Sports
Report: Messi had no role in Spain-Argentina 'Finalissima' cancellation
Mar 11, 2026; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Inter Miami CF forward Lionel Messi (10) looks for a pass during their 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup Round of 16 Leg 1 game against Nashville SC at GEODIS Park. Mandatory Credit: Alan Poizner-Imagn Images The “Finalissima,” a match between reigning European champion Spain and South American champion Argentina scheduled for March 27 in Qatar, has been canceled due to continued conflicts in the Middle East, UEFA announced on Sunday.
Additionally, contrary to speculation otherwise, ESPN reported Sunday night that Argentinian and Inter Miami star Lionel Messi had no role in the cancellation, instead citing sources that the star viewed the match as a chance for another title and one last key warmup before the World Cup.
Spain, the UEFA EURO champion in 2024, and 2024 CONMEBOL Copa America winner Argentina were looking to repeat the pre-World Cup match in 2022 that pitted reigning European champ Italy against the 2021 Copa America winner Argentina. The match also could have been the first time 18-year-old Spanish sensation Lamine Yamal and the 38-year-old Messi met on the pitch.
But because of the recent U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran and the subsequent unrest in the region, organizers deemed Qatar too unsafe to host the match.
UEFA, CONMEBOL and local organizers worked on finding another host and perhaps a different date to allow the match to happen, but ultimately the parties could not come to an agreement.
“After much discussion between UEFA and the organizing authorities in Qatar, it is announced today that due to the current political situation in the region, the Finalissima cannot be played as hoped in Qatar,” UEFA announced in a statement Sunday. “UEFA explored other feasible alternatives but each ultimately proved unacceptable to the Argentinian Football Association.”
UEFA also said Argentina proposed playing the match after the World Cup, but Spain had no availability to make that a possibility.
Other iterations of the Finalissima were played in 1985 and 1993.
Argentina is the defending World Cup champion and is scheduled to begin its 2026 World Cup against Algeria in Kansas City on June 16. Austria and Jordan are also in Group J with the Argentinians. Spain draws Cape Verde in Atlanta on June 15 with games against fellow Group G countries Saudi Arabia and Uruguay scheduled.
The United States is co-hosting the World Cup with Mexico and Canada. The Cup opens on June 11 with the final to be played at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., on July 19.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Braves' Ronald Acuna Jr. exits vs. White Sox with hamstring tightness
May 31, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (13) hits a solo home run against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images Atlanta Braves star outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. exited Tuesday’s game at the Chicago White Sox in the fourth inning after sustaining an apparent left leg injury.
The team later described Acuna’s ailment as hamstring tightness.
While attempting to leg out an infield single, Acuna pulled up and hobbled past first base and then off the field into the locker room after appearing to sustain the injury on his final step before reaching the bag.
He was replaced in right field and atop the lineup by Eli White.
Acuna, the 2018 National League Rookie of the Year and 2023 NL MVP, missed 14 games earlier this season due to a hamstring strain while similarly trying to leg out an infield hit. He saw his 2021 and 2024 seasons end prematurely due to torn ACLs.
The five-time All-Star entered the day hitting .254 with seven homers and 22 RBIs in 52 games. He’s a career .287 hitter with 193 homers and 481 RBIs over 869 games across nine seasons with Atlanta.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Freddie Freeman posts 2,500th hit in 10-run 7th as Dodgers drub Pirates
Jun 9, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman (5) hits an RBI single to record his twenty-five hundred MLB career hit against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the seventh inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images Freddie Freeman recorded his 2,500th career hit, Andy Pages drove in three runs and Shohei Ohtani drove in two more during the Los Angeles Dodgers’ 10-run seventh inning, which propelled them to a 12-3 win over the host Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday night.
In the seventh, Pages hit a two-run home run off Pirates reliever Wilber Dotel (1-1) and a sacrifice fly off Brandan Bidois. Ohtani hit an RBI double against Dotel, then Bidois walked him with the bases loaded to force in another run.
