Global Pulse

标签： South America

南美洲

  • After Messi’s farewell, what is next for Argentina’s national team?

    After Messi’s farewell, what is next for Argentina’s national team?

    BUENOS AIRES – After a storied 21-year international career that culminated with lifting the 2022 FIFA World Cup trophy, Argentine football icon Lionel Messi has formally announced his retirement from the national side, closing one of the most legendary chapters in the history of the global game.

    The 39-year-old, who leaves the side as Argentina’s all-time leading goalscorer with 125 international strikes, made the announcement public via an Instagram post this Monday. “I gave it my all; I have nothing left to give,” Messi wrote. “Besides, there are young players coming up who deserve to be here.”

    Messi made his senior international debut for the Albiceleste in 2005, and went on to make a record-breaking mark on World Cup history: he appeared in six editions of the tournament, holds the all-time record for most World Cup matches played (34) and most World Cup match victories (23). While the timing of his international departure had long been anticipated given his age, the official confirmation has sparked an outpouring of emotion from current teammates and generations of fans who grew up watching him lead Argentina’s line.

    For Enzo Fernández, the 25-year-old star midfielder who made his international debut just months before the 2022 Qatar World Cup, the reality of a national camp without Messi is difficult to imagine. “I was just a kid, calculating the age gap between us to see if I might one day get to play alongside you,” Fernández said. “It’s hard for me to picture the next training camp without you — stepping onto the pitch and not seeing you up front in that No. 10 jersey. … We’re going to miss you dearly, Captain.”

    With Messi’s era officially over, all attention now turns to what comes next for the Argentine national side, a program that reached the latest World Cup final just six weeks prior to Messi’s announcement. The biggest question hanging over the side is simple: can Argentina’s renowned youth development system produce another generational talent to fill the void left by the greatest player of his era?

    This is not the first time Argentina has faced this challenge. The same uncertainty gripped the nation in 1994, when Diego Maradona’s international career ended abruptly after a positive drug test at the U.S. World Cup. It took more than a decade for a player of Messi’s caliber to emerge to claim the iconic No. 10 role, and 36 years before Argentina lifted the World Cup trophy again following Maradona’s retirement.

    Jorge Valdano, a 1986 World Cup champion and veteran sports analyst, told the Associated Press that Argentina’s deep football culture creates the perfect conditions for elite talent to emerge. “Argentina has a deep-rooted culture. Players grow up learning the craft on the street and at local clubs; football permeates everything,” Valdano said. “In that environment, a genius is far more likely to emerge. But to become Messi, you need to win both the genetic lottery and the social lottery.”

    At present, no active Argentine player matches Messi’s unparalleled technical brilliance and on-field impact. But there are several promising young prospects already in the senior squad in contention to step into the playmaking role that Messi dominated for two decades. Both Nico Paz and Thiago Almada shared the pitch with Messi during the 2026 World Cup, and while neither delivered a standout performance during the tournament, both have shown strong club form. Paz earned recognition as the best midfielder in Serie A last season with Como, while Almada recently joined Argentine powerhouse River Plate after a stint at Atlético Madrid.

    Argentina has already proven it can collect results when Messi is unavailable: in the final years of his international career, recurring injury issues forced Messi to miss more than 20 national team matches, and the side still maintained a strong winning record in his absence. During World Cup qualifying, manager Lionel Scaloni adjusted his tactical setup to pair center-forwards Julián Álvarez and Lautaro Martínez, while giving Almada and Paz opportunities to fill the traditional attacking playmaker role long held by Messi.

    Even with that proven adaptability, the magnitude of the gap Messi leaves remains undeniable. His match-winning performances throughout the 2022 World Cup, where he repeatedly dragged a collectively struggling Argentine side to victory, underscore just how impossible it will be to replace his impact on the biggest stages.

    Finding a successor to Messi is not the only question facing Argentine football’s next chapter. Scaloni, the manager who led the side to its most successful era in modern history – including two Copa America titles and one World Cup crown – has already hinted he could step down from his role by the end of the year, following Argentina’s 2026 World Cup final defeat to Spain. With Messi’s retirement now official, retaining Scaloni, whose current contract runs through December, has become a top priority for the Argentine Football Association (AFA) to steer the squad through this uncertain transition period.

