Lionel Messi had the weekend off, putting in a relatively quiet shift, but Gonzalo Higuaín scored again as Real Madrid kept up the pace in La Liga. Elsewhere two Argentines got their hands on the French League Cup, Martín Demichelis donned a face mask to return to action for Bayern München (he'll be using it [.

The World Cup is finally coming to life. I was hoping for an exciting game between Argentina and Korea and Maradona's team didn't disappoint. South Korea tried to follow the Switzerland blueprint but Messi taught his Barca teammates a lesson or two in breaking resolute defences.

In fairness, the Koreans weren't as well organized as Hitzfeld's team and the own goal didn't help their cause.

The latest and greatest from one Diego Maradona, imploring all of Argentina's opponents to...no one knows:

"I'm not concerned [about a lack of warm-up games] because our practices carry you to a level you might not reach in a match, risking injury to one or more [players]," said Maradona.

The Republic of Ireland opened their their new look Landsdowne Road on Wednesday against Argentina losing 1-0 with a dubious off-side goal. Lionel Messi was by far the most outstanding player to line-out for either team and got a standing ovation from the crowd when substituted early in the second-half.

It's 0-0 at the half. Both sides are using squads drawn from their local leagues, which would still give the Argentines an advantage. But Argentina haven't played well and have yet to score a goal against what the local press views as a very weak side. I'm not going to liveblog the match, but I will have updates on Twitter, so follow me if you aren't doing so already.

I'm a little distracted with various things at present, not least the preparations for my move next week to Buenos Aires. As such there's no Argentines Abroad this week, other than a congratulations to Lionel Messi for that astonishing four-goal haul in tonight's European Cup match between Barcelona and Arsenal, which makes him Barça's all-time [.

What is on paper a strong team could end up being a weak one when tested by a tricky opponent. How the players gel and work together, how effective the coach is in bringing the best out of players, the strength of the defensive line and often the rise of a relative unknown to help carry the team can all influence who ends up winning.

An ad by Young and Rubicam brings to the fore the passion and love Argentines feel for the beautiful game. As the World Cup approaches Argentinians comes together as one. It is out of this world. People in other parts of the world look on in awe and reverence. When they lose they suffer, do not go the cinema or theater.

Taking a closer look at how Liverpool's internationals will figure in this summer.

As an early disclaimer, I readily admit that my knowledge of international football is limited at best. I'll direct you in general to the World Cup Blog main page, and I also made sure to link to each of the national team blogs.

Taking a closer look at how Liverpool's internationals will figure in this summer.

As an early disclaimer, I readily admit that my knowledge of international football is limited at best. I'll direct you in general to the World Cup Blog main page, and I also made sure to link to each of the national team blogs.

Argentina are one of the favorites to win it all at the World Cup in South Africa this summer, despite an indifferent qualifying campaign. Jonas Gutierrez - hopes Argentina can win the whole thing There are several countries, including Spain, Brazil, Italy and England in addition to the Argentines who could go all the way in South [.

BY ADAM SERRANO

They're at it again. It's the round of 16 so it must mean, Mexico and Argentina.

The Argentines come into the match firing on all cylinders after earning three straight victories in Group play. The success of the Albiceleste has been enough to turn the jeers to cheers for Maradona's men who were once heavily criticized in their home nation.

BY ADAM SERRANO

Questionable referee decisions will make the headlines, but the real story of Day 17 of the World Cup was the continued dominance of a pair of traditional soccer powers who will now meet for a date in the semifinals on the line.

Schweinsteiger Aims To End Argentina's World Cup Run.

Germany's battling midfielder, Bastian Schweinsteiger, has today come out in the press and has spoken about his side's quarter-final meeting against Argentina.

Schweinsteiger spoke to the press on Wednesday and is quoted as saying;

From Goal.

Bastian Schweinsteiger with a bit of inverse diplomacy. Jogi Löw with a bit more respect. Michael Ballack with a bit of moral support. Germany with a bit of an injury problem.

Typical Argentines: It seems the 2006 World Cup quarter final has left some marks on Bastian Schweinsteiger. During a press conference on Wednesday, Schweinsteiger used the stage for a little rant about all the negative traits of Argentine players, which then quickly degenerated into a Sir Alex Ferguson "typical German" styled outburst.

BY ADAM SERRANO

The final quarterfinal match day was supposed to feature a game for the ages and one blow out. It did. Only it weren't the matches that you'd expect.

It was a young Germany side led by a pair of goals from veteran Miroslav Klose that ended the World Cup dream for Maradona's Argentina with a convincing 4-0 victory to book their place in the last four of the World Cup.

Bastian Schweinsteiger, whose name we take to mean bountiful pig sticker, is an oft overlooked member of Bayern Munich and the German national team. Far from irrelevant, he's the engine that drives forward Munich and Die Mannschaft both. He has the strength and stamina of a Michael Essien, and the drive to goal of a player like Gerrard, all while being mostly deployed on a wing.

It's a strange proposition, encouraging La Albiceleste coach Sergio Batista to study an Italian team containing zero Argentines. It's even stranger when you consider that AC Milan's biggest rivals, crosstown Internazionale Milano, have been possibly the most Argentine team in Europe for the past several seasons.

The first proper Argentines Abroad of the new year sees a narrow spread of criollo achievement, but an impressive one nonetheless. Lionel Messi started the defence of his numerous player of the year awards with a hat trick. His next goal for Barcelona will be the hundredth of his club career. In England, Manchester City [.

I'm not going to lie- deep down, I really didn't think Inter could do this. I said I thought they could, but that was more hope and optomism than anything. They just always choke at this stage in the Champions League, but today they finally broke their curse. And it's all thanks to one Swede and two Argentines.

