标签： South America

For Colombia’s James Rodríguez, the yellow national team jersey has always brought out the best in his decades-long football career, and the 34-year-old veteran midfielder is poised to conjure up his trademark magic on one of the sport’s biggest stages: the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Rodríguez and Los Cafeteros will kick off their 2026 World Cup campaign on Wednesday against Uzbekistan at Mexico’s iconic Estadio Azteca. Though Rodríguez has had a low-profile stint so far with Major League Soccer’s Minnesota United this season, his national team’s coaching staff and young teammates are unanimous that the veteran remains a game-changing difference-maker for the Colombian side.

“James is in good shape, he has been improving physically and of course his talent and his attributes also make him a player who, sometimes without running as much as others, defines things and brings clarity to the game,” Colombia head coach Néstor Lorenzo told reporters ahead of the opening match.

This tournament marks Rodríguez’s third World Cup appearance, tying the all-time Colombian record previously set by national football legends Carlos Valderrama and Freddy Rincón. For young first-time World Cup players like 23-year-old forward Carlos Gómez, sharing a squad with the veteran icon is a surreal, exciting opportunity.

“He’s very important for us debutants because he’s played in every World Cup; he’s a global icon,” Gómez said. “He has quality and a lot of experience. I watched him from home in 2014 and celebrated his goals; it’s very exciting for me to be with him.”

A pattern has long defined Rodríguez’s career: while he often fills a rotational role at the club level, he transforms into an unmissable star when he pulls on Colombia’s national jersey. Heading into the 2026 tournament, he arrives surprisingly fresh, having logged only 284 minutes across eight appearances for Minnesota in the first half of the 2026 MLS season. A lack of club minutes has never held him back on the international stage, however, as Rodríguez has consistently proven to be a talisman for Colombia in short-format knockout tournaments.

Most recently, Rodríguez led Colombia to a surprise run to the 2024 Copa América final, earning tournament MVP honors for his standout play. His legendary international breakthrough came 12 years earlier at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, where he claimed the Golden Boot with six tournament goals and pushed Colombia to a historic quarterfinal finish — still the best World Cup result in the nation’s history. That breakout performance earned him a high-profile transfer to La Liga powerhouse Real Madrid, where he won two domestic titles over four seasons before launching a globe-trotting club career that has taken him to Bayern Munich, Everton, Al-Rayyan, Olympiacos, São Paulo, Rayo Vallecano, Club León and ultimately Minnesota United.

Teammates say Rodríguez’s ability to elevate his play for the national side is unmatched. “James, ever since we’ve seen him, or I since I was little, representing the country, it’s like he transforms when he puts on the jersey,” Colombian striker Luis Suárez said. “He’s a source of pride as an athlete and a teammate, not only for me but for many others. It’s a dream to be sharing the locker room with him.”

For Colombia as a whole, the 2026 World Cup carries extra meaning: the nation missed out on qualification for the 2022 Qatar tournament, and is returning to football’s grandest stage hungry for redemption. The side’s last World Cup appearance came in 2018 in Russia, where it advanced to the knockout round before falling to England in a tense penalty shootout.

“The message is to enjoy it, to be grateful, and to give their all for the Colombian jersey,” Lorenzo said. “Thank God we’re back at this tournament after eight years. We’re excited and eager to do things right.”

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — On a picture-perfect evening at Arrowhead Stadium, soccer icon Lionel Messi etched his name deeper into World Cup history Tuesday, securing his first-ever tournament hat trick and drawing level with the competition’s all-time career scoring record to power defending champion Argentina to a commanding 3-0 win over Algeria in their opening Group J match.

Messi, who is set to turn 39 next week and is competing in a record sixth World Cup, opened the scoring just minutes into the contest, finishing a crisp, well-timed pass from his Inter Miami and Argentina teammate Rodrigo De Paul. The second goal came early in the second half, as Messi pounced on a loose rebound in the penalty area. Shortly after, he slotted home his third from the top of the 18-yard box before being substituted to a thunderous standing ovation from a crowd heavily dominated by pro-Argentina supporters.

The three goals pushed Messi’s career World Cup tally to 16, tying the long-standing record set by Germany’s Miroslav Klose. The milestone also makes him just the second men’s player in history, alongside Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo, to score in five separate World Cup tournaments. What makes the feat even more notable: it came exactly 20 years to the day after Messi’s World Cup debut, where he also found the back of the net against Serbia and Montenegro in 2004.

Algeria head coach Vladimir Petkovic acknowledged his side’s costly errors that cleared Messi’s path to the historic hat trick. “Unfortunately we afforded him the opportunity with the first and second goal, and we actually made it easier for him,” Petkovic said. “But Messi, with his clear thinking in crucial stages of the game, is able to do things that much more easily.”