    Fortunately for the Albiceleste, much of the current core roster is young enough to remain in peak form for the 2030 World Cup, which Argentina will co-host alongside Uruguay, Paraguay, and Chile. Key young pillars of the squad include defenders Cristian Romero and Lisandro Martínez (both 28), full-back Facundo Medina (27), midfielders Enzo Fernández (25), Alexis Mac Allister (27), and Valentín Barco (22), and forwards Giuliano Simeone (23) and Julián Álvarez (26).

    The first major test for the transitioning side will come at the 2028 Copa America. For the immediate future, Scaloni – who currently resides in Spain – is set to travel to Buenos Aires in the coming days to finalize plans for a series of friendly matches scheduled for September, October, and November. The AFA has not yet confirmed the opponents for these fixtures.

  • Oil giant Chevron is expected to announce it will expand operations in Venezuela, US official says

    Oil giant Chevron is expected to announce it will expand operations in Venezuela, US official says

    WASHINGTON — A senior United States government official, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with briefing rules established by the White House, confirmed Tuesday that American energy giant Chevron is on the cusp of announcing a major expansion of its oil operations in Venezuela. The formal rollout of the new investment initiative is scheduled for Wednesday, when senior leaders from Chevron and U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright will travel to Caracas to make the official announcement. As the second-largest oil producer headquartered in the United States, Chevron holds a unique position among American energy firms: it is the only U.S. oil company that maintains a large-scale operational footprint in Venezuela, which holds the world’s largest proven crude oil reserves. The upcoming announcement comes just one day after the White House formally confirmed a new partnership between U.S. authorities and Canada-based North American Blue Energy Partners. This collaboration aligns directly with former President Donald Trump’s broader policy push to unlock development of Venezuela’s vast underutilized oil reserves, a priority that has shaped U.S. energy and foreign policy toward the South American nation in recent years.

  • Days after Trump announces Venezuela oil deal, White House fills in some of the details

    Days after Trump announces Venezuela oil deal, White House fills in some of the details

    WASHINGTON – The White House formally introduced a landmark partnership with North American Blue Energy Partners (NABEP) on Monday, advancing former President Donald Trump’s policy initiative to unlock and develop Venezuela’s underutilized oil industry. The agreement, which establishes a new joint venture between the U.S. and the Venezuelan-led energy firm, grants the U.S. Pentagon a direct ownership stake in a holdings controlling roughly one-fifth of the South American nation’s massive proven oil reserves.

    The disclosure comes several days after Trump announced what he billed as “the biggest oil deal in history,” with new details released publicly Monday evening clarifying key terms of the sweeping agreement that had been withheld by the White House since the initial announcement. NABEP, which is owned by prominent Venezuelan businessman Alejandro Betancourt, already operates as the second-largest oil producer in Venezuela, trailing only U.S.-headquartered Chevron.

    Under the terms of the deal, Venezuela’s interim government led by acting President Delcy Rodríguez has granted the new joint venture 100-year development rights to 17 oil fields holding 65 billion barrels of proven reserves. According to White House documentation, the majority of these fields were previously controlled by energy firms based in Russia and China.

    The agreement allocates a 35% ownership stake in the new joint venture to the U.S. Department of Defense, while the U.S. State Department has secured a guarantee to purchase 20% of all oil output from the fields at production cost. Betancourt’s NABEP has committed to investing $100 billion to build and upgrade critical oil extraction and transportation infrastructure across the concession area.

    The Trump administration’s push for this deal follows a January military operation that resulted in the capture of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on federal charges of narcoterrorism and drug trafficking, clearing a major political hurdle for the initiative to move forward.

    Administration officials have framed the agreement as a financially risk-free arrangement for U.S. taxpayers, noting that the deal comes at “zero cost” to the federal government. The U.S. will also hold veto power over all board appointments, and a majority of the joint venture’s board members will be U.S. citizens.

    “The agreement with NABEP is governed by U.S. law and falls under the exclusive jurisdiction of U.S. courts, and NABEP will retain independent, reputable U.S.-based auditors, legal counsel and strategic advisers,” the White House outlined in an official fact sheet published alongside the new details.

    Despite the administration’s optimistic framing, energy and policy analysts have expressed widespread skepticism that the deal will deliver on its near-term promises, noting that it will likely take years of sustained investment and development to meaningfully restart and scale oil production in the concession. Even so, Trump and his senior advisors argue that the deal lays the groundwork to establish a major new oil producing power in the Western Hemisphere.

