Leading Lebanese footballer Celine Haidar is in a medically induced coma after she was critically wounded in an Israeli strike near her home in Beirut's southern suburbs, putting her international championship prospects on hold. Leading Lebanese footballer Celine...
Referee body: Probe into Coote’s conduct ongoing
PGMOL, the refereeing body for English football, has said that the investigation into Premier League referee David Coote is continuing and he remains suspended pending the outcome of the disciplinary process.
PGMOL, the refereeing body for English football, has said that the investigation into Premier League referee David Coote is continuing and he remains suspended pending the outcome of the disciplinary process. PGMOL, the refereeing body for English football, has said that the investigation into Premier League referee David Coote is continuing and he remains suspended pending the outcome of the disciplinary process.
PGMOL, the refereeing body for English football, has said that the investigation into Premier League referee David Coote is continuing and he remains suspended pending the outcome of the disciplinary process.
Coote, 42, was initially stood down by PGMOL on Nov. 11 after a first video was posted to X which showed the referee making disparaging remarks about Liverpool and their former manager Jürgen Klopp.
Two days later, another video, filmed by Coote and shared to a friend on WhatsApp, was published by The Sun. It was allegedly taken at a UEFA-appointed hotel on July 6, the day after his final appointment at Euro 2024 as support VAR for the Portugal vs. France quarterfinal, and showed him sniffing a white powder.
Coote had already been suspended by UEFA in alignment with PGMOL, and European football’s governing body subsequently opened its own investigation.
A PGMOL spokesperson said on Thursday: “We are following an internal process and taking the allegations into David Coote’s conduct very seriously as part of our ongoing full and thorough investigation. Whilst David remains suspended, his welfare continues to be important to us and he is aware of the support network available to him.”
www.espn.com – SOCCER
PGMOL, the refereeing body for English football, has said that the investigation into Premier League referee David Coote is continuing and he remains suspended pending the outcome of the disciplinary process.
Sheeran aids Ipswich transfer pre-Taylor Swift gig
Ipswich Town have revealed that pop star and minor shareholder Ed Sheeran was called to help them sign a player moments before he joined Taylor Swift on stage at Wembley Stadium.
Ipswich Town have revealed that pop star and minor shareholder Ed Sheeran was called to help them sign a player moments before he joined Taylor Swift on stage at Wembley Stadium. Ipswich Town have revealed that pop star and minor shareholder Ed Sheeran was called to help them sign a player moments before he joined Taylor Swift on stage at Wembley Stadium.
Ipswich Town have revealed that pop star and minor shareholder Ed Sheeran was called to help them sign a player moments before he joined Taylor Swift on stage at Wembley Stadium.
Sheeran, the British pop star and lifelong Ipswich fan bought a small stake in the club in August, ahead of their return to the Premier League for the first time since 2002.
“In the summer, we were trying to persuade one particular player to join the football club and realized very quickly that he was an Ed Sheeran fan,” Ipswich CEO Mark Ashton said, speaking at a Soccerex industry event in Miami.
“Ed jumped on a Zoom call with him at the training ground, just before he stepped on stage with Taylor Swift. Hopefully that was a key part in getting the player across the line.”
Ashton didn’t disclose the player in question, saying only: “He’s certainly scoring a few goals.”
Sheeran and Swift were on stage together at a show at Wembley Stadium on Aug. 15, a day before Ipswich signed Sammie Szmodics from Blackburn.
Szmodics was the top scorer in the second-tier Championship last season, and after scoring from an overhead kick in Ipswich’s 2-1 win at Tottenham this month, he posted a photograph of himself with Sheeran on Instagram.
“Overhead kick, win & a smudge with big Ed. Get in there,” Szmodics, the Ireland international, wrote.
Sheeran is Ipswich’s most famous supporter and has been the club’s shirt sponsor since 2021. His status as a minority owner grants him access to an executive box at Ipswich’s Portman Road stadium and he is regularly seen at matches.
Ipswich hosts Manchester United on Sunday in a match notable for being Rúben Amorim’s first in charge of United.
Ashton spoke highly of Sheeran at the Soccerex event, saying with a smile: “He’s a local man, a global superstar, sponsor of the football club, now a shareholder and now officially a part of our recruitment team.”
www.espn.com – SOCCER
Ipswich Town have revealed that pop star and minor shareholder Ed Sheeran was called to help them sign a player moments before he joined Taylor Swift on stage at Wembley Stadium.
From Salah to Sterling, Ian Darke’s most impressive and disappointing players
If the English Premier League ended today, who would be in the running for Player of the Season, and who has sprinkled a little less stardust than we expected?
If the English Premier League ended today, who would be in the running for Player of the Season, and who has sprinkled a little less stardust than we expected? If the English Premier League ended today, who would be in the running for Player of the Season, and who has sprinkled a little less stardust than we expected?
If the English Premier League ended today, who would be in the running for Player of the Season, and who has sprinkled a little less stardust than we expected?
With Liverpool opening up a five-point gap at the top, there is no underestimating the importance of Mohamed Salah‘s continuing ability to snap up chances, even at a time when speculation grows that this might be his final season at Anfield — his contract expires at the end of June. He has eight goals in 11 league games, including three in his last three, and recently overtook the 163-goal tally of another Liverpool icon, Robbie Fowler. Arguably as important is the way Ryan Gravenberch has filled the problem No. 6 position for new manager Arne Slot, graduating from fringe player under Jürgen Klopp to a vital cog as Liverpool figure out the right midfield blend.
Erling Haaland, with 12 goals in 11 games, continues to set a blistering pace at the top of the scoring charts, but can even he rescue what is turning into a difficult Manchester City season? Injuries to key players and the fate of the club if found guilty of the 115 financial charges, are adding gloom that the Norwegian’s goals haven’t been able to lift. One player who has seized his chance amid all the City uncertainty is the previously anonymous Matheus Nunes, who has at last started to show what he can do on the left side of the attack, starting the last six matches, scoring twice and looking a serious threat.
Arsenal have struggled to find last season’s rhythm and a creative X factor while Martin Ødegaard has been injured, but his return could well spark an upturn in fortunes for the Gunners. One player who surely is on the brink of stardom in North London is Ethan Nwaneri, an outrageously gifted 17-year-old who has already shown in cameos that he might well be something special.
Chelsea have climbed above Arsenal in the table and while Cole Palmer (seven goals, five assists) rightly wins many plaudits, a key factor is the return to top form of Ecuador international Moisés Caicedo in the centre of midfield, where he now looks the powerhouse that led the club to pay Brighton over £100m in transfer fees. With Romeo Lavia the preferred partner for Caicedo, Enzo Fernández, who commanded a £105m transfer fee, finds himself as no more than an expensive reserve.
Chris Wood, previously regarded as not much more than a journeyman striker, has been a revelation for Nottingham Forest, who find themselves in the top five as the New Zealander is matching Salah goal for goal this season (eight in 11 games). Yet Forest also have the second best defence in the Premier League and for that, central defenders Nikola Milenkovic and Murillo must take huge credit. These two unlikely lads are making Forest mighty hard to beat.
Aston Villa‘s ship has run aground in their past four games and perhaps a little fatigue has crept in. Nevertheless, it is clear Villa have a major talent in Morgan Rogers, whose dynamic running at the heart of opposition defences makes him a real danger man. It was no surprise to see him win his first two England caps in this international break, as he might be the perfect cover for Jude Bellingham. The £8m Villa paid Middlesbrough in transfer fees looks like a major coup now.
Brentford‘s roller-coaster games have made them a team to watch this season. Indeed, they have the best home record in the league and you do not hear the name of Ivan Toney (who went to Saudi Arabia in the summer) much these days among Bees’ fans. The truth is he has not been missed because manager Thomas Frank is getting such a great tune from strikers Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa, who have hit 15 league goals between them.
Brighton’s Danny Welbeck is like one of those old rock stars who keep playing sell-out gigs. Now 33, the former England World Cup man is using all his craft and experience to help the Sussex club challenge for a return to Europe next season. He has six goals, including three in a row against Spurs, Newcastle and Wolves.
Newcastle are worth watching at the moment as they start to slip into much better form. Joelinton, once seen as a £40m misfit, is a huge midfield presence now while left-back Lewis Hall has emerged after a difficult start in the north east to win his first England caps in November.
At Tottenham, who are brilliant one moment and awful the next, the conversion of Dejan Kulusevski to a more central role has added considerably to his threat, and after a slow start of his own, Dominic Solanke is beginning to show returns on the £50m transfer fee. For all their hit-and-miss erratic progress, Spurs are the Premier League’s top scorers with 23 goals from 11 games, yet they are down in 10th place! Work that one out.
Manchester United fans have not had too much to comfort them for some time. Perhaps new boss Rúben Amorim, already impressing behind the scenes since arriving in England last week, can change the mood and culture. At least he inherits a goalkeeper who has started to look the part in André Onana, who has pulled off some big saves this season.
Others who deserve a mention in this “quarter-time” Premier League report are Bournemouth’s menacing attacker Antoine Semenyo, a real thorn in Man City’s side recently, Fulham‘s creative brain Emile Smith Rowe, and Matheus Cunha, whose ability to see a pass and grab goals (he has five this season in a struggling team) give Wolves hope of a recovery from their perilous position if they can keep the back door shut.
Liam Delap, a young striker who could not get a game at Manchester City with Haaland around, is giving Ipswich hopes of surviving with some very sharp finishes. He has delivered six goals so far, and the Suffolk club will need him to maintain that sort of form if they’re to stay above the water line.
So much for the season’s big hits. Here are just a few who have been a little underwhelming.
Raheem Sterling‘s loan move to Arsenal is not working out, having made only four league appearances. I’m not sure he has the trust of Mikel Arteta and his England days are long gone, yet he is only 29. He needs to play for a club that believes in him.
Marcus Rashford has shown glimpses of his best form at Manchester United, but is yet to score a Premier League goal at Old Trafford this season. Where exactly will he fit into Amorim’s preferred 3-4-3 system? You could ask the same question about summer signing Joshua Zirkzee (one goal in 11 appearances). Perhaps the new coach can revitalise the careers of both men, or perhaps not.
At Crystal Palace, they need Eberechi Eze fit for the team to fire and that is too often not the case — one reason why Eddie Nketiah, normally a decent predator type, has no goals in seven games. He has to play centrally in Oliver Glasner’s usual 3-4-3 system or not at all. He is not a wide player nor even a No. 10.
West Ham have been dreadfully disappointing, with very few of their main men firing. In particular, they need Lucas Paquetá to provide the creative spark to light the bonfire. He has been miles off his best; so have a few other Hammers players, and manager Julen Lopetegui might be on thin ice unless performances improve.