Algeria star Riyad Mahrez echoed that sentiment, noting the irreplaceable impact of Messi on any match. “Argentina have a special player who can change a game on his own,” Mahrez said.

The strong opening result is a stark reversal of Argentina’s rocky start to the 2022 Qatar World Cup, where the defending champions stumbled to a shocking opening defeat to Saudi Arabia before rallying to claim their third World Cup title. Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni emphasized the importance of a strong start this time around. “We had stumbled in the last World Cup and we needed to have a good debut today,” Scaloni said.

Messi showed no lingering effects from the mild hamstring injury that sparked concern among fans and analysts in the weeks leading up to the tournament. He nearly added two more goals to his tally: one finish was ruled out by the narrowest of offside calls, and a second long-range strike skimmed just over the crossbar. Beyond his offensive dominance, Messi also contributed to Argentina’s solid defensive shape, helping the side shut down an overmatched Algeria attack.

Algeria’s only clear goalscoring opportunity came minutes before Messi’s opener, when a Fares Chaibi strike was overturned by VAR review for offside. From that point, the match belonged entirely to Argentina and its captain.

Messi, who says he has carried a passion for the game since childhood, remained focused on the bigger picture after the historic win. “The first matches at the World Cup are always tough, and we’re seeing that nobody’s giving anything away,” Messi said. “When I’m in good shape, I give it my all.”

Tuesday’s match at Arrowhead Stadium fulfilled a decades-long dream held by late sports pioneer Lamar Hunt, who founded the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs and was a foundational figure in growing soccer in the U.S. from the 1960s through the early 2000s. Hunt was instrumental in bringing the 1994 World Cup to the U.S., and his sons Clark and Dan have continued that work for this year’s tournament. Among the celebrity spectators in attendance was Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who attended alongside his wife Brittany, trading his game-day football uniform for casual Argentina-themed attire.

Looking ahead, Argentina will continue group play next with a match against Austria in Arlington, Texas on Monday, before closing out the group stage against Jordan on June 27. Algeria will face Jordan Monday in Santa Clara, California, before wrapping up Group J play against Austria back in Kansas City on June 27. De Paul summed up Argentina’s ambitions for the tournament, saying: “The goal is always to arrive on the first day and leave on the last.”

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — When the reigning three-time FIFA World Cup champions Argentina kicked off their 2026 title defense against Algeria on Tuesday, the energy surrounding Arrowhead Stadium wasn’t just noise — it was a testament to the unparalleled passion of the Albiceleste’s global fanbase. For supporters of the South American side, no journey is too arduous, no expense too steep, especially as legend Lionel Messi, set to turn 39 next week, is widely expected to compete in his final World Cup.

Across the region, stories of fan dedication abound. Three diehard supporters completed a grueling 11,000-mile bicycle journey all the way from South America to Kansas City, arriving in time for the opening group match without even securing match tickets in hand. Another group drove 20 hours straight, surviving on inexpensive sandwiches to cut travel costs, just to catch a glimpse of their beloved team.

For 73-year-old Daniel Otero, attending his seventh World Cup, this tournament is worth every dollar. He has dropped roughly $100,000 to cover all expenses for himself and his two sons to follow Argentina through the coming weeks of competition. “We are crazy for Argentina,” Otero explained. “That’s why we spend so much money to see our country, our national team.” Even for high-profile matches with sky-high resale ticket prices, fans have proven unwilling to miss the historic moment. Otero alone spent $40,000 just on match tickets for his party.

The global pull of this Argentina side, anchored by Messi, has drawn comparisons to one of sports’ most iconic dynasties. “Argentina now is like the Chicago Bulls with Michael Jordan,” said 43-year-old Juan Martin, a fan traveling from Buenos Aires. “In his prime, he had fans around the world. Argentina has fans around the world with Messi.” Martin and his girlfriend Agostina Gomez Uvia plan to follow the team across the United States for a full month, an adventure they estimate will cost each of them $20,000.

Even local U.S. fans have caught Messi mania, a sight that has surprised even traveling Argentinian supporters. Franco Otero, Daniel’s 27-year-old son, marveled at seeing American families wearing Argentina jerseys printed with Messi’s name and number. “I can’t remember an Argentinian team without Messi,” he said. That sentiment is echoed by fans across generations. Manuel Valdes, a 29-year-old engineer from Corrientes, Argentina, who traveled to the match with his father and younger brother, noted Messi’s transformative impact on global football: “He changed the game. There’s a before and after in football.”

Outside the stadium, even fans who lacked formal tickets turned the pre-match tailgate into a celebration of the team and their captain. Eleven-year-old Andre Cornuz, a Miami native with Argentine roots, helped his father mount an Argentina flag atop their family van. Nearby, the fan collective Los Sin Entradas — “Those Without Tickets” — set up drums and a large banner reading “Lio Te Quiero” (“I love you, Lio”) alongside a giant portrait of Messi, drawing passing fans to stop for photos. “I have been raised with Messi,” Andre said. “I am very connected to the land.” The collective will follow Argentina to its next match in Dallas, and then to whatever city the team advances to, he added.