    Former U.S. government energy policy advisors have also warned that the agreement carries significant long-term political risk. Changes in administration in either Venezuela or the United States could lead to future legal or political challenges to the deal’s legitimacy and terms, creating uncertainty for investors and stakeholders.

  • Tandem bicycle club in Ecuador’s capital leads blind riders to new adventures

    Tandem bicycle club in Ecuador’s capital leads blind riders to new adventures

    In the mountain-ringed capital of Quito, Ecuador, a 19-year-old community organization is redefining what freedom and inclusion mean for people living with visual impairment. What started as a spontaneous, one-off outing has grown into a thriving cycling collective that has opened up new worlds of adventure for more than 100 blind and low-vision residents across the country.

    Franklin Ochoa, a 44-year-old Quito local who lost his vision 16 years ago, is one of the group’s most passionate and adventurous participants. Before losing his sight, he never imagined he would take on long-distance cross-country cycling challenges — but since joining Ciegocleta, a club whose name blends the Spanish words for “blind” and “bicycle,” he has already checked a 1,000-kilometer (621-mile) trip spanning most of Ecuador off his bucket list. For Ochoa, the feeling of rolling into a new town on two wheels brings unrivaled joy. “When I arrive on a bike in a new city I feel like shedding tears of happiness,” he shared. “I love speed and I always tell my guide to let go of the brakes.” His next ambition is even more ambitious: a multi-month overland ride from his home country all the way to Mexico, and he has already found a volunteer partner ready to join the journey.

    The story of Ciegocleta begins with Miguel Ramos, a Quito resident who loved cycling and built his own custom tandem bikes in his spare time. Ramos originally constructed the multi-seat cycles to ride Quito’s popular weekly *ciclopaseo* — an event that closes major city avenues to motor vehicles, opening the space exclusively for cyclists and joggers — with his own children. Everything changed when one of his children was unable to join a ride, and he spontaneously invited his blind neighbor to take their place. That single outing turned into a regular tradition, and the informal group of tandem rides with sighted guides gradually evolved into the structured non-profit community Ciegocleta is today. The club now offers multi-seat bikes ranging from two-seat tandems to three and four-seat models that accommodate multiple visually impaired riders per trip.

    Today, the organization counts 150 registered members, with roughly 30 riders turning out for the weekly Sunday rides that remain the club’s core activity. Before each public ride, the group prioritizes safety and mutual understanding: visually impaired participants receive detailed safety guidance, while participating sighted volunteers complete a perspective-shifting exercise, riding a short distance with their eyes covered to experience the vulnerability and trust their riding partners navigate on every trip. For long-time member Ximena Lozano, a 54-year-old psychologist who was born without sight, the club has transformed her daily life. After spending much of her younger years confined to indoor activities like reading, writing, and web surfing, Ciegocleta gives her a consistent reason to explore the outdoors. “It gives me the chance to experience freedom,” she explained.

    The work of Ciegocleta fills a critical gap in accessibility for Ecuador’s visually impaired community. Official government data puts the total number of people living with vision impairment in the country at roughly 56,000. While blind Ecuadorians have made steady progress in accessing equal employment opportunities in recent years, inclusive access to recreational and sports activities remains a largely unmet need.

    Volunteers say the experience of participating in the club is just as transformative for them as it is for the visually impaired riders. José Paéz, one of the club’s long-time volunteers, joined after his father-in-law lost his sight rapidly to illness and fell into depression. Bringing his father-in-law to the club’s free rides became a way to help him regain his joy for life. Even for experienced cyclists, guiding a tandem bike requires new skills and patience. “At first it felt scary to lead a blind person on a bike,” Paéz recalled. “Keeping a tandem bike balanced and sustaining the rhythm is not as easy as when you use a regular bike.”

    For founder Ramos, the work of the club is about more than just cycling — it is a model for what genuine social inclusion looks like. “This is true inclusion,” he said. “We have blind people who are now enjoying cycling without any limits.”

  • Across Latin America, ‘aura battles’ burst onto the scene

    Across Latin America, ‘aura battles’ burst onto the scene

    A vibrant new social trend has rapidly captured the attention of young people across Latin America, with informal ‘aura battles’ emerging as one of the most talked-about youth activities in the region. Unlike traditional competitions that measure physical skill, academic performance or artistic talent, these novel contests center entirely on one intangible quality that many believe shapes personal and professional success: charisma.