Everton need to get Jarrad Branthwaite properly fit. He has not been and in the few games he has managed, he hasn’t looked his usual self in central defence. That should change with game time, but equally, the Toffees could do with Dominic Calvert-Lewin upping his goal return. He has scored only two, admittedly with limited service.
James Maddison is another erratic contributor at Spurs and has found himself on the bench twice just lately. No one doubts his extravagant talent on a good day, but there are not enough of them and he has understandably slipped out of England contention.
www.espn.com – SOCCER
If the English Premier League ended today, who would be in the running for Player of the Season, and who has sprinkled a little less stardust than we expected?
NYCFC’s new stadium to be named Etihad Park
New York City FC’s $780 million, 25,000-seat venue that the club intends to open next to the Mets’ Citi Field in 2027 will be named Etihad Park under a 20-year agreement announced Thursday with Etihad Airways.
New York City FC’s $780 million, 25,000-seat venue that the club intends to open next to the Mets’ Citi Field in 2027 will be named Etihad Park under a 20-year agreement announced Thursday with Etihad Airways. New York City FC’s $780 million, 25,000-seat venue that the club intends to open next to the Mets’ Citi Field in 2027 will be named Etihad Park under a 20-year agreement announced Thursday with Etihad Airways.
New York City FC‘s $780 million, 25,000-seat venue that the club intends to open next to the New York Mets‘ Citi Field in 2027 will be named Etihad Park under a 20-year agreement announced Thursday with Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates.
The Major League Soccer team’s controlling owner is City Football Group, the parent company of England’s Manchester City. The Premier League team’s venue was renamed Etihad Stadium in July 2011.
NYCFC president Brad Sims said revenue from the deal will go to the MLS team and not the parent company or English club, which is under investigation by the Premier League for alleged violations of financial fair play rules.
Etihad has been NYCFC’s shirt sponsor since 2014 and Manchester City’s since 2009-10, a season after the Abu Dhabi United Group took control.
“It’s a 100% New York City FC deal,” Sims said. “Etihad Airways has been essentially our premiere, our principal and founding partner since Day 1 at the club here. … We wanted to ideally stay with someone who is a current partner of New York City FC and or someone in the City Football Group family but Etihad was easily kind of the No. 1 focus that we’ve had all along.”
Etihad also has collaborated with NYCFC on community initiatives.
“They’ve been interested for quite some time about this stadium in New York and really buying into, I think, the path of travel of the sport in this country, in the New York market specifically,” Sims said. “For them the New York market, the New York City market is a very strategic commercial market.”
Since taking the field in 2015, NYCFC has played home games primarily at Yankee Stadium, home of the Major League Baseball team that is a minority investor in NYCFC.
But because of schedule conflicts, NYCFC has played some home matches at Citi Field, the home of the rival New York Red Bulls in Harrison, New Jersey, and Rentschler Field in East Hartford, Connecticut.
Saturday’s Eastern Conference semifinal against the rival New York Red Bulls will be at Citi Field because Notre Dame is playing Army in a college football game at Yankee Stadium.
NYCFC announced the site in 2022. The New York City Council approved the soccer stadium in April as part of a Willets Point redevelopment that includes 2,500 housing units, a new public school, hotel and retail stores. Bulldozers and cranes are involved in pre-construction, lease negotiations with New York City are progressing and a groundbreaking is likely before the end of the year, according to Sims.
Mets owner Steve Cohen is among the bidders for a license to build a casino in an area adjacent to Citi Field.
“The more activity that can happen in development in Willets Point and make it a live-work-and-play neighborhood, the better,” Sims said.
Sims said when NYCFC is home first in a day, there has to be a six-hour buffer before a Mets game can start. When the Mets are home first, there has to be a seven-hour buffer before soccer can kick off.
Similar parameters exist with the U.S. Tennis Association for the US Open.
Sims said the new stadium will benefit NYCFC if MLS switches to an August-to-May schedule, aligning with most European soccer leagues, from its current February-to-December calendar.
“There’s a lot of pros to doing that. The cons mostly reside in cold-weather cities that have outdoor stadiums,” Sims said. “I think for us with the new stadium we would likely be relatively insulated, at least in the early — at least in the first five-, 10-plus years just with kind of excitement around the stadium.”
2026 World Cup
MLS season-ticket holders will have priority access to hospitality tickets for the 2026 World Cup.
“All MLS season members, season-ticket holders, corporate partners and such will have a kind of presale access, these opportunities ahead of the marketplace to purchase suites, club seats, hospitality-type products at all games in all markets throughout the 2026 World Cup,” Sims said.
“That’s something that I think is a great benefit to our season-ticket members and to our sponsors and corporate partners. … We’re in the marketplace actively marketing 2025 City memberships and that’s going to be another benefit of that.”
www.espn.com – SOCCER
New York City FC’s $780 million, 25,000-seat venue that the club intends to open next to the Mets’ Citi Field in 2027 will be named Etihad Park under a 20-year agreement announced Thursday with Etihad Airways.
In strategic shift, NWSL aims to be a great sports league first, women’s league second
The NWSL is plenty entertaining and Saturday is the most anticipated final in league history. But can it compete with the NBA, NFL and MLS?
The NWSL is plenty entertaining and Saturday is the most anticipated final in league history. But can it compete with the NBA, NFL and MLS? The NWSL is plenty entertaining and Saturday is the most anticipated final in league history. But can it compete with the NBA, NFL and MLS?
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — For years, the global debate around the NWSL’s on-field product has centered around whether it is the best women’s soccer league in the world.
Recently, however, NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman and an ever-expanding league office have mulled a more provocative question: Can the NWSL — a women’s soccer league that is barely a decade old — be one of the best sports leagues in the world? More bluntly: Can it be relevant and compete with MLS and the NHL? Or even the NFL or the NBA?
The answers to those questions might be less important than the fact that they are being asked. That line of thinking suggests the NWSL might finally be embracing that its core ingredient is the most important to the success of any league: it is, above all, entertainment. And the NWSL has an abundance of entertainment.
Saturday’s NWSL Championship between the Orlando Pride and the Washington Spirit in Kansas City, Missouri, is a battle of the league’s top two teams. Orlando set a record for points (60) and unbeaten games to start a season (23), while both teams won 18 games in the regular season, jointly setting a league record.
Both Orlando and Washington narrowly prevailed last weekend in the most entertaining round of semifinals the NWSL has ever seen. It wasn’t just that all four teams played good soccer, and no, it didn’t matter that it was women’s soccer, either. The two games were sport at its most dramatic, captivating height.
Berman noted as much when she spoke at Audi Field on Saturday. The semifinal sold out in 72 hours. The Spirit’s quarterfinal also sold out despite overlapping the Washington Commanders NFL game being played in the area. “There was a time when that wouldn’t be in the realm of possibility,” Berman said.
What she said next matters more: “To really experience the energy of what I think is the emergence of an NWSL fan that really loves the game; they’re not just here for the environment or the experience, or to support women or women’s soccer players, but [they are] really enjoying the fact that the game itself is competitive and these are the best athletes in the world.”
For a league that for years emphasized its role as a women’s platform, it’s a shift that the NWSL is now positioning itself more simplistically: as a sport worth people’s attention, no strings attached about supporting a good cause.
The semifinals were must-see TV for the most casual sports fan. The Spirit won a penalty shootout over defending champ NJ/NY Gotham FC after Washington goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury stopped all three shots she faced. It was a tense, heated game in front of a raucous sold-out stadium in the nation’s capital — a crowd of 19,000-plus that erupted when the Spirit tied the score in second-half stoppage time.
A day later, the top-seeded Pride defeated the Kansas City Current behind an unforgettable, viral goal from six-time world player of the year Marta. That was the artistry before the drama: Orlando survived a late surge from Kansas City to win 3-2.
The league’s diehards know this well: Chaos is the ethos of the NWSL. And chaos is often entertaining.
Marta & Banda ‘can’t wait’ for NWSL championship game vs. Washington
Marta and Barbra Banda speak about reaching the NWSL championship game vs. Washington Spirit.
This is the league where last-place teams win championships the following season (as Gotham did in 2023), results frequently change in the final minutes (the term “NWSL After Dark” was coined years ago to recognize the league’s unpredictable games), and just about anything weird can happen, including a player flipping the double bird to a referee on broadcast TV (yes, really).
Previous iterations of NWSL leadership too frequently failed to embrace the totality of the league’s gripping cinema. They also did not have the luxury of media rights deals that showcased the league’s product to the masses.
This season was the first of a four-year rights deal that the NWSL struck with ESPN, CBS, Amazon and Scripps (ION). The agreements meant that the majority of NWSL games were on TV this year and in places where sports fans already are.
Bonmati slams Liga F for failing to market itself like NWSL & WSL
Barcelona’s Ballon d’Or-winning midfielder Aitana Bonmati says the Spanish Liga F is far behind the NWSL and WSL when it comes to promoting itself to potential fans.
ESPN calls itself the worldwide leader in sports, CBS is a major home of professional and college football, and both already broadcast several other soccer leagues, meaning the NWSL could (in theory) meet soccer fans where they already were. Amazon’s Prime Sports is a growing player in the space, and ION already successfully broadcasts WNBA doubleheaders as it now does for the NWSL.
Compare this to 2017, when the NWSL announced a historic media rights deal with A&E (including giving up equity in the league to A&E) that placed a weekly featured national TV game on Lifetime, the home of murder mystery romance movies on a loop. The league simultaneously launched the “Pass The Ball” campaign with celebrities talking about NWSL athletes as role models, which sounded more like an appeal for charity than an advertisement for an exciting product.
The partnership between the NWSL and Lifetime seemed great at the time, but the bar was low. The league had come from the depths of being broadcast on sketchy YouTube streams and a handful of games on cable. The message of going all-in on Lifetime was also clear: Women are the primary demographic of that channel, so of course women’s soccer would be a hit, right?
In retrospect, the thinking — of the Lifetime deal, but more so of how the league positioned itself, and what it thought to be its target demographic — was self-limiting. Fast-forward to today and the NWSL’s slogan is in its second year of a marketing campaign called “We Play Here,” which clearly positions the league as the home of world-class athletes.
The league’s front office has multiplied from a handful of hard-working folks in Chicago in the early years to approaching 100 now stationed in Manhattan in New York. Multiple senior executives at the league came from the NFL, and Berman joined from the NHL in 2022.
