International Break Preview: USMNT's Next Generation, Messi's Farewell, AFCON Qualifying
The next 15 days of international soccer feature the United States men's youth movement, Lionel Messi's expected farewell with Argentina, and the start of AFCON qualifying in Africa.
International soccer enters a busy window over the next 15 days, with storylines spanning North America, South America and Africa, according to ESPN.
In the United States, attention turns to the men's national team's continued reliance on its youth movement, as the program builds toward future tournaments with an emphasis on developing younger players into first-team contributors.
In South America, the period is expected to include what has been described as a farewell stretch for Lionel Messi with the Argentina national team, as the veteran forward's international career nears its end after a trophy-laden run with La Albiceleste.
Meanwhile in Africa, qualifying begins for the Africa Cup of Nations, with national federations across the continent opening campaigns to secure places in the next edition of the tournament.
The overlapping schedules mean fans across multiple continents will be tracking simultaneous storylines, from squad announcements to individual milestones, over the coming two weeks.
Further details on match schedules, squad lists and individual storylines are expected to be confirmed by national federations as the window approaches.
Sources
EGazette summarizes reporting from multiple sources; follow the links for the originals.
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