Football: the main stories of 15.09.2026

Argentina have called up Lionel Messi for friendlies he had already ruled himself out of, and the squad list reads like a handover. Messi announced the end of his international career after the World Cup; the federation has persuaded him back for what is being framed as a farewell, not a return to the fold. The same squad hands a first call-up to Zenit defender Roman Vega, which is the other half of the story — Lionel Scaloni's successor generation gets its minutes alongside him rather than after him. Expect a short appearance and a long ceremony.

Bologna have run out of patience after 1 point from 4 Serie A matches: Domenico Tedesco is on his way out, with Raffaele Palladino the name attached to the vacancy. Lens have gone the same way for very different reasons — Dino Toppmöller won the French Super Cup and started the Champions League with a win, and was sacked anyway after 3 wins in 6, reportedly over his defence of a Portuguese assistant. Newcastle's week keeps getting worse: Anthony Elanga faces an extended lay-off picked up in the 4-1 defeat at Elland Road, the result that took Daniel Farke's Leeds up to third.

• Raheem Sterling admitted dangerous driving over the May crash in which his Lamborghini hit motorway barriers.
• UEFA confirmed Munich and Barcelona as Champions League final hosts for 2028 and 2029; Cardiff takes the 2029 women's final.
• Patrick Vieira starts work as Senegal head coach, with his first squad named in Dakar on Friday.
• Max Dowman, 16, scored twice in Arsenal's Carabao Cup win at Ipswich — the first teenager to manage that for a Premier League club since Wayne Rooney — and Mikel Arteta immediately warned against rushing him.
• Liverpool beat Tottenham 3-1 in the same round; Fulham edged West Ham through Oscar Bobb; Peterborough won 7-6 on penalties at Barnsley after a 3-3 draw.
• Real Madrid beat Elche 3-2, José Mourinho noting only that nobody is bored watching his side; Mbappé leads La Liga with 7 goals to 6 each for Yamal and Raphinha.
• James Rodríguez, 35, retired from international duty days after joining Atlético Nacional, the 14th club of his career.
• CSKA midfielder Dmitri Barinov is back in Moscow after knee surgery in Germany; teammate Milan Gajić has also been operated on.
• Cristiano Ronaldo is preparing a bid to buy Al-Nassr, per A Bola, days after the club lost 4-0 at Al Ahli in the Asian Champions League.
• Danny McGrain, called Scotland's greatest full-back by Celtic, has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.
• Mario Vušković trained with Hamburg for the first time since a four-year doping ban ended.
• One outlet reports that a Paris appeal court has ordered Kylian Mbappé to pay PSG 60,000 euros in damages.
• Ghanasoccernet reports Alexander Djiku has agreed a Spartak extension to 2029.
• Christophe Dugarry, quoted in the French press, said he never understood Roberto De Zerbi's level and called his public remarks unhinged; Paul Merson, separately, doubts Florian Wirtz will come good at Liverpool.
• La Liga president Javier Tebas said it would be a disgrace if Gianni Infantino stayed on at FIFA; Italy has withdrawn its endorsement.
• Igor Akinfeev said his injury lay-off gave him a clear picture of how his last match will look.
• Granit Xhaka called reaching the Europa League final with Sunderland a dream ahead of Wednesday's opener at AZ; NEC host Luciano Spalletti's Juventus the same night.