The billionaires buying up teams come with a wealth of sporting experience, too. Laura Ricketts, of the Ricketts family that owns MLB’s Chicago Cubs, purchased the Chicago Red Stars last year. The struggling franchise has a lot of work to do, but this year’s NWSL record crowd of nearly 40,000 at Wrigley Field represented an ambition and execution previously unthinkable in that market and, in large part, within the league.
Carolyn Tisch Blodgett was confirmed as an investor in and the new governor of Gotham FC days before the team’s championship win last year. The Tisch family has part-owned the New York Giants for the past three decades.
Earlier this year, Tisch Blodgett told ESPN that she treats Gotham as the same long-term investment as the Giants. She also sees a pathway toward making the club a globally recognizable brand, something other team owners have echoed.
“I’ve been really clear with my team that my vision is to build one of the best global sports franchises, period,” she said earlier this year. “That’s across men’s and women’s, that’s across sports, that’s across continents. When you think about the best global sports brands out there, there are no women’s teams on that list, and it’s just a matter of time until it is.”
One of the teams playing in Saturday’s NWSL Championship is attempting a similar trajectory. The Spirit are owned by Michele Kang, who also now owns French power Olympique Lyonnais and second-division English side London City Lionesses. Kang has been vocal about the need to invest in more infrastructure in the women’s game, and just this week she announced a $30 million investment in U.S. Soccer’s women’s and girls’ programs.
The key to a great sports product whether women’s soccer, American football or any other sport is entertainment. The NWSL is full of that, and it will be on display again Saturday in what might be the most anticipated final in league history.
Can the NWSL be a great sports league? There’s still growing to do, but at last, the league might finally be asking the correct questions.
www.espn.com – SOCCER
The NWSL is plenty entertaining and Saturday is the most anticipated final in league history. But can it compete with the NBA, NFL and MLS?
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Geno Auriemma and UConn forced every program to raise their standard. They also changed the lives of the 160 women who have played for the Huskies. Geno Auriemma and UConn forced every program to raise their standard. They also changed the lives of the 160 women who...
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LeBron James posted on X and Instagram on Wednesday to announce that he's stepping away from his pages. LeBron James posted on X and Instagram on Wednesday to announce that he's stepping away from his pages. LeBron James posted on X and Instagram on Wednesday to...
Transfer rumors, news: Davies remains linked with Man United
Manchester United continue to keep tabs on Bayern Munich left-back Alphonso Davies. Transfer Talk has the latest news, gossip and rumors.
Manchester United continue to keep tabs on Bayern Munich left-back Alphonso Davies. Transfer Talk has the latest news, gossip and rumors. Manchester United continue to keep tabs on Bayern Munich left-back Alphonso Davies. Transfer Talk has the latest news, gossip and rumors.
Manchester United are keen on Bayern Munich left-back Alphonso Davies, while PSV Eindhoven are braced to receive bids from the Premier League for USMNT forward Ricardo Pepi in January. Join us for the latest transfer news, rumours, and gossip from around the globe.
Transfers homepage | Done deals | Men’s grades | Women’s grades
– FC Dallas names Eric Quill to replace interim coach Luccin– Amorim denied January Man United transfer spree – source– Barça official confirms PSG bid €250m for Yamal
– Manchester United are interested in Bayern Munich left-back Alphonso Davies, Sky Sports Deutschland’s Florian Plettenberg reports. The Red Devils are said to see the 24-year-old Canada international as a “dream” transfer for next summer when his contract at the Allianz Arena will expire. Davies, who is yet to show any indication of wanting to remain in Germany, has made nine appearances in the Bundesliga this season, and he has also been linked with both Real Madrid and Barcelona.
– PSV Eindhoven are expecting a bid from Premier League clubs for forward Ricardo Pepi in January, reports AS. “Several” clubs are reported to have made enquiries to the Eredivisie side regarding a move in the next transfer window, while it is expected that a bid worth €15 million would be enough to land the 21-year-old United States international. Pepi has been in impressive form of late with six goals in his last nine games for club and country.
– Liverpool are keeping close tabs on Lyon attacking midfielder Rayan Cherki, reports RMC Sport. It is believed that manager Arne Slot is interested in a move for the 21-year-old, who the Reds are expected to “intensify” their approach for in the coming weeks. A bid worth less than €30m would reportedly be enough for the Ligue 1 side to agree to part ways with him, amid recent positive form that has seen him contribute to five goals in 11 matches across all competitions.
– A move to reunite with Lille midfielder Angel Gomes is under consideration by Manchester United, reports the Sun. The 24-year-old is reported to be seen as a potential successor to Casemiro, with the Red Devils convinced that he will be a strong fit for new manager Rúben Amorim’s system. Gomes is set to be out of contract next summer, and it is believed that Tottenham Hotspur are also in the running to sign him should he not join the club where he started his professional career.
– Centre-back Andreas Christensen could be moved on by Barcelona in January, reports Sport. The Blaugrana are unsure whether they can promise the 28-year-old regular first-team football with several options available in his position, and set to enter the final year of his deal next summer, they are considering parting ways with him permanently. It is said that the Denmark international would prefer to stay at the club, but there is the belief that could change if manager Hansi Flick informs him that he is not in first-team plans.
www.espn.com – SOCCER
Manchester United continue to keep tabs on Bayern Munich left-back Alphonso Davies. Transfer Talk has the latest news, gossip and rumors.
Costa Rican club threatens FIFA suit for CWC spot
The winningest team in Costa Rica is asking FIFA for a spot in next summer’s Club World Cup and is willing to take legal action if denied.
The winningest team in Costa Rica is asking FIFA for a spot in next summer’s Club World Cup and is willing to take legal action if denied. The winningest team in Costa Rica is asking FIFA for a spot in next summer’s Club World Cup and is willing to take legal action if denied.
The winningest team in Costa Rica is asking FIFA for a spot in next summer’s Club World Cup and is willing to take legal action if denied.
Alajuelense, which has won 30 league titles, wants FIFA to enforce the rule that forbids clubs from the same ownership to participate in the tournament.
“The claim is based on the principles of eligibility set in the rules of the tournament,” the club said in a press release.
Team spokesman Marco Vazquez noted that Mexican clubs Leon and Pachuca belong to the same owner, Jesus Martinez, of Grupo Pachuca.
“Those are the rules that FIFA established — there cannot be multi-ownership,” Vazquez said Wednesday. “There are two Mexican clubs from the same owner and the rulebook is clear. What we are asking is to review what FIFA itself established.”
The FIFA-run competition has been expanded from seven teams to 32 and will be staged in the United States from June to July next year.
“We hired a law firm in Spain, and they have all the details,” Vazquez said of potential legal action.
FIFA has not publicly reacted to the team’s announcement and didn’t immediately answer a request for comment.
Alajuelense is the best-ranked team in Central America for the Concacaf, but 40th overall in the region.
Concacaf has four spots in the Club World Cup. The teams that qualified are: the Seattle Sounders FC, Monterrey, Leon and Pachuca. Lionel Messi‘s Inter Miami CF will participate as a guest of the host.
All five clubs were announced for the Dec. 5 draw in Miami.
In Mexico, besides Leon and Pachuca, there are another two companies that own two or more clubs in the first division. Grupo Caliente owns Tijuana and Queretaro, while Grupo Orlegi controls Atlas and Santos. TV Azteca owns Mazatlan and has partial ownership of Puebla.
On May 2023, the Liga MX announced that multi-ownership will be forbidden, but gave owners four years to sell.
Jesus Martinez Murguia, who runs the Leon club, said they will sell part of the team to comply with the rules but will still have a partial ownership.
www.espn.com – SOCCER
The winningest team in Costa Rica is asking FIFA for a spot in next summer’s Club World Cup and is willing to take legal action if denied.
Antony had enjoyed a stellar season with Ajax when Manchester United came knocking - but he could've gone to Liverpool had Mohamed Salah made a different call on his future Antony had enjoyed a stellar season with Ajax when Manchester United came knocking - but he...
Scottie Scheffler will host the 2025 Masters Champions Dinner in April, and the American has admitted he's considering serving the exact same menu he did in 2023 Scottie Scheffler will host the 2025 Masters Champions Dinner in April, and the American has admitted...
New York Jets wide receiver Mike Williams has responded to Aaron Rodgers' criticism of him for running the wrong route in their loss to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday New York Jets wide receiver Mike Williams has responded to Aaron Rodgers' criticism of him for running...
The rivalry between Red Bull and McLaren has engulfed the Formula 1 season, with team bosses Christian Horner and Zak Brown now in a public spat over FIA regulations The rivalry between Red Bull and McLaren has engulfed the Formula 1 season, with team bosses...
Wyndham Clark believes there is still a spot for 45-time winner Phil Mickelson on the PGA Tour when an agreement is finally made with their Saudi rivals at LIV Golf Wyndham Clark believes there is still a spot for 45-time winner Phil Mickelson on the PGA Tour when an...
Rasmus Hojlund declined to entertain comparisons to Ruud van Nistelrooy after his cool finish vs Brentford saw Manchester United fans liken the striker's finishing ability to the Old Trafford icon Rasmus Hojlund declined to entertain comparisons to Ruud van...
Sir Chris Hoy - who is the second-most decorated Olympic cyclist in history - said he initially complained about a suspected shoulder strain before scans revealed a tumour that had spread from his prostate Sir Chris Hoy - who is the second-most decorated Olympic...
Lewis Hamilton will join Ferrari from the 2025 season, and the British driver has been tipped to help Charles Leclerc reach his full potential before retiring from Formula 1 Lewis Hamilton will join Ferrari from the 2025 season, and the British driver has been tipped...
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William Saliba was shown a red card as Arsenal fell to their first Premier League defeat of the season against Bournemouth as Ryan Christie and Justin Kluivert scored at the Vitality stadium William Saliba was shown a red card as Arsenal fell to their first Premier...
LIVE Transfer Talk: Man United to re-sign Fernandez ahead of Liverpool, Madrid, Barca
Manchester United could look to re-sign Benfica left-back Alvaro Fernandez, as Liverpool, Barcelona and Real Madrid are starting to show interest, Transfer Talk has the latest.
Manchester United could look to re-sign Benfica left-back Alvaro Fernandez, as Liverpool, Barcelona and Real Madrid are starting to show interest, Transfer Talk has the latest. Manchester United could look to re-sign Benfica left-back Alvaro Fernandez, as Liverpool, Barcelona and Real Madrid are starting to show interest, Transfer Talk has the latest.
The winter transfer window won’t reopen in Europe for a while yet, but there are plenty of moves in the works and gossip swirling around.Transfer Talk brings you all the latest buzz on rumours, comings, goings and, of course, done deals!
