Messi's genius saves Argentina

When they needed their talisman most, Lionel Messi stepped up for Argentina. On a dramatic final day of CONMEBOL qualifying, Messi's hat trick beat Ecuador, as Uruguay and Colombia also clinched qualification. Tim Vickery &#187
Source: http://www.espnfc.com/world-cup-qualifying-conmebol/65/blog/post/3226346/lionel-messi-comes-to-argentinas-rescue-on-a-dramatic-night-in-conmebol

2018 World Cup: Who has qualified for the finals and who can get there?

The qualifying process for the
Source: http://www.espnfc.com/fifa-world-cup/story/2484717/2018-world-cup-who-has-qualified-for-the-finals-and-who-can-get-there

Argentina, France, Poland seeded in World Cup finals draw pots

With 23 of the 32 finalists for the 2018 World Cup finals now known, and all matches played that will be used by FIFA to rank nations, the draw pots for
Source: http://www.espnfc.com/fifa-world-cup/4/blog/post/3225634/argentina-france-poland-seeded-in-world-cup-finals-draw-pots

Transfer Rater: Lionel Messi to Man City, Olivier Giroud to Juventus

Things change in the blink of an eye in football. <a
Source: http://www.espnfc.com/blog/soccer-usa/3/post/3226612/transfer-rater-lionel-messi-to-man-city-olivier-giroud-to-juventus

Trending: Argentina, Portugal qualify for World Cup; U.S. miss out

Wednesday's latest stories from the world of football in ESPN FC's What's Trending ...

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Source: http://www.espnfc.com/fifa-world-cup-afc-conmebol-qualifying/2328/blog/post/3226540/trending-argentina-portugal-qualify-for-world-cup-us-netherlands-miss-out

Phantom goal helps Panama beat Costa Rica, qualify for WC over U.S.

Panama scored a hugely controversial goal en route to qualifying for the 2018 World Cup on Tuesday with a 2-1 win over Costa Rica, a result
Source: http://www.espnfc.com/world-cup-qualifying-concacaf/story/3226354/phantom-goal-helps-panama-beat-costa-rica-and-helps-doom-usmnt

Lionel Messi: A World Cup without Argentina 'would have been crazy'

Lionel Messi said "it would have been crazy a World Cup without Argentina" after his dramatic hat trick secured the nation's qualification
Source: http://www.espnfc.com/argentina/story/3226618/lionel-messi-a-world-cup-without-argentina-would-have-been-crazy

Cristiano Ronaldo has never been better - Portugal's Raphael Guerreiro

Cristiano Ronaldo is enjoying "the best spell of his career" after scoring 15 goals in Portugal's successful World Cup qualifying campaign,
Source: http://www.espnfc.com/portugal/story/3226570/cristiano-ronaldo-has-never-been-better-portugals-raphael-guerreiro

Portugal win to earn World Cup berth over Switzerland; France also qualify

Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal confirmed their spot at the 2018 World Cup by beating Switzerland <a
Source: http://www.espnfc.com/world-cup-qualifying-uefa/story/3225822/portugal-win-to-earn-world-cup-berth-over-switzerland;-france-also-qualify

Arjen Robben retires from Netherlands squad after failing to reach World Cup

Netherlands winger Arjen Robben announced his international retirement after scoring both goals in a victory over Sweden on Tuesday.
It was a
Source: http://www.espnfc.com/netherlands/story/3226010/arjen-robben-retires-from-netherlands-squad-after-failing-to-reach-world-cup

Germany, Portugal, Belgium and Spain top seeds for UEFA Nations League

England will be in Pot 2 for the group stage draw of the 2018 UEFA Nations League draw, which takes place on Jan. 24.
Germany,
Source: http://www.espnfc.com/european-championship/story/3226637/germany-portugal-belgium-and-spain-top-seeds-for-uefa-nations-league

Jose Mourinho: Man United have nothing to prove against Liverpool

Jose Mourinho says Manchester United do not need to prove anything at Anfield on Saturday but has warned Liverpool his team are better
Source: http://www.espnfc.com/manchester-united/story/3226579/jose-mourinho-manchester-united-have-nothing-to-prove-against-liverpool

Charly Musonda apologises to Chelsea following Instagram post - sources

LONDON -- Chelsea have reminded academy player Charly Musonda that he has to earn a place in the first team after he expressed frustration
Source: http://www.espnfc.com/chelsea/story/3226636/charly-musonda-apologises-to-chelsea-following-instagram-post-sources

AC Milan coach Vincenzo Montella hits back at Silvio Berlusconi remarks

AC Milan coach Vincenzo Montella has hit back at former president Silvio Berlusconi after he claimed <a
Source: http://www.espnfc.com/ac-milan/story/3226632/ac-milan-coach-vincenzo-montella-hits-back-at-silvio-berlusconi-remarks

U.S. World Cup woe: Time up for Gulati and Arena; help needed for Pulisic

The ESPN FC crew have all the news, analysis and reaction from the United States' World Cup nightmare.

        The ESPN FC crew have all the news, analysis and reaction from the United States' World Cup nightmare.
            
        The ESPN FC crew have all the news, analysis and reaction from the United States' World Cup nightmare.
            
