Lionel Messi injury scare ends with relief for Argentina ahead of 2026 World Cup
Argentina have received an early boost ahead of the 2026 World Cup after fears over a possible injury to Lionel Messi proved less serious than first expected.
Orlando Pirates striker Andre de Jong dealt crushing World Cup blow
The 29-year-old had high hopes of making the team to face Belguim, Egypt and Iran in Group G when the tournament kicks off in the United States, Canada and Mexico in June.
De Jong recently made a return to the All Whites' squad for their March international friendlies.
He had swapped Stellenbosch for Pirates in January but had largely been used as a bit-part player by head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou.
The former Wanderers, Maccabi Hakoah, Eastern Suburbs, AmaZulu and Royal AM frontman made 11 appearances across all competitions, scoring one goal.
Captain Chris Wood headlines a strong All Whites squad unveiled by head coach Darren Bazeley.
Speaking after the announcement, Bazeley said he was happy with the quality and experience of his side.
He told the FIFA website: "We spent the last three years monitoring and tracking 50 players around the world and then arrived at the final process of selecting this squad, which is such a big moment.
“We left no stone unturned to make the right decisions to get the right balance for the squad, so there's been a lot of nice conversations in recent days but also some challenging ones with players that missed out.
“It's a really strong squad: talented, exciting, experienced and ready to go make New Zealand proud and create history for us at the World Cup.”
New Zealand's World Cup squad
Goalkeepers: Max Crocombe, Alex Paulsen, Michael Woud
Defenders: Tyler Bindon, Michael Boxall, Liberato Cacace, Francis de Vries, Callan Elliot, Tim Payne, Nando Pijnaker, Tommy Smith, Finn Surman
Midfielders: Lachlan Bayliss, Joe Bell, Matt Garbett, Eli Just, Callum McCowatt, Ben Old, Alex Rufer, Marko Stamenic, Sarpreet Singh, Ryan Thomas
Forwards: Kosta Barbarouses, Jesse Randall, Ben Waine, Chris Wood
Orlando Pirates midfielder Simphiwe Selepe reacts to breakthrough performance
Orlando Pirates may have ended their 14-year wait for league glory on Saturday, but one of the biggest stories from the afternoon was the stunning rise of youngster Simphiwe Selepe.
Abdeslam Ouaddou full of praise as Orlando Pirates scoop Betway Premiership title
Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has expressed his happiness after guiding the Buccaneers to their first South African top-flight title for the first time in 14 years.
Abdeslam Ouaddou casts doubt over Orlando Pirates future after securing historic title
Orlando Pirates boss Abdeslam Ouaddou has admitted feeling tired from the demands of a relentless season, as he reflected on a year of major success for the club.