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Manchester United could look to re-sign Benfica left-back Alvaro Fernandez, as Liverpool, Barcelona and Real Madrid are starting to show interest, Transfer Talk has the latest.
Juve director: Squad ‘complete’ without Pogba
Paul Pogba’s hopes of playing for Juventus again took a hit on Saturday when the club’s director Cristiano Giuntoli said that the Serie A side are complete without him.
Paul Pogba’s hopes of playing for Juventus again took a hit on Saturday when the club’s director Cristiano Giuntoli said that the Serie A side are complete without him. Paul Pogba’s hopes of playing for Juventus again took a hit on Saturday when the club’s director Cristiano Giuntoli said that the Serie A side are complete without him.
Pogba reveals doping ban led him to clear out his ‘entourage’ (2:23)Paul Pogba says it’s “anger” and “determination” that’s driving him to return to football following his doping ban, after clearing out his “entourage”. (2:23)
Paul Pogba‘s hopes of playing for Juventus again took a hit on Saturday when the club’s director Cristiano Giuntoli said that the Serie A side are complete without him.
The 31-year-old midfielder, who has a contract with Juve until June 2026, will end his doping ban in March after testing positive for DHEA in September 2023, a banned substance that boosts testosterone levels.
The former France international had his ban cut earlier this month from an initial four years to 18 months by the Court of Arbitration for Sport and will be eligible to play for Juve as soon as the ban ends.
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“Our position is clear. Pogba has been a great player, he has been out for a long time and last year we were forced to invest in other players,” Giuntoli told DAZN ahead of the club’s home match against Lazio.
“So now the squad is complete as it is.”
ESPN reported last week that Pogba could become a free agent after opening talks with Juventus with a view to terminating his contract. A source told ESPN that both Pogba and Juventus are open to the prospect of him restarting his career elsewhere.
Information from Reuters contributed to this report.
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Paul Pogba’s hopes of playing for Juventus again took a hit on Saturday when the club’s director Cristiano Giuntoli said that the Serie A side are complete without him.
Arteta: Arsenal loss ‘accident waiting to happen’
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said his side’s defeat to Bournemouth on Saturday was “an accident waiting to happen” after William Saliba was sent off in the first half.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said his side’s defeat to Bournemouth on Saturday was “an accident waiting to happen” after William Saliba was sent off in the first half. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said his side’s defeat to Bournemouth on Saturday was “an accident waiting to happen” after William Saliba was sent off in the first half.
Did Arteta get it wrong vs. Bournemouth when Arsenal went down to 10? (2:06)Janusz Michallik and Luis Miguel Echegaray criticise Mikel Arteta’s tactical decisions after William Saliba’s red card in the defeat to Bournemouth. (2:06)
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said his side’s defeat to Bournemouth on Saturday was “an accident waiting to happen” after William Saliba was sent off in the first half.
Bournemouth won 2-0 thanks to goals form Ryan Christie and Justin Kluivert after Saliba was shown a red card for a challenge on Evanilson after 30 minutes as Arsenal suffered their first defeat of the campaign.
It is the third time this season Arsenal have been forced to finish a match with 10 players, leaving Arteta frustrated that his side’s lack of discipline cost them points.
“We are obviously very disappointed with the result and gutted because we have to play again in that context,” he said. “This time was even more difficult than the previous two we faced this season.
Arsenal suffered their first defeat of the season against Bounemouth. Catherine Ivill – AMA/Getty Images
“Playing for 65 or 68 minutes with 10 men at this level is just an impossible task. It’s an accident waiting to happen, not to get the points.
“I cannot fault the team for their effort, their commitment, how intelligent they are to play in the way that we have to do it.”
Declan Rice was sent off in Arsenal’s 1-1 draw at home to Brighton earlier in the season, while Leandro Trossard was also shown red in the 2-2 draw against title rivals Manchester City.
Arsenal host Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League on Tuesday.
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Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said his side’s defeat to Bournemouth on Saturday was “an accident waiting to happen” after William Saliba was sent off in the first half.
Chelsea’s Palmer: ‘Cold’ celly about passion, joy
Chelsea forward Cole Palmer has explained why he performs his signature “cold” celebration after each goal, saying it is about showing the “joy” of football.
Chelsea forward Cole Palmer has explained why he performs his signature “cold” celebration after each goal, saying it is about showing the “joy” of football. Chelsea forward Cole Palmer has explained why he performs his signature “cold” celebration after each goal, saying it is about showing the “joy” of football.
Maresca: Chelsea open to letting staff leave to join Tuchel at England (0:38)Enzo Maresca says Chelsea are “happy” if backroom staff want to reunite with Thomas Tuchel at England. (0:38)
Chelsea forward Cole Palmer has explained why he performs his signature “cold” celebration after each goal, saying it is about showing the “joy” of football.
Palmer has been in great form so far this season, scoring six goals in seven Premier League games.
In an interview with the Telegraph released on Sunday, Palmer revealed why he performs the move.
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“I first did the ‘cold’ celebration last December in a game against Luton where we won 3-2. It’s a nod to my former City academy teammate Morgan Rogers,” he said.
“It symbolises joy, passion and hard determination for the game plus it’s funny as it works well with my name. Everyone knows it’s my celebration. Lots of people might have done it, but everybody knows it is my celebration.”
Palmer was named England Men’s Player of the Year, the Football Association announced earlier this month. He was also named Premier League Player of the Month for September
The forward is hoping they will not be the only individual awards during his career after he was included on the 30-man Ballon d’Or shortlist last month.
“It was a surprise to be recognised at that level so early in my career,” he said. “It’s a huge honour. Winning it would be brilliant, and I believe with hard work and consistency I could get there.”
Chelsea face Liverpool on Sunday as they look to continue their positive start to the season under new boss Enzo Maresca.
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Chelsea forward Cole Palmer has explained why he performs his signature “cold” celebration after each goal, saying it is about showing the “joy” of football.
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Man United came from behind to win against Brentford after Matthijs de Ligt's head injury, and there are some signs of progress under Erik ten Hag. Man United came from behind to win against Brentford after Matthijs de Ligt's head injury, and there are some signs of...
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Having run out of patience after three straight games without a Sun Devils made field goal, including Saturday's loss to Cincinnati, Arizona State coach Kenny Dillingham told reporters, "We're going to have kicking tryouts on Monday, so bring it on." Having run out...
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Star Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase has now given up six hits and four runs in his past two postseason appearances, this after posting a 0.61 ERA during the regular season. Star Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase has now given up six hits and four runs in his past two...
Emmanuel Clase gave up two runs in the ninth inning as the Yankees moved closer to another World Series, beating the Guardians 8-6 to take a 3-1 lead in the ALCS. Emmanuel Clase gave up two runs in the ninth inning as the Yankees moved closer to another World...
Liberty coach Sandy Brondello blasted the officiating and foul call disparity following her team's 82-80 Game 4 loss to the Lynx. Liberty coach Sandy Brondello blasted the officiating and foul call disparity following her team's 82-80 Game 4 loss to the...
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Thomas Tuchel is the new England manager and the former Chelsea and Bayern Munich boss will bank a huge £3million bonus if he guides the Three Lions to a World Cup win Thomas Tuchel is the new England manager and the former Chelsea and Bayern Munich boss will bank a...
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Lewis Hamilton had never qualified outside the top five for a United States Grand Prix in Austin before Saturday but only managed to go 19th quickest in a Q1 session to forget Lewis Hamilton had never qualified outside the top five for a United States Grand Prix in...
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A bad qualifying session for Mercedes, who had already seen Lewis Hamilton suffer a Q1 exit, turned worse when George Russell lost control and smashed up his car in the final stages A bad qualifying session for Mercedes, who had already seen Lewis Hamilton suffer a...
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Mainz fans turn on Klopp over Red Bull exec role
Jürgen Klopp was criticised by fans of his former club Mainz on Saturday over his decision to join energy drinks company Red Bull and oversee its football clubs.
Jürgen Klopp was criticised by fans of his former club Mainz on Saturday over his decision to join energy drinks company Red Bull and oversee its football clubs. Jürgen Klopp was criticised by fans of his former club Mainz on Saturday over his decision to join energy drinks company Red Bull and oversee its football clubs.
Jürgen Klopp explains decision to join Red Bull (1:16)Jürgen Klopp says he wants to “learn again” after agreeing to become Red Bull’s global head of soccer. (1:16)
Jürgen Klopp was criticised by fans of his former club Mainz on Saturday over his decision to join energy drinks company Red Bull and oversee its football clubs.
Mainz supporters held banners during their team’s Bundesliga game against RB Leipzig — a Red Bull-backed club — in which they addressed their former hero.
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“Have you forgotten everything we gave you?” asked a huge banner behind one of the goals, referring to his tearful farewell speech when he left the club after 18 years as a player and coach in 2008.
“Are you crazy?” asked another banner with a pun on Klopp’s name using the German word “bekloppt” for crazy, while another referred to a quote of his: “I like people until they disappoint me.”
Earlier this month, Red Bull announced that Klopp will become its head of global football from January, overseeing its international network of clubs, including Leipzig, Austrian team RB Salzburg, New York Red Bulls, Bragantino in Brazil and Omiya Ardija in Japan.
Red Bull also has a minority stake in English Championship club Leeds United, while it is set to become a minority stakeholder in French second-division club Paris FC.
After leaving Mainz in 2008, Klopp enjoyed successful coaching spells at Borussia Dortmund, then Liverpool, where he lifted the Premier League and Champions League.
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Jürgen Klopp was criticised by fans of his former club Mainz on Saturday over his decision to join energy drinks company Red Bull and oversee its football clubs.
Rice blasts Arsenal’s ‘naivety’ after B’mouth loss
Declan Rice lambasted Arsenal for their “naivety” this season following their 2-0 loss to Bournemouth in which they were reduced to 10-men for the third time this season.
Declan Rice lambasted Arsenal for their “naivety” this season following their 2-0 loss to Bournemouth in which they were reduced to 10-men for the third time this season. Declan Rice lambasted Arsenal for their “naivety” this season following their 2-0 loss to Bournemouth in which they were reduced to 10-men for the third time this season.
Did Arteta get it wrong vs. Bournemouth when Arsenal went down to 10? (2:06)Janusz Michallik and Luis Miguel Echegaray criticise Mikel Arteta’s tactical decisions after William Saliba’s red card in the defeat to Bournemouth. (2:06)
Declan Rice lambasted Arsenal for their “naivety” this season following their 2-0 loss to Bournemouth in which they were reduced to 10-men for the third time this season.