        The ESPN FC crew have all the news, analysis and reaction from the United States' World Cup nightmare.
            
        The ESPN FC crew have all the news, analysis and reaction from the United States' World Cup nightmare.

COUVA, Trinidad -- In the wake of the United States' dreadful 2-1 defeat to Trinidad & Tobago, two questions were on everyone's mind. The first was: "What happened?" The second was: "What now?"
Perhaps the second query was an effort not to dwell on the debacle that took place at the Ato Boldon Stadium, but moving forward will require a painful examination of the past, as well as stewing in the colossal failure that this World Cup qualifying cycle represents. However, not everyone seems to think...
Source: http://www.espnfc.com/team/united-states/660/blog/post/3226631/us-woe-gulati-arena-out-and-help-for-pulisic-needed-after-wc-collapse

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang: Borussia Dortmund are still my family

Shaka Hislop says Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's failed summer move to PSG is on him, not the club's sporting director.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has said Borussia Dortmund "are my family" as the club left the question of whether he will be allowed a transfer next summer open.
Aubameyang, last season's Bundesliga top scorer, had been expected to leave Dortmund in the summer, with club and player having reached an agreement that he could go if the right offer was received.
He was linked with AC Milan, Paris Saint-Germain and the Chinese Super League during what was a record-breaking summer transfer window, but no...
Source: http://www.espnfc.com/story/3226666/pierre-emerick-aubameyang-borussia-dortmund-are-still-my-family

Paul Pogba returns to Manchester United training following injury

Don Hutchison looks at how Manchester United will be able to secure an away win against Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool.

        Don Hutchison discusses the three main things Liverpool will need to do in order to beat Jose Mourinho's Manchester United at Anfield. 
            
        The FC crew assess whether Manchester United have actually improved or are benefiting from a favourable run of fixtures. 
            
        With tougher league matches ahead, Stewart Robson assesses whether Man United are equipped to deal with the pressure.

Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba is back in light training a month after being sidelined with a hamstring injury.
Pogba posted a series of videos on social media on Wednesday showing him jogging on a treadmill and working in the gym.
Jose Mourinho has so far refused to put a timescale on Pogba's return but has admitted the midfielder is considered a "long-term" absentee along with Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Marcos Rojo.
Sources have told ESPN FC that France manager Didier Deschamps is not expecting...
Source: http://www.espnfc.com/manchester-united/story/3226665/paul-pogba-returns-to-manchester-united-training-following-injury

U.S. out of excuses after defeat in Trinidad leaves it out of World Cup

Taylor Twellman calls for changes 'from top to bottom' on the way soccer is run from the youth level to professional ranks.

        ESPN FC's Jeff Carlisle and Sebastian Salazar assess where it all went wrong for the U.S. and look ahead to what comes next. 
            
        Max and Herc are joined by special guest Shaka Hislop to evaluate the United States' failure to qualify for the World Cup. 
            
        Max Bretos, Herculez Gomez and Shaka Hislop discuss what needs to change within U.S. Soccer after their qualifying failure. 
            
        Herculez Gomez says the U.S. are regressing rather than progressing in terms of player development.

COUVA, Trinidad -- Bruce Arena called it "disappointing;" Michael Bradley referred to it as "a perfect storm;" Omar Gonzalez said: "It's the worst day of my career."
No doubt, everyone associated with the U.S. national team is hurting in their own way, but Gonzalez's comment seemed to crystallize the pain that was a byproduct of the 2-1 defeat to Trinidad & Tobago -- a result that, when combined with scores from elsewhere, resulted in the U.S. being eliminated from World Cup qualifying for the first...
Source: http://www.espnfc.com/blog/the-match/60/post/3226598/us-out-of-excuses-as-trinidad-and-tobago-defeat-leaves-it-out-of-world-cup

Germany to stay top of FIFA Ranking, Peru enter top 10 for first time

With the playoff teams set in Europe, the FC crew assess which unseeded side has the best chance of reaching the World Cup.
Germany will stay top of the FIFA World Ranking for the second consecutive month when the new table is published on Monday.
The top six remains unchanged from last month, with Brazil, Portugal, Argentina, Belgium and Poland following behind the current world champions.
The list will be used to create the pots for the World Cup finals draw on Dec. 1, which means those six nations, along with hosts Russia, are joined by France. Les Bleus sneaked into the top seeds right at the end of qualifying after...
Source: http://www.espnfc.com/blog/fifa/243/post/3226591/germany-to-stay-top-of-fifa-ranking-as-peru-enter-top-10-for-first-time

Claudio Bravo weighing up Chile retirement after World Cup failure

Claudio Bravo has made 119 appearances for Chile.
Manchester City goalkeeper Claudio Bravo says he will take "some time" to decide if he is to continue with Chile's national team after their failure to qualify for the 2018 World Cup.
Bravo could not hide his disappointment after Tuesday's 3-0 defeat to Brazil in Sao Paulo saw Chile finish sixth in the CONMEBOL group, with the top four teams qualifying for next year's tournament and fifth place going into an intercontinental playoff.
The Chile captain said he and his teammates had only themselves...
Source: http://www.espnfc.com/chile/story/3226634/claudio-bravo-weighing-up-chile-retirement-after-world-cup-failure

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