Organizers say the outpouring of support from Argentina fans has exceeded all expectations. Pam Kramer, chief executive of the Kansas City local organizing committee, highlighted the story of the three cycling fans who arrived ticketless: local supporters from Johnson County, Kansas stepped up immediately to ensure they got access to a match. “Nobody is doing it for show,” Kramer said. “We want people to see what we see, that this place is pretty special.”

Hours before kickoff, thousands of fans were already lined up at stadium gates, buzzing with excitement. Jorgelina Skorput, a 34-year-old Argentine-born New Yorker who moved to the U.S. at age 9, drove two days with friends to reach Kansas City. To keep costs down, the group skipped expensive downtown hotels, staying at an Airbnb an hour outside the city and sticking to cheap snacks on the road. All told, Skorput estimates her trip will cost around $2,000, including an $800 match ticket. “I felt like this is the only time, the only opportunity I’m going to get to see the World Cup,” she said. “We’re the last champions.”

On a crisp matchday in Kansas City, Missouri, where a sea of 69,045 fans packed the NFL Chiefs’ home stadium draped in Argentina’s sky blue and white, Lionel Messi turned the opening game of the World Cup into a historic milestone that will go down in soccer lore.

After slotting home his first goal of the night in the opening minutes off a clever pass from his Inter Miami teammate Rodrigo De Paul, the normally unflappable Argentine captain let his emotions spill over, pressing his sweat-soaked jersey to his face to wipe away tears. He would go on to add two more strikes: an opportunistic rebound finish early in the second half, and a clinical, sharp strike just before he exited the pitch to a full standing ovation from the crowd, which was overwhelmingly tilted in Argentina’s favor. The 3-0 win over Algeria cemented a historic hat trick, and pulled Messi level with Germany’s Miroslav Klose for the most career goals in men’s World Cup history.

The landmark achievement carried extra weight: it came exactly 20 years to the day that Messi made his own World Cup debut against Serbia and Montenegro, where he also scored as a teenage prospect. With the three goals, he also became only the second player ever to score in five different World Cup tournaments, a feat matched only by Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo. This opening match also marked Messi’s 200th senior international cap for Argentina, dating back to his first call-up in 2005 at 18 years old — putting him third on the all-time list for most men’s international appearances, behind only Ronaldo and Kuwait’s Bader al-Mutawa.

In the lead-up to the tournament, questions lingered over a minor hamstring injury that had sidelined Messi slightly during his club season with Inter Miami, as well as whether the 36-year-old (who turns 39 next week) could lead Argentina to become only the third men’s team to win consecutive World Cup titles. Those questions were fully answered on the pitch. After the match, Messi opened up briefly about his emotional reaction to the opening goal, noting that the outpouring came after a stretch of difficult personal days unrelated to football, before thanking his teammates and staff for their support.

“It makes me very happy to have lived through everything that came my way. What I’m living though now is the cherry on top,” Messi said in his post-match press conference. “I’m very happy and grateful for this wonderful group. I enjoy it so much.”

Messi’s historic night even overshadowed standout performances from two of the sport’s other biggest global stars on the same day. Kylian Mbappé of France notched a brace in France’s 3-1 win over Senegal to climb to 14 career World Cup goals, while Erling Haaland scored twice in Norway’s 4-1 victory over Iraq. Even Haaland, one of the top young strikers in the game, took to social media during Argentina’s match to pay tribute, writing simply: “Messi is a madman.”

Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni could barely find words to describe his captain’s performance. “At a loss for words about Leo. What can I say? He’s incredible,” Scaloni said.

Algeria’s manager Vladimir Petkovic echoed that praise, highlighting Messi’s enduring class after two decades at the top of the sport. “Class is permanent,” Petkovic said. “He’s fortunate to have the privilege that the entire Argentina team works for him, and supports him, and for a number of years now — decades — he’s done incredible things.”

De Paul, who set up Messi’s opening goal, emphasized that the Argentine captain’s greatest strength goes far beyond individual scoring, noting that he prioritizes the team’s success over personal milestones. “It’s an advantage to have Leo because of how he handles the group and pushes it forward. Because of who he is,” De Paul said. “He doesn’t care about individual records. He prioritizes the group, and for us it’s incredible.”

Messi-mania has gripped the Kansas City metro ever since Argentina set up their World Cup base camp in the region two weeks ago, with thousands of fans trekking to the match wearing Messi’s iconic number 10 jersey to catch a glimpse of the player widely considered soccer’s greatest of all time, nicknamed the GOAT. Even a pre-match watch party downtown included a lighthearted moment where a goat wearing an Argentina jersey appeared on stage alongside former NFL quarterback Jameis Winston — a fitting joke that foreshadowed Messi’s career-defining performance just an hour later.