Freeman’s milestone came on an RBI single up the middle off Bidois to score Alex Freeland and cap the scoring in the inning.
Every Dodger in the starting lineup scored in the inning as the visitors sent 15 batters to the plate.
Paul Skenes started for the Pirates, who lost their fourth in a row, and gave up two runs on six hits and two walks and struck out seven over six innings.
Skenes retired Ohtani all three times he faced him, including a strikeout in the third.
Dotel allowed six runs (five earned) on five hits and one walk without recording an out. The Pirates needed 68 pitches and used three relievers until Mookie Betts lined out to left against Dennis Santana to end the seventh.
Dotel had allowed two runs in his first 16 2/3 career innings before Tuesday.
The first nine Dodgers reached safely until Dalton Rushing struck out in his second at-bat of the seventh. Rushing started behind the plate for the third consecutive game with Will Smith still dealing with neck stiffness.
Max Muncy finished with three hits and an RBI while Freeman, Betts, Freeland and Santiago Espinal each had two of Los Angeles’ 15 hits.
In the sixth, Will Klein (2-2) relieved starter Eric Lauer, who gave up two runs on back-to-back home runs by Bryan Reynolds and Ryan O’Hearn with two outs in the first. Lauer struck out five and allowed three hits and no walks before Klein struck out three over 1 1/3 scoreless innings.
Pittsburgh infielder Tyler Callihan made his first career pitching appearance and threw a scoreless ninth.
Oneil Cruz was a late scratch for the Pirates as he continues to deal with left hand discomfort.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Freddie Freeman posts 2,500th hit in 10-run 7th; Dodgers drub Pirates
Jun 9, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman (5) hits an RBI single to record his twenty-five hundred MLB career hit against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the seventh inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images Freddie Freeman recorded his 2,500th career hit, Andy Pages drove in three runs and Shohei Ohtani drove in two more during the Los Angeles Dodgers’ 10-run seventh inning, which propelled them to a 12-3 win over the host Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday night.
In the seventh, Pages hit a two-run home run off Pirates reliever Wilber Dotel (1-1) and a sacrifice fly off Brandan Bidois. Ohtani hit an RBI double against Dotel, then Bidois walked him with the bases loaded to force in another run.
Freeman’s milestone came on an RBI single up the middle off Bidois to score Alex Freeland and cap the scoring in the inning.
Every Dodger in the starting lineup scored in the inning as the visitors sent 15 batters to the plate.
Paul Skenes started for the Pirates, who lost their fourth in a row, and gave up two runs on six hits and two walks and struck out seven over six innings.
Skenes retired Ohtani all three times he faced him, including a strikeout in the third.
Dotel allowed six runs (five earned) on five hits and one walk without recording an out. The Pirates needed 68 pitches and used three relievers until Mookie Betts lined out to left against Dennis Santana to end the seventh.
Dotel had allowed two runs in his first 16 2/3 career innings before Tuesday.
The first nine Dodgers reached safely until Dalton Rushing struck out in his second at-bat of the seventh. Rushing started behind the plate for the third consecutive game with Will Smith still dealing with neck stiffness.
Max Muncy finished with three hits and an RBI while Freeman, Betts, Freeland and Santiago Espinal each had two of Los Angeles’ 15 hits.
In the sixth, Will Klein (2-2) relieved starter Eric Lauer, who gave up two runs on back-to-back home runs by Bryan Reynolds and Ryan O’Hearn with two outs in the first. Lauer struck out five and allowed three hits and no walks before Klein struck out three over 1 1/3 scoreless innings.
Pittsburgh infielder Tyler Callihan made his first career pitching appearance and threw a scoreless ninth.
Oneil Cruz was a late scratch for the Pirates as he continues to deal with left hand discomfort.
–Field Level Media
Braves' Ronald Acuna Jr. exits vs. White Sox with hamstring tightness
Freddie Freeman posts 2,500th hit in 10-run 7th as Dodgers drub Pirates
