in a draw result. Notably, the Indian chess star recently booked his spot in the world championships by winning the 2024 Candidates Tournament. Gukesh is currently on number six in the world rankings while Ding is on his lowest ever rank, world number 15. The game was their first encounter since Gukesh’s recent win.
