Análisis por Kyle Feldscher, CNN

En una noche en la que parecía que las jóvenes estrellas en la plenitud de su carrera estaban dejando clara su intención, un momento en el que el cambio de guardia en el fútbol mundial parecía inminente, Lionel Messi envió un mensaje en Kansas City.

Para ser el mejor, tienes que vencerlo.

Y en este juego, en este escenario, en este deporte, Messi sigue siendo “la figura” 20 años después de su primera aparición en el centro de atención de la Copa del Mundo.

Horas después de que el francés Kylian Mbappé lo superara en la lista histórica de goleadores de la Copa del Mundo y Erling Haaland anunciara su llegada al escenario mundialista con dos goles contra Iraq, la narrativa parecía definida: los jóvenes talentos (Mbappé tiene 27 años y Haaland 25) estaban listos para asumir el papel de las mayores estrellas del fútbol mundial, en detrimento del relativamente veterano Messi, que cumplirá 39 años la semana que viene, y del veterano Cristiano Ronaldo, de 41 años, cuya Copa del Mundo comienza el miércoles.

Al final de la noche, Messi volvió a superar a Mbappé en la lista de máximos goleadores de todos los tiempos. Y continuó su racha, anotando su primer triplete en un Mundial y empatando con Miroslav Klose en el primer puesto con 16 goles en su trayectoria en Copas del Mundo.

Además, es ahora, sorprendentemente, el goleador más joven y el más veterano de Argentina en la historia de los Mundiales.

Cuando fue sustituido en el minuto 79, recibió una ovación de pie del público del Arrowhead Stadium: decenas de miles de personas que habían esperado en terribles atascos antes del partido para poder ver a este hombre, a este genio, jugar bajo los focos más brillantes del deporte mundial.

Esa espera, que duró apenas seis minutos, valió la pena, aunque no contara.

Lautaro Martínez recibió un pase en la frontal del área, de espaldas a la portería, controlando el balón con el pecho hasta sus pies.

A su izquierda, Messi avanzaba hacia el área y Martínez le dio un pase magistral. Como tantas veces, la zurda del astro del Inter Miami pareció tener el balón pegado al pie mientras recortaba hacia la portería antes de enviarlo al fondo de la red.

Lamentablemente, Messi estaba en fuera de juego. De no ser así, tendría el récord de goles en la Copa del Mundo en solitario.

A Messi le bastaron poco más de 10 minutos para marcar un golazo que sí contaba, y fue un auténtico fenómeno que sin duda figurará en los mejores momentos de este torneo.

Tras recibir un pase en profundidad por el centro del campo, Messi regateó hacia el área, dio un paso a su izquierda mientras cinco —CINCO— defensores argelinos se le acercaban, y disparó con fuerza. El potente disparo desde 20 metros se desvió en la punta de los dedos del portero Luca Zidane y se coló en la red.

Fue un clásico. Fue algo de otra época. Fue la magia de Messi.

Su segundo gol, 15 minutos después del descanso, mostró la faceta de goleador del exjugador del Barcelona.

Con un potente disparo desde fuera del área, el balón de Alexis Mac Allister fue directo a las manos del portero argelino. El tiro fue demasiado fuerte y el guardameta no pudo controlarlo. Messi aprovechó el rebote.

Tras un despiste de un defensor argelino, Messi, con el balón suelto en posición reglamentaria, envió el balón al fondo de la red y puso a Argentina en ventaja de 2-0.

Fue pragmático. Fue sencillo. Era el objetivo de una leyenda veterana que hoy en día juega tanto con la mente como con las piernas.

La tercera fue consecuencia de las dos primeras. La defensa argelina parecía derrotada, desmoralizada y abatida por Messi y sus compañeros, y agotada por el calor de Kansas City.

Cuando los argentinos volvieron a atacar, Messi se encontraba extrañ

Por Federico Leiva, CNN en Español

Colombia tendrá su tan esperado estreno en el Mundial 2026 con un partido que representa un alto riesgo. Es cierto que Uzbekistán es una debutante absoluta de la cual se sabe muy poco, pero en el banco tendrá a una leyenda que sabe lo que es jugar y ganar una Copa del Mundo, por lo que los asiáticos están más que preparados para salir a competir.