The game at Vitaly Stadium turned on its head in the 30th minute when William Saliba was sent off for a foul on Evanilson near the halfway line after an awry pass from Leandro Trossard. The France international was initially shown a yellow card before a VAR check saw it upgraded to a red.
Bolstered by their man-advantage, Bournemouth began playing with greater attacking endeavour and found the breakthrough in the 70th minute through a well-worked Ryan Christie goal before a Justin Kluivert penalty condemned Arsenal to their first loss of the season.
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“We’ve kicked ourselves in the foot three times in eight games and we got away with it at home to Brighton and away at Manchester City. Bournemouth kept probing and made it 2-0,” Rice told Sky Sports after the game.
“I’m proud of the players for fighting, even with 10 men, but the naivety, we need to stop making mistakes because you want 11 players for 90 minutes and that’s what wins you football matches.
“With 10 men we showed a lot of character and personality to stay in the game. The big chance was [Gabriel] Martinelli’s and the keeper read it and made a great save and one minute later, normally a routine we are so strong at, has done us.
“We can’t make silly mistakes. You need all your best players on the pitch at all times. The belief is so high and we will stick together. This is football, whatever happens the most important thing is that you stick together and stay in the right direction.”
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta too was left rueing the Martinelli chance, where the Brazil international failed to slot past Kepa Arrizabalaga from close range.
“We had the big chance and the moment in the game to score and have a different result and then we conceded a goal. We try to stick to the rules. The three [red cards] have been different ones and three very different outcomes,” Arteta said post-game.
“The team tried, the effort with 10 men was fantastic but today it was not enough to win the game. It took us a while to understand what we had do in the first 15 minutes to start with, then we grabbed the game but after 30 minutes the game changed.”
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Declan Rice lambasted Arsenal for their “naivety” this season following their 2-0 loss to Bournemouth in which they were reduced to 10-men for the third time this season.
‘I’m back’: Neymar set to return after ACL injury
Neymar is available to play for Saudi Arabia club Al-Hilal in an AFC Champions League Elite match next week after one year on the sidelines due to injury.
Neymar is available to play for Saudi Arabia club Al-Hilal in an AFC Champions League Elite match next week after one year on the sidelines due to injury. Neymar is available to play for Saudi Arabia club Al-Hilal in an AFC Champions League Elite match next week after one year on the sidelines due to injury.
Neymar will return to Al Hilal‘s squad for their AFC Champions League Elite match next week after one year on the sidelines due to injury, the Saudi Arabian club announced Saturday.
Al Hilal made the announcement in a video on social media, with Neymar declaring, “I know you’re anxious. I am too. On October 21st, I’m back.”
Al Hilal will face Al-Ain of the United Arab Emirates on Monday.
His marketing company NR Sports said in a statement on Saturday that the Brazilian’s love for soccer and his hope to play in the next World Cup were bringing him back to action.
“Though there’s no final decision for his return, the number 10 will be able to play on Monday to carry on with his remarkable trajectory,” the statement said.
Neymar signed for the Riyadh team in August 2023 and played just five games when he underwent surgery after rupturing his meniscus and anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee while on international duty in October last year.
“These were days of pain, anguish, and a lot of longing for soccer, which were overcome with the help of family and friends, always present for our number 10. And all the fans around the world who gave him all support in social media networks,” the statement added. “The wait is over.”
A social media post also published on Saturday showed the 32-year-old speaking about his recovery and displayed footage of his efforts to come back.
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“Every time I get injured, I come back. But I don’t come back halfway,” a tearful Neymar said in a video.
Neymar returned to training in July, but in September his club coach Jorge Jesus dampened expectations of an immediate comeback. The Portuguese coach did not confirm Neymar will play on Monday.
Neymar, whose two-year contract ends next August, is eligible to appear in AFC Champions League Elite matches as the continental competition has no restrictions on the number of foreign players allowed. That is not the case in the Saudi Pro League, which will see him back only in January.
If fit, Neymar could return to Brazil‘s national team in two rounds of South American World Cup qualifying scheduled for November.
Information from The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Neymar is available to play for Saudi Arabia club Al-Hilal in an AFC Champions League Elite match next week after one year on the sidelines due to injury.
Milan coach hails ‘fantastic’ Pulisic for role in win
AC Milan manager Paulo Fonseca praised Christian Pulisic’s all-round performance as his side beat Udinese 1-0 on Saturday despite being down to 10 men for more than an hour.
AC Milan manager Paulo Fonseca praised Christian Pulisic’s all-round performance as his side beat Udinese 1-0 on Saturday despite being down to 10 men for more than an hour. AC Milan manager Paulo Fonseca praised Christian Pulisic’s all-round performance as his side beat Udinese 1-0 on Saturday despite being down to 10 men for more than an hour.
AC Milan manager Paulo Fonseca praised Christian Pulisic‘s all-round performance as his side beat Udinese 1-0 on Saturday despite being down to 10 men for more than an hour.
United States star Pulisic registered his 11th goal contribution in 13 games for club and country this season with his assist for Samuel Chukwueze to open the scoring for Milan in the 13th minute at the San Siro.
But Fonseca also praised Pulisic for his defensive work as Milan held on for the victory, despite midfielder Tijjani Reijnders being shown a straight red card in the 29th minute.
“Christian’s game was fantastic,” Fonseca told DAZN. “This is the spirit that we must always have.”
Pulisic, who missed the USMNT’s defeat to Mexico on Tuesday in order to return to Milan, has been involved in at least one goal in seven straight league matches; producing five goals and three assists.
Christian Pulisic has been the key player for AC Milan so far this season. Francesco Scaccianoce/Getty Images
The radically changed Rossoneri started brightly against Udinese and took the lead when Noah Okafor muscled his way down the left flank and rolled it across for Pulisic, who set up Chukwueze to sweep it into the far bottom corner.
The win moved Milan level on points with third-placed Inter Milan, which plays at Roma on Sunday.
“I must say that the game had two parts,” Fonseca added. “The first one until minute 30 when we received a red card.
“We played 30 minutes with great personality and quality. It was close to my idea. After the red card, it was a game made of team spirit.
“We suffered, but we suffered together. If there was any doubt on whether this team was united, today we proved we are.”
Fonseca stated that his side deserved the win, despite Udinese having two goals disallowed, one from Kingsley Ehizibue and another from Christian Kabasele following the narrowest of offside calls.
“It would have been unfair for the team. We had the best chances and it would have been unfair not to win this game. The team deserved these three points,” he said.
Information from Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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AC Milan manager Paulo Fonseca praised Christian Pulisic’s all-round performance as his side beat Udinese 1-0 on Saturday despite being down to 10 men for more than an hour.
Ten Hag: Anger at De Ligt handling fuelled Utd win
Erik ten Hag has admitted Manchester United were fired up for their second-half comeback against Brentford after being left “angry” by the circumstances around the visitors’ controversial opening goal.
Erik ten Hag has admitted Manchester United were fired up for their second-half comeback against Brentford after being left “angry” by the circumstances around the visitors’ controversial opening goal. Erik ten Hag has admitted Manchester United were fired up for their second-half comeback against Brentford after being left “angry” by the circumstances around the visitors’ controversial opening goal.
Michallik calls Man United’s comeback win a ‘ray of hope’ (0:51)Janusz Michallik looks back on an “excellent win” for Manchester United vs. Brentford to ease the pressure on Erik ten Hag. (0:51)
Erik ten Hag has admitted Manchester United were fired up for their second-half comeback against Brentford after being left “angry” by the circumstances around the visitors’ controversial opening goal.
United needed second-half goals from Alejandro Garnacho and Rasmus Højlund to come from behind to win 2-1 — their first victory in six games in all competitions.
United were furious about going into the break 1-0 down after Ethan Pinnock scored from a corner with Matthijs de Ligt off the pitch receiving treatment for a head injury.
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It was the third time a bleeding De Ligt was ordered off the pitch and Brentford took advantage.
“It was dry blood so he was already treated for the injury,” Ten Hag said.
“I didn’t understand why he was sent off. I went over to Matthijs and he said ‘it is dry blood and I have to come off, I don’t know why.’ It was a huge moment because Brentford are very good at corners and you miss one of your best headers.”
United assistant Ruud van Nistelrooy was shown a yellow card for his protests and his argument with fourth official Gavin Ward continued into the tunnel at half-time.
Ten Hag’s team were far better in the second half and the Dutchman revealed the perceived injustice around Brentford’s goal had helped to get the best out of his players.
Matthijis de Ligt was off the pitch when Brentford took the lead at the end of the first half. Getty
“Definitely, we were angry at half time,” he said.
“You see the togetherness, the fighting spirit and we add some determination to score goals. The stats show we play good football [this season] and don’t score enough but today we scored two brilliant goals.”
Victory for United will ease the pressure on Ten Hag ahead of Thursday’s trip to face Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce. Languishing in 14th in the table during the international break, they are now into the top half and three points off the top six.
“Pressure is always there,” Ten Hag said. “We have to win every game and when you are 1-0 down, you have to see how we turned it around. We felt some injustice and used it as fuel. I really enjoyed the performance.”
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Erik ten Hag has admitted Manchester United were fired up for their second-half comeback against Brentford after being left “angry” by the circumstances around the visitors’ controversial opening goal.
‘Extraordinary’ Modric breaks Madrid record in win
Carlo Ancelotti praised Luka Modric as an “extraordinary professional” after the midfielder celebrated becoming Real Madrid’s oldest ever player by providing an assist in their 2-1 win at Celta Vigo.
Carlo Ancelotti praised Luka Modric as an “extraordinary professional” after the midfielder celebrated becoming Real Madrid’s oldest ever player by providing an assist in their 2-1 win at Celta Vigo. Carlo Ancelotti praised Luka Modric as an “extraordinary professional” after the midfielder celebrated becoming Real Madrid’s oldest ever player by providing an assist in their 2-1 win at Celta Vigo.
Luka Modric sets up Vinícius Júnior’s goal with terrific through ball (1:00)Luka Modric threads a pass through the Celta Vigo defense to Vinícius Júnior as Real Madrid restore their one-goal advantage. (1:00)
Carlo Ancelotti praised Luka Modric as an “extraordinary professional” after the midfielder celebrated becoming Real Madrid‘s oldest-ever player by providing an assist in their 2-1 win at Celta Vigo.
A stunning strike from Kylian Mbappé put Madrid ahead in the first half at Balaidos on Saturday, and Williot Swedberg levelled for Celta.
Modric then came off the bench — breaking Ferenc Puskas’ record as Madrid’s oldest player to feature in a competitive match, at 39 years and 40 days — before playing in Vinícius Júnior for the winning goal three minutes later.
