Hot football news noon 28/6: Xuan Son ready to return, Vietnam national team faces squad difficulties

Xuan Son demonstrates encouraging recovery signs, whereas the Vietnam national team continues to grapple with numerous squad issues, alongside a range of noteworthy events in the 2026 World Cup and the European transfer market.

Xuan Son ready to return

Striker Nguyen Xuan Son stated his post-injury recovery process is progressing well and he is confident to soon regain peak form to join the Vietnam national team for the 2026 ASEAN Championship. The naturalized striker affirmed his goals are to score, assist, and meet the requirements of coach Kim Sang-sik. Additionally, Xuan Son sent encouragement to captain Do Duy Manh to recover quickly for a comeback, while also praising newcomer Nguyen Tai Loc and trusting that the young center-back will quickly integrate into the team. The 1997-born striker also emphasized that he respects all personnel decisions of the coaching staff, and believes that competition among players will make Vietnam stronger ahead of their title defense journey in the 2026 ASEAN Championship.

Vietnam national team still short of players

After 4 days of gathering to prepare for the 2026 ASEAN Championship, the Vietnam national team still does not have its strongest squad as many players are in the process of recovering from injuries. Do Duy Manh and Khuat Van Khang continue to train separately following the medical team's plan, while overseas Vietnamese midfielder Ngo Dang Khoa had to leave the team because he could not recover in time.

On the flip side, coach Kim Sang-sik received good news as goalkeeper Le Giang Patrik returned after recovering from sinusitis, while two center-backs Bui Hoang Viet Anh and Nguyen Thanh Chung have fully joined the squad. According to the plan, the team will train in Hanoi until July 1 before heading to South Korea for a training camp and three friendly matches to finalize the lineup for their title defense campaign in the 2026 ASEAN Championship.

Messi and Ronaldo unlikely to meet

A 0-0 draw against Colombia in the final round of Group K caused Portugal to lose the top spot, thereby completely changing the bracket at the 2026 World Cup. This result made Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi placed in different halves of the knockout stage, meaning the two superstars can only face off if they both reach the final. However, the road ahead is predicted to be extremely tough.

Portugal will likely have to successively overcome Croatia, Spain, England or the USA, before facing Germany, France, or the Netherlands. Meanwhile, Argentina has an easier path in the early stages but still faces many challenges from the quarter-finals onward. This makes the prospect of Messi and Ronaldo meeting at the last World Cup of their careers more fragile than ever.

Messi enters the field, Argentina easily beats Jordan

Argentina started proactively and quickly put great pressure on Jordan's goal. In the 19th minute, Giovani Lo Celso opened the scoring with a textbook free kick, sending the ball straight into the top corner.

In the second half, Lautaro Martínez doubled the lead from the penalty spot after VAR confirmed a foul in the box. Jordan pulled one back in the 55th minute through Mousa Tamari, but hope was quickly extinguished when Messi came on in the 60th minute and immediately made his mark. In the 80th minute, the Argentine superstar executed a classy free kick, sealing a 3-1 victory.

Throughout the match, Argentina controlled the game, continuously creating dangerous chances, while Jordan only had sporadic efforts. The match ended with a convincing victory for Argentina.

Transfer news

Arsenal is drawing attention as they are reportedly considering a player swap option to recruit Bruno Guimaraes from Newcastle. According to The Sun, the "Gunners" are ready to put up to four names - Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli, Mikel Merino, and Leandro Trossard - on the negotiating table to persuade their rivals to release the Brazilian midfielder. This is seen as a move demonstrating coach Mikel Arteta's great determination to upgrade the midfield.

In another development, Marcus Rashford is reportedly not prioritizing leaving Manchester United to join Tottenham Hotspur, despite Spurs being willing to offer a high salary. Fabrizio Romano also confirmed no concrete progress in this deal. Meanwhile, Al-Hilal continue to pursue Mohamed Salah on a free transfer, while Arsenal are still monitoring Curtis Jones if Liverpool do not extend his contract. Additionally, Folarin Balogun is also receiving interest from several Premier League clubs after impressive performances.