    Participants in aura battles go head-to-head in friendly showdowns, where they work to convince judges and audiences that their personal ‘aura’ — the unique magnetic energy and presence they project — outshines that of their competitors. What began as a niche inside joke shared on social media platforms has quickly snowballed into a widespread cultural phenomenon, with gatherings popping up in major cities from Mexico City to Buenos Aires, and viral challenge clips racking up millions of views across TikTok, Instagram and YouTube.

    The sudden popularity of aura battles among Latin American youth reflects a broader cultural shift toward celebrating soft skills and personal authenticity in a post-pandemic world. After years of social distancing and remote interaction that left many young people feeling disconnected, these low-stakes, high-energy competitions offer a playful space for self-expression and connection. Unlike high-pressure competitive activities that focus on formal achievement, aura battles invite participants to embrace their unique personalities, turning the simple act of being oneself into a friendly game.

    Cultural observers note that the trend also taps into growing public fascination with the concept of aura and personal magnetism across global social media. What makes the Latin American iteration unique, they add, is how it blends regional cultural values of warm interpersonal connection and expressive communication with the viral mechanics of internet culture, creating a trend that feels both deeply rooted in local culture and perfectly suited for the digital age. As participation continues to grow, many organizers are now planning larger, public aura battle events that draw crowds of hundreds of spectators, cementing the trend’s place in contemporary Latin American youth culture.

  • By the numbers: A look at Lionel Messi’s 21 years with Argentina

    By the numbers: A look at Lionel Messi’s 21 years with Argentina

    After two decades of donning Argentina’s iconic Albiceleste jersey and rewriting men’s international soccer record books, Lionel Messi — widely regarded as the greatest player to ever step onto a football pitch — has played his final match for his national team. The 39-year-old announced his retirement from international competition on Monday, closing the book on an unparalleled 21-year career representing his home country. To honor his historic legacy, we break down his extraordinary run with Argentina through the numbers that defined it.

    One World Cup title stands as the crowning achievement of Messi’s international career, claimed in a dramatic 2022 tournament in Qatar where he cemented his status as a global sporting icon. He also led Argentina to two additional World Cup finals, falling short against Germany in 2014 and Spain in 2026. That three total final appearances mark one of the most impressive World Cup resumes in the history of the sport.

    Messi competed in six consecutive World Cup tournaments spanning 2006 to 2026, a feat that ties him with his long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo for the most World Cup appearances by any male player in history. Across those six tournaments, the Argentine legend found the back of the net 21 times. That goal tally puts him in second place on the all-time World Cup scoring leaderboard, just one goal behind France’s Kylian Mbappé — who has accumulated 22 goals across only three World Cup appearances to date.

    Messi’s international journey began in August 2005, when he made his Argentina debut as a teenager in a friendly match against Hungary. In a fittingly unforeseen start to a legendary career, he was sent off less than a minute after entering the game, penalized for elbowing an opposing player. From that inauspicious beginning, he built a legacy that will stand for generations, announcing his retirement 21 years after that debut at the age of 39.

    Across his entire international career, Messi scored 125 goals for Argentina — more than double the previous national record of 54 goals set by Gabriel Batistuta, who played for the Albiceleste from 1991 to 2002. On the global all-time men’s international scoring list, Messi sits second once again, trailing only Ronaldo, who has notched 146 goals for Portugal to date.

    Messi also holds Argentina’s all-time record for senior international appearances, with 207 caps across his 21-year career. Like his goal tally, this mark places him second on the all-time global men’s rankings, again behind Ronaldo, who has earned 233 caps for Portugal throughout his own career.

    This retirement brings an end to one of the most celebrated international careers in soccer history, leaving behind a legacy of records, memorable matches, and a long-awaited World Cup title that completed Messi’s journey to sporting immortality.

  • Lionel Messi says he’s retiring from playing for Argentina

    Lionel Messi says he’s retiring from playing for Argentina

    BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — After two decades of donning the Argentina national team jersey and delivering countless historic moments to football fans across the globe, one of the sport’s greatest ever players, Lionel Messi, has announced his retirement from international soccer. The 39-year-old Inter Miami captain shared the emotional news on his Instagram account on Monday, opening up about the profound difficulty of his decision.