“It’s an honour and a pleasure to coach and work with [Modric],” Ancelotti told Real Madrid TV. “With everything he’s been able to achieve, he’s a fantastic professional and a top man.”
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Madrid’s win over Celta puts them level on points with Barcelona at the top of the LaLiga table, ahead of Barça’s game with Sevilla on Sunday.
It also extended their unbeaten run in LaLiga to 42 matches, one game fewer than the record, held by Barcelona, who Madrid will face in next weekend’s Clásico.
“[Modric] always contributes, whether he starts or comes off the bench,” Ancelotti added in his news conference. “He has so much quality that helps us.
“There aren’t many words to add, he’s still fantastic. He’s an extraordinary professional, he works hard, he’s calm, he has character, Real Madrid are lucky to have this player.”
Mbappé and Vinicius both missed games for their countries during the international break due to fitness concerns, but impressed against Celta.
“[They scored] two spectacular goals,” Ancelotti said. “They have that quality, and they made the most of it today. They trained well during the break, and they’ve improved their condition.”
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Carlo Ancelotti praised Luka Modric as an “extraordinary professional” after the midfielder celebrated becoming Real Madrid’s oldest ever player by providing an assist in their 2-1 win at Celta Vigo.
Bloodied but not beaten, Man United comeback spurred by anger and Garnacho
Man United came from behind to win against Brentford after Matthijs de Ligt’s head injury, and there are some signs of progress under Erik ten Hag.
Man United came from behind to win against Brentford after Matthijs de Ligt’s head injury, and there are some signs of progress under Erik ten Hag. Man United came from behind to win against Brentford after Matthijs de Ligt’s head injury, and there are some signs of progress under Erik ten Hag.
Michallik calls Man United’s comeback win a ‘ray of hope’ (0:51)Janusz Michallik looks back on an “excellent win” for Manchester United vs. Brentford to ease the pressure on Erik ten Hag. (0:51)
MANCHESTER, England — Alejandro Garnacho was given top billing by Erik ten Hag against Brentford and the Manchester United winger repaid his under-fire manager with a performance to match.
Both Garnacho and Marcus Rashford want to play on the left and, more of than not, Ten Hag has given preference to Rashford. But United haven’t been scoring or winning and so the Dutchman made a change to put the England international on the right instead. It worked and Garnacho scored a crucial equaliser from the left to help United to a much-needed 2-1 win.
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The Argentina international tormented makeshift right-back Sepp van den Berg and was easily the home side’s best player. He would have had at least two assists to add to his goal had his teammates been more alert to a couple of crosses fizzed across the penalty area during a brilliant second half.
Garnacho went off late in the game to a standing ovation from the supporters inside Old Trafford. Thanks largely to the 20-year-old they finally had a good day in Manchester’s Autumn sun, and so did Ten Hag.
“I know what he’s capable of,” Ten Hag said afterwards. “He’s a threat and has scoring abilities, but also a threat in one versus one situations. The end product is definitely what we need and missed that in the first games of the season.”
Alejandro Garnacho celebrates with fellow goal scorer Rasmus Højlund. OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images
After five games without a win, Ten Hag desperately needed one. But it looked for a while that Brentford would hammer another nail into his coffin with a first league win at Old Trafford since 1937 as they went into half-time 1-0 up.
Matthijs de Ligt had already been ordered off the field twice after suffering a head wound in a collision with Kevin Schade. With blood still colouring his hair and face red, the centre-back was sent to the touchline for a third time in first-half stoppage time. While he was off the pitch, Ethan Pinnock got away from Diogo Dalot from a corner and headed past André Onana.
De Ligt spun round in a fury and booted a ball into the stands; Ruud van Nistelrooy’s protests earned the assistant coach a yellow card and he was lucky to avoid a second as he continued his argument with the fourth official in the tunnel at the break.
So often United under Ten Hag have failed to deal with setbacks. This time, though, the perceived injustice seemed to fire them up.
“We were mad,” Ten Hag admitted. “Definitely, we were angry at half-time.”
Brentford have made headlines for starting quickly in the last month, but it was United who started the second half with a bang. United’s tactic for most of the game appeared to centre around getting the ball to Garnacho as quickly as possible and in the 47th minute it got Ten Hag’s team back in the game.
Rashford picked up the ball on the right and arrowed a pinpoint pass towards the far side of the penalty area; Garnacho has scored spectacular volleys before and added another to his collection with a guided finish into the net before the ball had touched the ground. It was the type of clinical finish Ten Hag has been begging for — and was one of seven shots Garnacho attempted, three more than any other United player.
Matthijs de Ligt vents after Brentford scored while he was off the pitch. Gareth Copley/Getty Images
Sometimes criticised for his work rate, he defended as well as he attacked and topped the stats sheet with six ball recoveries before being substituted.
With United 1-0 down and Southampton 2-0 up against Leicester, there was a point during the afternoon when Ten Hag’s team were officially the Premier League’s lowest scorers. But Ten Hag has said repeatedly that he is confident his forwards will eventually click and for 45 minutes against Brentford they did.
The second goal was one straight from Ten Hag’s drawing board. United’s press pinned Brentford into their own corner, Lisandro Martínez collected a loose pass high up the pitch, Christian Eriksen fired forward a quick pass, and Rasmus Højlund added a deft finish after a clever flick from Bruno Fernandes.
Ten Hag’s beaming smile said it all and he embraced both Van Nistelrooy and fellow assistant Rene Hake. There was a certain amount of relief in the celebrations after a bruising international break which has seen more speculation about his future.
“The stats show we play good football but don’t score enough,” Ten Hag said. “Today, we scored two brilliant goals. The two goals we score are high quality. This team has the capacity to score very good goals and when you score and win you add some confidence.
“The start of the season, we had some good performances. We had chances but didn’t score enough and then everyone is negative. Today can help us, but it is only one win and we must build on this.”
And there lies the challenge for Ten Hag. Victory over Brentford will stop the questions about his position for a couple of days, but Fenerbahce and Jose Mourinho are waiting on Thursday in the UEFA Europa League. Only a consistent run of wins between now and the next international break will quiet the talk around whether he’s the right man for the job.
He can at least point to the development of Garnacho as one of the things he’s got right at Old Trafford. Garnacho has needed Ten Hag to show enough faith to play him regularly since breaking into the first team during the former Ajax coach’s first season in Manchester. Now it’s Ten Hag who needs Garnacho to keep performing like he did against Brentford and keep the pressure off his shoulders.
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Man United came from behind to win against Brentford after Matthijs de Ligt’s head injury, and there are some signs of progress under Erik ten Hag.
The Spurs phenom gained 25 pounds, worked with Jamal Crawford and added Chris Paul as a teammate in the offseason. The Spurs phenom gained 25 pounds, worked with Jamal Crawford and added Chris Paul as a teammate in the offseason. The Spurs phenom gained 25 pounds,...
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LIVE Transfer Talk: Man City to battle Bayern for Wirtz’s signature
Man City is giving Bayern Munich some competition for the signature of Florian Wirtz. Transfer Talk is with the latest.
Man City is giving Bayern Munich some competition for the signature of Florian Wirtz. Transfer Talk is with the latest. Man City is giving Bayern Munich some competition for the signature of Florian Wirtz. Transfer Talk is with the latest.
The winter transfer window won’t reopen in Europe for a while yet, but there are plenty of moves in the works and gossip swirling around.Transfer Talk brings you all the latest buzz on rumours, comings, goings and, of course, done deals!
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Man City is giving Bayern Munich some competition for the signature of Florian Wirtz. Transfer Talk is with the latest.
Slot: Alexander-Arnold unfazed by transfer talk
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has said his vice-captain Trent Alexander-Arnold is not disturbed by the growing speculation around his future at the Premier League club and is fully focused on matters on the pitch.
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has said his vice-captain Trent Alexander-Arnold is not disturbed by the growing speculation around his future at the Premier League club and is fully focused on matters on the pitch. Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has said his vice-captain Trent Alexander-Arnold is not disturbed by the growing speculation around his future at the Premier League club and is fully focused on matters on the pitch.
Slot: Talk around Liverpool’s expiring contracts a good thing (0:39)Arne Slot speaks about the contracts of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah. (0:39)
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has said his vice-captain Trent Alexander-Arnold is not disturbed by the growing speculation around his future at the Premier League club and is fully focused on matters on the pitch.
The 26-year-old England right-back has been linked with a move to Spanish giants Real Madrid with his Liverpool contract running out at the end of the season. Alexander-Arnold last month said his contract situation will not be played out in public.
Having come through the ranks at Anfield and captaining the club across its youth levels, Alexander-Arnold has won the Champions League, Premier League, FA Cup and the Club World Cup among other major honours since making his senior debut in 2016.
Trent Alexander-Arnold has been linked with a move to Real Madrid. Andrew Kearns – CameraSport via Getty Images
Captain Virgil van Dijk and winger Mohamed Salah are also out of contract at the end of the campaign.
“I think you underestimate our players. These players are used to being linked with all the top clubs on a daily basis, if they have contracts or not,” Slot told a news conference ahead of Sunday’s Premier League home clash against Chelsea.
“If you think they’re disturbed by this interest then you don’t do justice to how strong they are mentally. This is part of our job. This is part of this world we are living in. You just focus on what you have to do.
“Maybe if you’re 17 or 18 years of age it could be difficult for you. But Trent has won the league, has won the Champions League; Virgil and Mo the same. I don’t think that is a problem for them to perform and that’s what we see at the moment because they’re playing really well.”
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Liverpool, who top the Premier League table with 18 points from seven matches, will be without first-choice goalkeeper Alisson Becker against Chelsea as he faces a spell on the sidelines with a hamstring injury.
Slot said he expects the 32-year-old Brazil international to return before Christmas.
“But you never know. It is always difficult to know how an injury will go in the first stages, so we can answer that question better in two or three weeks’ time,” the Dutchman added.
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Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has said his vice-captain Trent Alexander-Arnold is not disturbed by the growing speculation around his future at the Premier League club and is fully focused on matters on the pitch.
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Sources: Tuchel to raid Chelsea for England staff
Thomas Tuchel is set to raid former club Chelsea as he attempts to form his backroom staff after becoming England’s new head coach, sources have told ESPN.
Thomas Tuchel is set to raid former club Chelsea as he attempts to form his backroom staff after becoming England’s new head coach, sources have told ESPN. Thomas Tuchel is set to raid former club Chelsea as he attempts to form his backroom staff after becoming England’s new head coach, sources have told ESPN.
