FAUSTI VS JOSPEM IS COMING June 25th Two of Latin America's biggest chess talents are set to collide - and you can’t miss it. On one side: GM Faustino Oro, the 12-year-old Argentine sensation they call "the Messi of chess." The newly-minted Grandmaster - the second youngest in history - has zero intention of slowing down on his journey to the top. His ultra-aggressive style makes him a serious opponent for any player on earth. He doesn’t care who you are. He’s coming for your king. On the other: GM José Martínez Alcántara. Jospem is a true legend of online chess. Magnus Carlsen, Hikaru Nakamura, Alireza Firouzja… José Martínez has taken them all down. Over the board, he’s broken the 2700 barrier. His no-nonsense style and ability to avoid blunders under pressure have earned him his spot as Latin America’s #1# player. José and Faustino will play alongside each other in the Chess United team next month’s World Rapid and Blitz Championship - but after being teammates, they’ll be battling it out in one of the summer’s most exciting events. Will Fausti's attacking genius overwhelm the seasoned GM - or will Martínez shut him down with the calm experience of a true professional? You never know, maybe @leomessi, or the real Lionel Messi might show up - they’re both welcome!

Leo Messi has confirmed the 2026 World Cup final will be the last game he'll ever play for Argentina. In a statement, he said: "I want to announce to everyone that I am retiring from the National Team... "It is a decision that hurt, and still hurts, to my core, but I understand that it's the right time. I swear that I always gave my all, not just in the last few years when we won everything, but before that too. I always fought and gave everything for this jersey, to bring you joy and make you proud to be Argentinian through football. "There's not much time left, and chapters are closing, and this is one that hurts me deeply. I love, loved, and will always love being on the National Team. I've given everything I have; I have nothing more to give, and besides, there are some great young players coming up behind me who deserve to be there. "Thank you for all the love and support over these 20 years. I'm going to miss hearing you all from the inside. Now I'll be just one of you, cheering and supporting you from the sidelines (through thick and thin, even more so). "Thank you to my family for always being there, for accompanying me on this beautiful but difficult journey. Thank you to each and every coach, teammate, and manager I had the pleasure of sharing this experience with. I take with me unforgettable memories and moments."

❤️‍🩹🇦🇷 Leo Messi: “Dad, you kept asking me to play in one last World Cup… just days before it began was when your condition got worse”. “It was the first time you weren’t going to be there with me at tournament… but Mom kept telling me you were going to get better and that you’d be well enough to travel”. “I kept telling you we were going to reach the World Cup final so you could make the trip, this was my mission once again”. “After every match, I waited for and missed your message. That’s when I realized how serious the situation really was”. “I couldn’t stop thinking about going as far as possible, give you more time and the chance to watch one of the games”. “We reached the final, but you couldn’t be there. I wanted to win it so I could bring the trophy to you and show you another one. I couldn’t”. “My legs just couldn’t give me any more”. “This time I tried to push beyond what my body could handle, but I couldn’t”. “I never managed to feel physically right”. “We didn’t become champions Dad, but you have no idea how much we enjoyed every match. Once again, you were right: I had to be there and play in it… as you told me, always”.

🚨 BREAKING: Leo Messi is eliminated from the group stage of an official competition for the FIRS TIME in his career. Inter Miami got knocked out of the Leagues Cup after losing to Club León today. ❌

As we head into the quarter finals, the top three goal scorers of this World Cup are: Leo Messi - 8 goals Kylian Mbappe - 7 goals Erling Haaland - 7 goals This is Haaland’s first ever World Cup

20 years ago, on this day in 2006, Italy were crowned world champions after beating France In that World Cup, the world said goodbye to players like Zidane, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Beckham, and Viera. The world was also introduced to two new greats: Cristiano Ronaldo and Leo Messi