    “It was a decision that hurt — and still hurts deeply — but I understand that the time has come,” Messi wrote in his retirement statement. He went on to reaffirm his unwavering commitment to the national side throughout his entire career, adding: “I swear to you that I always gave it my all — not just in these last few years when we won everything, but before that too; I always fought and left everything on the field for this jersey, to bring you joy and make you feel proud to be Argentine through football.”

    Over his 20-year international career, Messi built a legacy that will stand the test of time. He matched the all-time record by competing in six FIFA World Cups, claiming the sport’s biggest prize with Argentina in Qatar 2022, and led the side to the 2026 World Cup final earlier this month, where Argentina fell to Spain in extra time in New Jersey. Across the 2026 tournament co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada, Messi started and played all eight of Argentina’s matches, netting eight goals — just one strike behind top scorer Kylian Mbappé of France. When he hangs up his international boots, he leaves as Argentina’s all-time leading goalscorer, with a staggering 125 national team goals, 21 of which came in World Cup appearances.

    Messi revealed that he actually drafted his retirement announcement on July 21, just two days after the 2026 World Cup final, but delayed publishing the post out of respect for his father Jorge, who was battling serious health issues that ultimately led to his passing on August 8 in Messi’s hometown of Rosario.

    Notably, this is not the first time Messi has stepped away from international football. A decade ago, following a missed penalty in Argentina’s 2016 Copa América final defeat to Chile on penalties, the star announced his first international retirement. At that point, he had endured years of near-misses and frustration with the national side, having made his senior Argentina debut back in 2006. But he reversed that decision, went on to lead Argentina to the 2021 Copa América title, the 2022 World Cup triumph, and the 2024 Copa América crown, cementing his legacy as a national hero.

    While his international career has drawn to a close, Messi will continue his club career with Major League Soccer side Inter Miami. Just this past weekend, he showcased he still has elite level finishing, scoring four goals in the club’s 7-1 routing of CF Montreal. The two-time defending MLS Most Valuable Player and reigning league champion did not specify how much longer he intends to continue playing at club level in his retirement announcement.

    In a heartfelt closing to his statement, Messi thanked Argentine fans for two decades of support, saying: “Thank you for all the love these past 20 years. I’m going to miss hearing you all from the inside so much. Now I’m going to be one of you, cheering and supporting you from the outside (through thick and thin, even more so). I leave with the peace of mind and pride of having given you — along with my teammates — moments we once only dreamed of. Experiencing this with you was incredible. I love you all.”

    Argentina national team coach Lionel Scaloni, who worked alongside Messi through the side’s recent golden run, praised the forward’s unparalleled legacy during the 2026 World Cup, simply saying: “He is pure history. History. A legend.”

    AP Sports writer Tim Reynolds contributed reporting from Miami, Florida.

  • Colombia’s president says soldiers killed a key dissident leader

    Colombia’s president says soldiers killed a key dissident leader

    BOGOTA, COLOMBIA – In a significant breakthrough for the country’s new national security strategy, Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella has confirmed that a high-ranking commander of dissident factions of the former Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) was killed in a targeted military operation on Sunday. The strike took place in Colombia’s violence-plagued southwest region, dealing what the president calls a “crushing blow” to the illegal network led by notorious factional leader Iván Mordisco.

  • Chelsea signs Argentina’s World Cup winner Emiliano Martínez from Aston Villa on a 3-year contract

    Chelsea signs Argentina’s World Cup winner Emiliano Martínez from Aston Villa on a 3-year contract

    In a high-profile transfer move that has reshaped English Premier League goalkeeping ranks, Chelsea Football Club announced Sunday it has secured the signature of star Argentine goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez from Aston Villa. The 33-year-old, one of the most decorated shot-stoppers in modern football, has put pen to paper on a three-year contract that brings him to Stamford Bridge ahead of the 2025-26 season.

    For Martínez, the switch to West London was not a difficult decision to weigh. “Coming to Chelsea, for me and my family, was an easy decision to make and I’m just over the moon. I can’t wait to get started,” the goalkeeper told reporters after the announcement. “I want to be successful here. I’m someone who wants to win at everything I do and I want to bring that winning mentality here to this football club because it’s a club built to win titles, so I think it’s a perfect match.”