Maresca: Chelsea open to letting staff leave to join Tuchel at England (0:38)Enzo Maresca says Chelsea are “happy” if backroom staff want to reunite with Thomas Tuchel at England. (0:38)
Thomas Tuchel is set to raid former club Chelsea as he attempts to form his backroom staff after becoming England’s new head coach, sources have told ESPN.
The 51-year-old will start work as Gareth Southgate’s successor on Jan. 1, with the Football Association (FA) confirming this week that Anthony Barry would leave his post with Portugal and join up as Tuchel’s assistant.
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Barry previously worked at Chelsea with Tuchel, who later convinced the 38-year-old to join him at Bayern Munich.
During his unveiling on Wednesday, Tuchel stated that “there will be a few more people in the backroom staff but we will keep the group very small because I always want to acknowledge the potential and the quality in the staff of the FA.”
Sources said the FA have contacted Chelsea regarding head of performance analysis James Melbourne. He is expected to agree a move, while Tuchel is also an admirer of goalkeeping coach Hilario.
Speaking at a news conference on Friday, Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca suggested the club would not block anybody who wanted to leave.
“I know that one of them has been approached, that is one of the analysts and we are quite open to leave people to take their chances in case they want to take it,” Maresca said.
“And the other one, I think Hilario, I heard something but there’s been not any approach yet so this is the only thing I know. But as I said, we are open-minded in terms to allow people to take chances and also we are happy to keep people that they want to stay and the one that they want to go they can go.”
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Thomas Tuchel is set to raid former club Chelsea as he attempts to form his backroom staff after becoming England’s new head coach, sources have told ESPN.
Luis Suárez confirms Inter Miami contract talks
Luis Suárez confirmed on Friday he is currently engaged in contract negotiations with Inter Miami over a possible extension.
Luis Suárez confirmed on Friday he is currently engaged in contract negotiations with Inter Miami over a possible extension. Luis Suárez confirmed on Friday he is currently engaged in contract negotiations with Inter Miami over a possible extension.
Luis Suarez pounces on goalie error to make it 3-1 Inter Miami (0:53)Luiz Suarez heads home into an empty net as Inter Miami go 3-1 up vs. Columbus Crew. (0:53)
Luis Suárez confirmed on Friday he is currently engaged in contract negotiations with Inter Miami over a possible extension.
The forward initially signed a one-year contract with Inter Miami on Dec. 22, joining Major League Soccer for the 2024 season only.
“My lawyer is talking to the club, but I am with a calm mind,” Suárez said. “I am going to finish the season in the best possible way, which is what I wanted and to show the club that one comes with desire, feels good physically and with the hope to continue being part of the history of this club.”
Head coach Gerardo Martino insisted the team would agree to an extension if the opportunity presents itself.
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“Of course, all the high-class players like Luis that we can have and put together much better,” he said. “So surely if the possibility is given that it will happen.”
Suárez quickly silenced early concerns of his physical state and recurring knee injuries when arriving to MLS, adapting quickly to the action with Inter Miami.
He has recorded 18 goals and seven assists in 26 matches, propelling the Herons to the Supporters’ Shield and the 2024 MLS playoffs.
The forward sits in third place on the Golden Boot standings, narrowly falling behind Christian Benteke, Cucho Hernández and Dénis Bouanga. His efforts on the attack also earned him a nomination to the 2024 MLS MVP award.
With Suárez’s contributions, Inter Miami remain on course to break the MLS record for most points managed in a single season.
Though the New England Revolution currently hold the title after recording 73 points in 2021, Inter Miami would top the number with a final victory on Saturday.
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Luis Suárez confirmed on Friday he is currently engaged in contract negotiations with Inter Miami over a possible extension.
Pep on Begiristain exit: ‘A part of me is leaving’
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has expressed his sadness at the impending exit of the club’s director of football as speculation grows about the Catalan coach’s own future with the team.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has expressed his sadness at the impending exit of the club’s director of football as speculation grows about the Catalan coach’s own future with the team. Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has expressed his sadness at the impending exit of the club’s director of football as speculation grows about the Catalan coach’s own future with the team.
Dawson expects Pep Guardiola future decision soon (1:35)Rob Dawson believes Pep Guardiola would stay at Man City if they are found guilty on the 115 Premier League charges. (1:35)
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has expressed his sadness at the impending exit of the club’s director of football as speculation grows about the Catalan coach’s own future with the team.
Txiki Begiristain’s decision to leave the executive role he has occupied since 2012 was confirmed last weekend, with Guardiola’s former colleague at Barcelona being replaced with Sporting CP‘s Hugo Viana next season.
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“A part of me is leaving,” Guardiola said in his Friday news conference. “A friend of mine, one of the, I would say the architects to create one of the best teams ever in Barcelona and now here.
“A friend of mine, I knew the decision for a long time … Personally, he will be missed, but for the confidence, for the trust, especially in the bad moments because he makes me incredibly balanced in my job.
“I am so energetic – when the going is bad, I want to destroy everything, and all the time he said: ‘See you tomorrow, take a coffee.'”
Guardiola refused to be drawn on whether his close associate’s exit would impact his own future at the team, which remains unclear with his existing contract expiring at the end of the season.
He told Italian TV show Che tempo che fa that “anything can happen” regarding his future during the international break.
“I have to decide. I have not taken a decision, when I do I will inform you,” he said on Friday. “There is no news, I have nothing to add. My concern only is for Wolves.”
Asked if he had been given a deadline for a decision by City, Guardiola added: “The club have never ever told me.
“Of course, but I’m pretty sure the club have options when Pep will leave. Sooner or later it will happen and they have to prepare. It will not be a surprise.
Pep Guardiola did nothing to dispel speculation over his Man City future during a TV interview in Italy earlier this week. Stefania D’Alessandro/Getty Images
“I want to be really convinced it is the best for the club. I will not delay any action thinking it will be a problem for the club. They understand the problems I will have.
The Spaniard said that he would be willing to offer advice if he was consulted about potential replacements.
“If the club asks me an opinion [on the next Man City manager] I will give them an opinion,” he said. “But it is not a decision for me. It has to be the club.”
City travel to Wolves on Sunday, with Guardiola confirming that neither Kevin De Bruyne or Nathan Aké have recovered in time to start the game.
“No chance, not ready,” he said. “Manu [Akanji] today was day off, today we see how he feels. Tomorrow, we know exactly.”
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Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has expressed his sadness at the impending exit of the club’s director of football as speculation grows about the Catalan coach’s own future with the team.
Ex-Fulham capt. accuses Al Fayed of assault
The former captain of Fulham’s women’s team, Ronnie Gibbons, says she was sexually assaulted on two occasions by the late Mohamed Al Fayed when he owned the club.
The former captain of Fulham’s women’s team, Ronnie Gibbons, says she was sexually assaulted on two occasions by the late Mohamed Al Fayed when he owned the club. The former captain of Fulham’s women’s team, Ronnie Gibbons, says she was sexually assaulted on two occasions by the late Mohamed Al Fayed when he owned the club.
The former captain of Fulham‘s women’s team, Ronnie Gibbons, says she was sexually assaulted on two occasions by the late Mohamed Al Fayed when he owned the club.
Speaking to The Athletic, Gibbons said in a story published Friday that the former Harrods owner tried to “forcefully” kiss her and groped her at his department store in 2000, when she was 20.
“The club is profoundly troubled to learn of the experiences told today by former Women’s Team captain, Ronnie Gibbons,” Fulham said in a statement. “She has our deepest empathy and support.”
Fulham are investigating amid rape allegations against ex-owner Mohamed Al Fayed. Daniel Hambury/PA Images via Getty Images
Earlier this month, police in London said that 40 women have made allegations of rape or sexual assault against Al Fayed since the BBC broadcast claims by several former Harrods employees. They are in addition to the 21 women who went to the police between 2005 and 2023 with sex crime allegations against the businessman. He was never prosecuted and died last year aged 94.
“We continue to stress our absolute condemnation of abuse in all forms,” Fulham said. “We remain in the process of establishing whether anyone at the club is or would have been impacted by Mohamed Al Fayed in any manner as described in recent reports.”
Al Fayed owned Fulham between 1997 and 2013.
Gibbons told The Athletic she was twice summoned to Al Fayed’s office above Harrods on the pretext that she would speak about football to his children, who were not there when she showed up.
She said that Al Fayed made her sit on his lap, stroked her knee and forcefully kissed her on the lips as she tried to go away during her first visit.
“I just remember feeling sick, just really physically feeling sick, when I left there,” she recalled.
When she was asked to return to Harrods, she said that he kissed and then groped her, running his hand down from her face to her waist.
“Speaking my truth and finally telling my story will hopefully help me heal and be rid of the shame, embarrassment and pain I have carried for years,” said Gibbons, who played for Ireland at international level. “If this can help one person open up and realise it’s not your fault and be free of the same burdens, then I’ll be happy.”
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The former captain of Fulham’s women’s team, Ronnie Gibbons, says she was sexually assaulted on two occasions by the late Mohamed Al Fayed when he owned the club.
Tyler Adams fit to return for B’mouth vs. Arsenal
Bournemouth midfielder Tyler Adams remains on track to make his season debut against Arsenal in the Premier League on Saturday.
Bournemouth midfielder Tyler Adams remains on track to make his season debut against Arsenal in the Premier League on Saturday. Bournemouth midfielder Tyler Adams remains on track to make his season debut against Arsenal in the Premier League on Saturday.
Keller & Salazar clash over Pulisic’s USMNT absence (1:48)Kasey Keller and Sebastian Salazar debate who was responsible for Christian Pulisic not playing vs. Mexico. (1:48)
Bournemouth midfielder Tyler Adams remains on track to make his season debut against Arsenal in the Premier League on Saturday.
“He lacks some game time but that is normal,” Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola said at a news conference Friday. “He is feeling very well, doing well, has good sensations and has trained very well this [international] break with us. He is ready.”
Adams, the United States captain at the 2022 World Cup, had back surgery in early July.
Adams was limited to three Premier League games last season because of a hamstring injury that sidelined him from Sept. 27 until March 13. He returned for two matches, then didn’t play for the Bournemouth after March 30 because of back spasms.
Tyler Adams could make his first appearance of the season against Arsenal on Saturday. Robin Jones – AFC Bournemouth/AFC Bournemouth via Getty Images
The 25-year-old Adams played a full game for the U.S. as it was eliminated from the Copa América with a 1-0 group stage loss to Uruguay on July 1 and had back surgery days later.
Adams was not included in newly hired U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino’s squad for friendlies against Panama and Mexico during the past week. The U.S. beat Panama 2-0 before losing by the same score to Mexico on Tuesday night.
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He could return to the national team for a two-leg Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal against Jamaica next month.