Colombia llega al debut con varios interrogantes y la sensación de que el mejor momento de la era de Néstor Lorenzo como entrenador ya pasó, pero con todo el talento que tienen los cafeteros, nadie le quitará la ilusión a su afición.

Luis Díaz llevará la bandera futbolística después de un primer año fantástico en el Bayern Munich, donde cerró la temporada con 26 goles y 23 asistencias en 51 partidos, números de un jugador fuera de serie. Además, volverá a decir presente el máximo goleador histórico de Colombia en la Copa del Mundo, James Rodríguez, de no tan buen año, aunque es difícil olvidar el nivel al que llegó en la Copa América 2024.

Precisamente, el torneo continental pareció marcar un punto de inflexión en el seleccionado, que perdió la final ante Argentina y luego pareció que nunca volvió a recuperar esa versión ofensiva y segura de sí misma. Después de la Copa América inició un recorrido vertiginoso con cuatro derrotas y cuatro empates en 12 partidos en las eliminatorias, que la obligó a hacer cuentas hasta la última doble fecha de partidos.

De allí en más, cosechó buenos resultados en los amistosos previos al Mundial, con triunfos ante Jordania, Costa Rica, Australia, Nueva Zelandia y México, y un empate ante Canadá. Pero la realidad marca que cuando enfrentó a selecciones más poderosas, como Croacia y Francia, mordió el polvo.

Enfrente estará Uzbekistán, que cerró las eliminatorias con apenas una derrota en 16 partidos. Sin embargo, en el camino al Mundial perdió a los dos entrenadores que la guiaron en ese proceso, Srecko Katanec y Timur Kapadze. La federación no tuvo mejor idea que apostar por un entrenador que ya sabe de Mundiales, el italiano Fabio Cannavaro.

La era del campeón del mundo como DT uzbeko lleva ya ocho partidos (todos amistosos), con tres triunfos (uno de ellos ante Egipto), dos empates y tres derrotas (estas ante Países Bajos, Uruguay y Canadá). Suele apostar por una defensa de tres hombres, que cuando el equipo se repliega pasa a tener cinco, y un mediocampo poblado de futbolistas, con lo que Colombia necesitará saltear líneas con frecuencia.

Dos nombres resaltan dentro la nómina asiática: Abdukodir Khusanov, defensor del Manchester City, y Eldor Shomurodov, el capitán y hombre del Basaksehir FK de Turquía, quien le aporta gol: lleva 44 en 92 partidos con la selección.

Será un partido clave, porque ambas selecciones comparten grupo con Portugal, candidata a pelear por el título, y la República Democrática del Congo, a priori la más accesible. Si hay empate y luego se dan resultados lógicos, los cafeteros luego tendrán que hacer cuentas de goles con Uzbekistán, mientras que una derrota condenará al perdedor a tener que buscar algún punto ante Cristiano Ronaldo y compañía.

Colombia: Camilo Vargas; Daniel Muñoz, Jhon Lucumí, Davinson Sánchez, Johan Mojica; Jefferson Lerma, Gustavo Puerta; Jhon Arias, James Rodríguez, Luis Díaz; Luis Javier Suárez. DT: Néstor Lorenzo.

Uzbekistán: Abduvokhid Nematov; Abdukodir Khusanov, Rustam Ashurmatov, Abdulla Abdullaev; Sherzod Nasrullaev, Otabek Shukurov, Odiljon Khamrobekov, Farrukh Sayfiev; Abbosek Fayzullaev, Oston Urunov; Eldor Shomurodov. DT: Fabio Cannavaro.

• 10 p.m. de Miami.
• 7 p.m. de Los Ángeles.
• 8 p.m. de Ciudad de México
• 9 p.m. de Bogotá.
• 11 p.m. de Buenos Aires.
• 4 a.m. (ya jueves) de Madrid.