    The arrival of Martínez fills an immediate gap in new Blues manager Xabi Alonso’s starting lineup. Chelsea’s current number one Robert Sánchez turned in another underwhelming performance in the club’s opening Premier League fixture against Fulham, prompting the Chelsea hierarchy to accelerate their pursuit of a proven elite goalkeeper. Martínez is now expected to walk straight into the starting job at Stamford Bridge.

    Aston Villa cleared the path for Martínez’s exit earlier this month when the club completed the signing of Zion Suzuki, the US-born Japanese goalkeeper from Italian side Parma. The move made Martinez’s departure a mutually beneficial arrangement for all parties involved.

    Few goalkeepers in the game can match Martínez’s trophy haul at both international and club levels. The Argentine has been his country’s undisputed starting goalkeeper since 2021, earning 67 international caps to date. He backstopped Argentina to the 2022 FIFA World Cup title, claimed back-to-back Copa America trophies in 2021 and 2024, and led the side to this year’s World Cup final. He also made history by winning the prestigious Yashin Trophy, awarded annually to the world’s best goalkeeper, at both the 2023 and 2024 Ballon d’Or ceremonies, becoming one of only a handful of players to win the award in consecutive years.

    Across his six seasons with Aston Villa, Martínez made 256 first-team appearances for the club and helped lift the Europa League trophy in May this year. Reaffirming his commitment to his new side, Martínez emphasized his relentless approach to the game. “I’m all passion and I play with my heart,” he said. “I will give 100 per cent every game, every training session to make the club, my teammates and the supporters proud.”

    A product of the youth academy at Argentine top-flight side Independiente, Martínez moved to Europe for the first time in 2010, joining Arsenal at just 17 years old. After several loan spells across English lower divisions to gain first-team experience, he worked his way into the Gunners’ starting lineup for the second half of the 2019-20 campaign, starting the final 11 matches of the season and helping the club win the FA Cup that year. That breakthrough performance paved the way for his eventual move to Aston Villa, where he developed into one of the best goalkeepers in the Premier League.

  • Ski standout Marco Odermatt won’t attend preseason training in Chile due to minor injury

    Ski standout Marco Odermatt won’t attend preseason training in Chile due to minor injury

    ZURICH – One of alpine skiing’s most dominant modern competitors saw his quest to make history hit an early speed bump this week. Swiss skiing standout Marco Odermatt, who is chasing a sixth consecutive overall FIS World Cup title, will be forced to sit out his team’s upcoming preseason training camp in Chile after suffering a minor muscle injury during routine off-season training.

    The Swiss Alpine Ski Team announced the development in a statement released Saturday, confirming that Odermatt began experiencing discomfort during a structured physical training session earlier in the week. Follow-up diagnostic exams confirmed the minor muscle strain, leading team officials to scrap his planned travel to South America. Odermatt was scheduled to depart for Chile with the rest of the national team next Monday.

    No additional details about the specific location or severity of the injury were shared in the initial announcement. Team leadership emphasized that Odermatt’s full recovery is the top priority at this stage of the preseason. “The priority now is treatment and rehabilitation,” the statement read. “As soon as a return to on-snow training is possible, the rest of his season preparation will be re-assessed.”

    Odermatt’s historic run of five straight overall World Cup titles already puts him in rare company in the sport’s record books. He is currently tied with Luxembourg’s Marc Girardelli for second place on the all-time list of most overall World Cup titles, trailing only Austrian legend Marcel Hirscher, who holds the record with eight total championships. A sixth straight title this coming season would pull him one step closer to matching Hirscher’s unprecedented mark, cementing his status as one of the sport’s all-time greats.

    The 28-year-old skier is no stranger to success on the sport’s biggest stages, either. At last season’s Milan Cortina World Championships, he earned three podium finishes, taking home two silver medals and one bronze. This adds to his giant slalom gold medal win at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, rounding out a resume that includes nearly every major honor in competitive alpine skiing.

    The 2025-2026 FIS World Cup season is still scheduled to get underway as planned this October, with the traditional opening race hosted in Sölden, Austria. While Odermatt’s preseason preparation has been interrupted, the injury is currently classified as minor, leaving open the possibility that he will be ready to compete when the first race of the season kicks off in just a few months.