With 16 career World Cup goals already, Klose’s all-time record looks set to fall to Messi in the coming weeks of the tournament. The hat trick was Messi’s first ever in World Cup play, his 11th for the Argentine national team, and the 61st of his entire professional career. It also extended his streak to five consecutive World Cup matches with at least one goal, further cementing his unmatched legacy on soccer’s biggest stage.

As the FIFA World Cup kicks off matches in Kansas City, Missouri, soccer fans from across the globe have brought more than just team flags, jerseys, and chants to their matchday celebrations – they’ve brought a centuries-old cultural tradition: yerba mate. The caffeinated South American staple, long embedded in the daily life of countries like Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, and southern Brazil, has ridden soccer’s multicultural wave to grow in popularity across the United States, even becoming a go-to beverage for top professional athletes both on and off the pitch.

When the reigning World Cup champions from Argentina arrived at their Kansas City hotel ahead of their opening group stage match, hundreds of fans gathered outside, passing around traditional hollowed gourd cups fitted with metal bombilla straws – the signature tool that filters the steeped yerba leaves while sipping. Just blocks away, at Cafe Corazon, one of the Midwest’s largest yerba mate importers, a line of fans clad in Argentina’s iconic sky-blue and white striped jerseys stretched out the door on the eve of the team’s first 2026 World Cup match.

“Our mate has been flying off the shelves,” shared Dulcinea Herrera, co-owner of the local cafe. “So many new people are coming in to try it. Non-Argentinian visitors want to experience the tradition for themselves, while Argentinian expats tell us sipping here reminds them of home.”

The drink’s connection to elite world soccer is no secret, with many of the sport’s biggest names counting themselves as lifelong fans. Uruguay’s Luis Suarez is known to be an avid drinker, and Argentina’s Lionel Messi cemented the beverage’s place in sports pop culture after the 2022 World Cup final, when he shared a photo of himself holding the World Cup trophy in one hand and a traditional mate gourd in the other.

Yerba mate has a rich history stretching back centuries, originating with Indigenous communities in South America before being adopted by the region’s iconic gaucho cowboys, explains Christine Folch, a Duke University cultural anthropologist and author of *The Book of Yerba Mate*. Today, it has been adapted across the globe, with different cultures putting their own unique spin on preparation and serving. Regional preparation customs even act as cultural identifiers when fans gather for matches, with drinkers from different South American nations preferring distinct vessels and brewing methods. Folch herself maintains an extensive collection of mate vessels, including pieces crafted from cow hooves and horns, hand-stitched leather-wrapped metal cups, and traditional hollowed gourds.

The drink’s global spread took an early turn in the 20th century, when it gained widespread popularity in Syria and Lebanon – a history that explains why traditional dried yerba mate leaves have long been available at Middle Eastern grocery stores across the United States, Folch notes. For mainstream American consumers, yerba mate is most often sold in refrigerated canned form, marketed as a natural energy drink infused with fruit flavors. Cuban American communities have developed their own sweetened, carbonated version of the beverage, while in Berlin, the carbonated brand Club Mate is a popular mixer for alcoholic drinks.

Unlike coffee, which often leaves drinkers feeling jittery from high caffeine concentrations, traditional yerba mate carries a mild smoky note from its traditional leaf-smoked preparation, with an earthy, grassy flavor profile that delivers steady energy without the unpleasant crash. For first-time buyers, Folch adds, the correct pronunciation is “MAH-teh” – not the English word for a soccer teammate.

Beyond its caffeine boost and unique flavor, yerba mate is fundamentally a social beverage, making it a perfect fit for large sporting gatherings. By longstanding tradition, drinkers share a single cup among a group, passing it around to build connection. “When somebody offers you mate and you accept, you’ve stepped into a relationship,” Folch explained. “It’s a way of bonding with people.”

That social tradition played out in full at Cafe Corazon this June, as traveling fans connected over shared cups of mate ahead of the match. Sebastian Cufre and his father Rene, a native Argentinian who now lives in Albuquerque, drove cross-country to Kansas City in search of last-minute match tickets, and ended up bonding with fellow Argentina fans over a round of mate at the cafe. “It’s something you always pass around during games,” Rene Cufre said. Though he’s seen the mass-market canned American version of the drink, he is not a fan: “Honestly, I don’t even consider that to be mate. That’s a completely different type of beverage.”

No matter the preparation style, mate fans across Kansas City are encouraging North American fans to give the traditional drink a try when it’s passed around at cafes, watch parties, or stadium concourses. For many, it is far more than a drink to boost matchday energy – it is a way to connect across boundaries. “It’s not only a drink, but a social thing,” said Fernando Villagran, an Argentinian fan who traveled from California to support his national team. “It is about friendship.”