En Estados Unidos se transmitirá por Telemundo (DirecTV) y

By Wayne Chang, Chris Lau, CNN

Taipei (CNN) — A group of indigenous Taiwanese seafarers have completed a daring quest, braving choppy waters and using the stars for navigation as they paddled a traditional wooden canoe to the Philippines –– in a journey that highlights the astonishing feat of human migration across the Pacific.

Taiwan’s indigenous people –– who nowadays make up just a tiny proportion of the island’s population –– are believed to be the ancestors of many of the groups who came to inhabit lands stretching from Hawaii and Easter Island in the eastern Pacific, to Madagascar, off the coast of east Africa.

They share genetic and linguistic links and the navigational skills of their forebears – who travelled extraordinary distances in primitive vessels, successfully finding their way to tiny land masses – is considered one of the great migrations in human history.

On Monday, 60 Tao people from Taiwan’s Orchid Island set off on a 111-mile voyage, taking turns to paddle against strong currents to reach the Ivatan people on Batan Island, located in the far north of the Philippines, replicating a journey first thought to have been made more than 4,000 years ago.

They were welcomed by drum and dance performances when they arrived the following day.

“This is not only a significant day for the Pacific Ocean but also a day of commemoration for the Austronesian people,” Maraos, chairperson of Taiwan’s Indigenous Peoples Cultural Foundation (IPCF), said. Maraos, like many Tao people, goes by a single name.

The journey is meant to revive a sea route not used for 300 years, and one that in the past could’ve been considered nearly impossible –– given the lack of maps and the crude vessels early navigators of the Bashi Channel once used.

More than 200 people from six tribal communities took part in making the canoe – named “Ovayan,” or “Golden Friendship” – using traditional methods to bind specially cut wood without the need of nails.

“If the surface is uneven, with slight bumps here and there, the resistance from the sea will be much greater,” said Hsieh Chen-Hsiung, a shipbuilder, in a promotional video. The endeavour was supported by the Taiwanese government.

The Tao people are one of Taiwan’s ⁠smaller indigenous groups, with a population of just 5,120, according to government tallies. And indigenous people account for just 3% of modern Taiwan’s 23 million people –– a population now dominated by descendants of Han Chinese who came from the mainland –– but the role they played was crucial in the Great Pacific Migration story.

“It’s absolutely certain” that journey began in Taiwan “maybe 5,000 years ago,” Emeritus Professor of Archaeology Peter Bellwood, from Australian National University, told CNN. “Then, it spread into the Philippines, and then onwards.”

From there, the groups spread further to other places, such as Indonesia and Pacific islands, he said, adding there was archaeological records and DNA traces to back that up.

The Austronesian groups from Taiwan would bring food to their boats during expeditions, he said, including yams and taro as well as livestock.

“Without those animals and plants, they couldn’t survive in small islands,” Bellwood said, adding that there were usually women on board too.

“They had a basic knowledge of astronomy, so they could see where they were going, and they could also record maybe where they’d come from and where the direction was to go back home again,” he also said.

Taiwan was also the first traceable point of the passing of the many Austronesian languages, said Victoria Chen, a senior lecturer at Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand.

Many of those languages, she said, still share similar words – such as five, which is “lima” in Bahasa Indonesian, “rima” in the Māori language in New Zealand and “ʻelima” in

By Jessie Yeung, CNN

(CNN) — Activewear brand Lululemon is in hot water in China after a promotional event held on the Great Wall appeared to mistakenly feature a Japanese drum – setting off an online furor.

The consumer backlash, which prompted Lululemon to issue an apology and scrub its campaign, is the latest example of how quickly Western brands can come unstuck in a country where nationalism has surged under strongman leader Xi Jinping.

It began with a yoga festival organized by Lululemon on the Great Wall on May 30, according to Chinese state-run tabloid Global Times.

Billed as an event promoting Chinese culture and wellness, more than 2,000 guests laid down their mats on the ancient stone of the country’s most iconic landmark to practice yoga under the sun, according to a now-deleted press release by the brand.

One prominent guest was Chinese actor Zhu Yilong, known for his roles in popular movies and television shows like “Guardian,” “The Story of Minglan” and “Lighting Up the Stars.” At the festival, he joined a drum troupe in performing on what was initially described as a traditional Chinese drum, Global Times reported.

