While you where asleep: Pele assures he is doing well, Messi happy with team’s performance, 48-team World Cup format fails to impress Poland coach

Brazil legend Pele responded to concerns around his health after reports from Brazil emerged that he had been put under palliative care following not responding to chemotherapy.

“My friends, I want to keep everyone calm and positive. I’m strong, with a lot of hope and I follow my treatment as usual,” Pele’s Instagram post read. “I want to thank the entire medical and nursing team for all the care I have received.”

It further read, “I have a lot of faith in God and every message of love I receive from you all over the world keeps me full of energy. And watch Brazil in the World Cup too!”

We controlled this, says Messi after Argentina win

Lionel Messi produced another one of his masterclasses in Argentina’s 2-1 Round of 16 wins against Australia, his 1000th professional appearance. The Argentina captain marked the occasion with his 789th goal for club and country.

“I found out today that it was the 1000th match,” Messi said post-match. “I live in the moment, I enjoy what we’re going through and I’m happy to take one more step, to get through to the quarterfinals.”

He further added, “We controlled this. match. Apart from the last save that Dibu (Martínez) made, we didn’t suffer too much. We were able to take the lead, score the second and control the game. They marked us and made it a bit difficult for us at the end, but this is a World Cup and that’s how it is.”

“I would prefer to have fewer teams” Poland manager Czeslaw Michniewicz

Poland coach Czeslaw Michniewicz says he is not impressed by the new 48-team World Cup.

The 2026 World Cup which is set to be hosted in the USA, Mexico and Canada will comprise 48 teams unlike the 32 teams of the previous edition.

Michniewicz said through a translator, a day before his side faces 2018 defending World Cup champion France in the round of 16 “I would prefer to have fewer teams. It will be more difficult to qualify but it will be easier for the fans,”

“Sometimes less means more and the more teams there are, the easier it will be to go through. Will this be attractive for the fans?” he added.”

Michniewicz further added, “I think sometimes this can spoil the show,”.

Poland will face France in the Round Of 16 game on Thursday.