Lionel Messi returned to goalscoring form for Barcelona, whilst Carlos Tevez simply returned for Manchester City and scored as well. Gonzalo Higuaín got another two for Real Madrid, Lisandro López won a match for Lyon and in Serie A, whilst Diego Milito scored his fifteenth of the season, Catania only had seven Argentines in [.

The late night caused by typing up Tuesday's Argentines Abroad post got the better of me, and I totally forgot to put up details of the seventh round of the Torneo Clausura, which is being played in midweek. Tuesday's matches were generally high-scoring, with Racing's agonising 1-1 draw against Huracán (who, as I type, have [.

A truncated Argentines Abroad this week, because I'm typing this up late as ever but even more tired than usual. The weekend just gone deserves some mention, though. Lionel Messi hit a double but couldn't win the match for Barcelona, Javier Saviola scored a fine goal for Benfica and Jonás Gutiérrez finally got his mask [.

Liverpool winger Maxi Rodriguez has revealed that he is enjoying his life on Merseyside following his January move from Atletico Madrid.
The Argentine is beginning to acclimatise to life in England now and finds that the city of Liverpool reminds him very much of his hometown of Rosario.

Two players dominate the non-existent honours in this week's Argentines Abroad. On Sunday both Lionel Messi and the under-pressure Gonzalo Higuaín hit hat tricks to ensure that Spain's top two continue to fight neck and neck at the top of La Liga. Messi's triplete against Valencia began with a brilliant solo goal, whilst Higuaín's came [.

The Colorado Rapids signed Argentine forward Claudio Lopez, the club announced Friday. Lopez will be added to the club's senior roster pending receipt of his P1 Visa.

"Any time you can add a talented player like Claudio to your club, the group becomes better," said head coach Gary Smith.

Yes, Barcelona, loved by the purveyors of beauty, the choice of artisans, painters, and rootless cosmopolitans. On the football menu, they are the light, fresh springs of health, playing a tender, crispy game. If they were a food, they would be a salad. Further down the menu is the much maligned beef, call that the Inter Milan team, made up of Argentines raised on a diet of beer, meat and hard boiled football.

The Copa Libertadores has concluded its round of 16 stage and "Stoppage Time International Football Blog" highlights the events of a compelling and, at times, controversial first knockout round:

The first games were completed on Tuesday night and there was one upset and one near upset as big boys from Argentina and Brazil struggled against teams from Mexico and Peru respectively.

Taking a closer look at how Liverpool's internationals will figure in South Africa.

As an early disclaimer, I readily admit that my knowledge of international football is limited at best. I'll direct you in general to the World Cup Blog main page, and I also made sure to link to each of the national team blogs.

Well, and the semi-finals, in the case of the Mexican championship. Across Europe though, league championships have already come to a close a little earlier than normal due to the impending World Cup in South Africa, and as usual Argentines ... Continue reading →

In trying to think through the nations and the teams of Group B, I could not shake from my mind the word diabolical. And I mean that in the best possible way. Argentina with its strangely alluring combination of Latin style and ruthlessness; its claim to having hosted perhaps the most politically dubious World Cup of them all in 1978.

Has there every been a World Cup for drama and intrigue than Argentina in 1978? I was 8 years old and with England failing to qualify, I was beginning to believe that we were above such tournaments, especially as the Scots were there again. By the age of 8 I was into my football big time. So much so that I spent every waking hour playing the game.

Marcelo Bielsa may never be forgiven by Argentina fans for crashing out of the 2002 World Cup in the first round. His Argentine team were considered favorites after winning the CONMEBOL regional qualifiers, but couldn't get past either England or Sweden in the group stage. In hindsight, his tactics (once praised) were dubbed too inflexible, predictable and stifling to talented individual players who required freedom to display their talent.

Diego Maradona prepares for another World Cup battle.

Bet £10 with PaddyPower and get £20 free!

Join CaughtOffside's World Cup 2010 Fantasy Football League and win £5k!

Argentina coach Diego Maradona is tipped to switch to a three-man attack to accommodate Carlos Tevez.

Argentina's attacking midfielder Lionel Messi has praised the efforts of Nigerian goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama after the Argentines failed to widen the narrow 1-0 gap after Gabriel Heinze's opening goal. The result strengthened the opinion that Nigeria stands a good chance of progressing from Group B, while three points for Argentina sets them on their way towards the next round.

Gonzalo Higuaín scored a hat-trick for Argentina in their 4-1 win over South Korea

Having lamented the lack of real action in the opening week of the FIFA World Cup, with only Germany being spared from any criticism due to their fantastic 4-0 triumph over Australia, the tournament now seems to have opened up and the goals have been flying in over the last two days of action.

On the 12th June 2010 England started their World Cup campaign, their team littered with some of the best players that world football has to offer. The likes of Ashley Cole, Stephen Gerrard and Wayne Rooney are but three names within the star-studded squad that look to both excite the Rainbow nation and bring the expectations of a country to reality.

Fernando Torres insisted he is ready to make his mark on the World Cup finals after putting his injury nightmare behind him.
The Liverpool striker, who missed the final crucial weeks of the last Premier League season after undergoing knee surgery, believes he is over his fitness troubles at last.

Argentina's officially designated national sport is not soccer, despite all cultural and economic appearances to the contrary: it's pato, Spanish for duck, a game that's something of a hybrid between basketball and polo and is nowhere near as popular as soccer. It's called pato because a live duck was once used instead of a ball, as Argentina Travel Planet helpfully explains:

Though nobody knows exactly when the game began, there are written accounts of it from as early as 1610.

Greece and Argentina face off on the soccer pitch at 2:30pm ET on Tuesday, but this will not be the countries' first encounter this year.
Just over one month ago, Argentina's president Cristina Fernández warned that a rescue package put together to alleviate Greece's economic woes was doomed to fail.