But the provenance of the drum soon came into question – with social media users and musicians claiming it appeared to resemble a Japanese Taiko drum instead.

Both types of drums are traditionally large, made with wood and cowhide skins that are sometimes tacked onto the body with metal studs, rings or rope. And they share a common history; many early Japanese drums were introduced to the country through China or Korea. However, they have since evolved to serve different, culturally specific purposes.

Chinese percussionist Xu Yang told his social media followers the form and style of the drums used on the Great Wall appeared more like a Japanese Taiko performance. “They should never be confused,” he said in a video on Weibo.

Others argued that it brought back memories of Japanese imperialism and wartime brutality – something that felt particularly sensitive displayed on a national symbol like the Great Wall.

The drum drama went viral this past week, garnering more than 50 million views on Chinese social media site Weibo by Monday, Global Times reported. Zhu’s studio weighed in on Tuesday, urging Lululemon to “verify the entire process and to review, analyze, and follow up on the matter.”

Zhu and his team “have always been committed to promoting traditional Chinese culture,” the statement added.

Lululemon responded to the controversy on Tuesday – saying the event had “intended to unwaveringly pay tribute to Chinese culture.”

“Due to limitations in our professional knowledge, we were unable to fully identify potential controversies initially, and we fully recognize that we should be more cautious and thorough in the early planning and review process of the drum performances,” it said, apologizing to both Zhu and the public.

It vowed to “learn profound lessons” and to adopt “a more rigorous attitude” in future events.

Lululemon has since scrubbed its website and social media of all content related to the event. The HIIKO Drum Troupe that performed with Zhu issued its own apology on Tuesday, saying “all external promotion and use of the controversial drums have been suspended.”

But many Chinese social media users remain unsatisfied with the statements. “On a landmark site with strong symbolic meanings like the Great Wall, every detail should withstand scrutiny,” read one post on Weibo.

It’s not the first time foreign brands have courted controversy, made geopolitical

By Diego Mendoza, Martin Goillandeau, CNN

(CNN) — A small jet carrying six people crashed on a highway in Laredo, Texas, Tuesday evening, killing one person and injuring at least 5 others, according to authorities.

Video shared by witnesses of the scene showed emergency responders and bystanders assisting those on board to exit the burning aircraft after it crashed on Laredo’s Loop 20, shutting down traffic in both directions.

The plane, a NetJets-operated Cessna Citation Latitude business jet, had departed San José del Cabo, Mexico, at around 6:18 p.m. local time and was bound for Austin, Texas, before diverting toward Laredo, along the US-Mexico border, according to flight data from FlightRadar24.

Authorities responded to the scene shortly before 10 p.m. local time after receiving a call from a local airport tower after the plane reported mechanical issues, Laredo Police Public Information Officer Jose Baeza told reporters from the scene. The plane lost contact with air traffic controllers before it crashed the highway, hitting a moving vehicle on its descent, he said.

The FlightRadar24 data shows a steady, controlled descent into Laredo International Airport, until the signal cut out at around 600 feet, roughly two and a half miles short of the runway, at about 9:58 p.m. local time.

Laredo International Airport Director Gilberto Sanchez also told CNN affiliate KGNS the aircraft experienced a mechanical failure before crashing.

CNN has reached out to Laredo International Airport and NetJets.

Police did not reveal the identities of those on board or the condition of those injured. The victims have been transported to a local hospital, Baeza told CNN.

“Regrettably and tragically there is one deceased involved in this crash,” Baeza told reporters from the scene, without giving further details as the victim’s family is being notified.

It’s unknown if anyone in the vehicle was injured. Five officers responding to the crash site were also transported to a local hospital for treatment related to injuries sustained during the rescue operation, Loredo Police Public Information Officer Jose Espinoza told CNN.

Federal agencies, including the National Transportation Security Board and the Federal Aviation Administration, have been notified and officers with the Federal Bureau of Investigation are already on-site, Baeza said.

CNN has reached out to the NTSB, FAA and FBI for more information.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

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