Also set to return this weekend, is Adams’ U.S. teammate Tim Weah.
The 24-year-old also missed the USMNT’s October friendlies and has made only four appearance for Juventus so far this season while dealing with an ankle injury.
However Juventus manager Thiago Motta said Friday that Weah was fit to return for the Serie A side against Lazio on Saturday.
Information from The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Bournemouth midfielder Tyler Adams remains on track to make his season debut against Arsenal in the Premier League on Saturday.
Ten Hag: Ferguson exit will ‘impact’ Man United
Erik ten Hag has admitted that the end of Sir Alex Ferguson’s employment at Manchester United will “impact” the club, but insists the former manager will still be available to offer advice to players and staff.
Erik ten Hag has admitted that the end of Sir Alex Ferguson’s employment at Manchester United will “impact” the club, but insists the former manager will still be available to offer advice to players and staff. Erik ten Hag has admitted that the end of Sir Alex Ferguson’s employment at Manchester United will “impact” the club, but insists the former manager will still be available to offer advice to players and staff.
Dawson: Tuchel’s England appointment a very good day for Erik ten Hag (1:45)Rob Dawson says that the pool of managers that Manchester United could turn to is now much smaller than in the summer. (1:45)
Erik ten Hag has admitted that the end of Sir Alex Ferguson’s employment at Manchester United will “impact” the club, but insists the former manager will still be available to offer advice to players and staff.
United have decided to axe Ferguson’s role as ambassador as part of wider cost-cutting measures. The 82-year-old has been earning around £2 million-a-year since stepping down as manager in 2013.
“Of course it has an impact on us, Sir Alex is Man United,” Ten Hag told a news conference on Friday.
“He built Man United to where the club is now, it impacts us. But on the other side also we know and Sir Alex knows and he wants to see a winning Man United, I’m sure he’s always available for every advice and we will need him definitely in the short term as we did in the last two and a half years I am here.”
Erik ten Hag hopes to still be able to count upon the advice of Sir Alex Ferguson. Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images
Ferguson enjoyed unprecedented success at Old Trafford, winning 13 Premier League titles and the Champions League twice in 27 years at the helm.
He remains the last United manager to win the title and since his departure more than 10 years ago, the club have slipped from the top of English football.
“At the moment we can’t match the standards he [Ferguson] set but still we won trophies,” said Ten Hag.
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“Remember, six years before this club didn’t win trophies so we are coming back, we are returning.
“But it is also obvious that we are not there but it is very important we need all the processes right and that we can construct a team that we can line up the best players to construct the best teams.”
United face Brentford at Old Trafford on Saturday looking to end a run of five games without a win.
Ten Hag’s team won the same fixture last season thanks to two late goals from Scott McTominay, who has since moved to Napoli. The midfielder has been winning fans with his performances in Italy and Ten Hag says the club would have never sanctioned his departure had it not been for the Profit and Sustainability Rules that encourage transferring academy graduates.
“I’m very happy for Scott,” said Ten Hag.
“As I said when he left I didn’t want this but that’s the rules the club had to deal with the fair play rules and the rules are not great. The rules, I would even say are bad, but that’s the situation that’s created by the rules and forced us to make this decision.”
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Erik ten Hag has admitted that the end of Sir Alex Ferguson’s employment at Manchester United will “impact” the club, but insists the former manager will still be available to offer advice to players and staff.
Sources: Miami, Messi to get Club World Cup place
Inter Miami is set to be announced as the final Major League Soccer participant for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, sources told ESPN.
Inter Miami is set to be announced as the final Major League Soccer participant for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, sources told ESPN. Inter Miami is set to be announced as the final Major League Soccer participant for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, sources told ESPN.
Does Messi’s monster season matter if Inter Miami don’t win the MLS Cup? (1:16)Luis Miguel Echegaray says trophies are the only thing that matters to Lionel Messi, with Inter Miami within reach of the record MLS points total. (1:16)
Inter Miami is set to be announced as the final Major League Soccer participant for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, sources told ESPN.
Official announcement of the team’s involvement in the tournament is expected in the coming week.
The 2025 Club World Cup will feature 32 clubs from across the globe for the first time, after FIFA chose to expand the tournament from its previous seven-team format. World soccer’s governing body awarded 12 spots to Europe (UEFA), 6 to South America (CONEMBOL), 4 each to North America and the Caribbean (Concacaf), Asia (AFC) and Africa (CAF) and 1 to Oceania (OFC).
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Most of the participating teams have already been determined, including Manchester City (2022-23 UEFA Champions League winners) and Real Madrid (2021-22 and 2023-24 UEFA Champions League Winners).
Monterrey (2021 Concacaf Champions Cup), Seattle Sounders (2022 Concacaf Champions Cup), León (2023 Concacaf Champions Cup) and Pachuca (2024 Concacaf Champions Cup) will represent Concacaf.
Concacaf, however, received an additional invite to the tournament given that the United States will serve as host of the Club World Cup.
FIFA reserved the right to choose the final Concacaf participant, awarding the ticket to the 2024 Supporters’ Shield winner Inter Miami. MLS commissioner Don Garber revealed during the All-Star game on July 24 that the league could only provide FIFA with suggestions, but would not select the participant.
Lionel Messi will now lead the South Florida side in the international tournament from June 15 to July 13, 2025 in venues across the United States.
FIFA named the 12 host stadiums last month, and also revealed that the final would take place at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
That venue will be joined by Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta), Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte, North Carolina), TQL Stadium (Cincinnati), Rose Bowl Stadium (Pasadena, California), Hard Rock Stadium (Miami), GEODIS Park (Nashville, Tennessee), Camping World Stadium (Orlando, Florida), Inter&Co Stadium (Orlando, Florida), Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia), Lumen Field (Seattle) and Audi Field (Washington, D.C.).
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Inter Miami is set to be announced as the final Major League Soccer participant for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, sources told ESPN.
Man United’s mess under INEOS: Player frustration, staff cuts, bad results and more
From the long-overdue stadium renovations to managerial decisions and transfer policy, all is not well at Man United. How is the new club leadership addressing these issues?
From the long-overdue stadium renovations to managerial decisions and transfer policy, all is not well at Man United. How is the new club leadership addressing these issues? From the long-overdue stadium renovations to managerial decisions and transfer policy, all is not well at Man United. How is the new club leadership addressing these issues?
If he didn’t know before, Sir Jim Ratcliffe is finding out just how hard it is to be the man in charge of Manchester United.
Three months into his first full season at Old Trafford, results are poor, pressure is mounting on coach Erik ten Hag and now the British billionaire is having to deal with the fallout from the decision to cut off the greatest manager in the club’s history, Sir Alex Ferguson.
International breaks are supposed to be about rest and recuperation for club sides, but this one has been bruising for Ratcliffe and his INEOS team, who purchased a minority stake of £1.25 billion from majority owners the Glazer family in February. The 71-year-old has had to justify ending Ferguson’s role as a £2m-a-year ambassador as part of cost-cutting measures implemented across the board.
Former club captain Eric Cantona said the move showed “a lack of respect.” One former player told ESPN that Ferguson’s removal as an ambassador, as well as the departure of a number of long-serving staff members as part of a redundancy programme, makes it feel as if Ratcliffe has “ripped the soul out of the club.”
The INEOS CEO has also faced accusations he’s dodging the decision to sack Ten Hag. A seven-hour board meeting held in London last week ended with no further clarity on his position as manager.
It has only been a few months since United said the Dutchman was the best man for the job and extended his contract by a year, but ahead of the Premier League fixture against Brentford on Saturday, the storied club — with 13 Premier League titles to its name — is languishing 14th in the table. There is a feeling among some supporters that Ratcliffe and INEOS are botching many of their early tests, and that the golden future predicted when they arrived might be harder to achieve than first thought.
The question remains, will Ratcliffe’s plan get United back on top, or is this another false dawn? — Rob Dawson
Ratcliffe, left, is still backing Ten Hag, middle, as manager, but the club’s poor form continues to raise questions about whether changes are needed. Manchester United/Manchester United via Getty Images
Sir Dave Brailsford is the man behind the theory of marginal gains, where finding the extra 1% can make the difference between competing and winning. This approach helped make Team GB’s cyclists the dominant force in their sport for a decade, delivering multiple gold medals at successive Olympic Games, so in many ways, Brailsford, British cycling’s former performance director, would seem to be the perfect fit for Manchester United.
INEOS is Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s petrochemicals company that has invested in cycling, sailing, football and Formula 1, and the 60-year-old head of sport has been at the forefront of its running of United since acquiring a minority stake in February, but success, and acceptance, at Old Trafford is proving difficult to find.
“Brailsford held a meeting with the first-team squad shortly after INEOS took charge of football operations at the club,” a source told ESPN. “He sat there in a cream shirt and pair of cream chinos, telling the players that he lived on the most exclusive street in Monte Carlo, but that he was coming to Manchester because he was going to help make United better.
“The players left the room rolling their eyes and shaking their heads. It was like they were supposed to be grateful that Dave had given up his idyllic lifestyle to save them all. All they’ve seen since is cost-cutting and people losing their jobs.”
Three months later, the promise to “make United better” had a hollow ring to it as the first-team players threatened to pay for their own flight back to Manchester after the FA Cup final in London. The club was providing other means of transportation back from the capital, where United had beaten Manchester City to win the FA Cup. With the club holding firm, senior players pushed back and insisted they would source their own flight home.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his fellow club executives are struggling to make instant impact on Manchester United. (Photo by James Gill – Danehouse/Getty Images)
When asked for comment, the club insists adequate transportation was booked for the Sunday morning — with the team enjoying a party at the hotel the night of the final — but some players chose to fly off on holiday direct from London instead.
“The players and senior staff thought it was unprofessional to travel back to Manchester on a bus, simply because it was the cheaper option, so they told the club they would pay for their own plane,” a source told ESPN.
“The club backed down pretty quickly, but it was embarrassing for them. This is Manchester United, and the players were being treated like a League One team.”
United have been in a state of flux for longer than anyone at the club cares to remember, but the latest mess — “s— show,” as one recently departed staffer told ESPN — can be traced back to the Glazer family announcing in November 2022 that it would seek outside investment and, potentially, a sale of the club it had purchased in 2005.
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The so-called strategic review dragged on for months, with Ratcliffe’s INEOS group and a rival bid led by Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al Thani vying out to secure ownership of the club. Neither group was prepared to match the Glazers’ £6 billion valuation, so Ratcliffe changed his approach, offering £1.25 billion for a 27.7% stake and control of United’s football operations and ultimately claiming the prize — or part of it.
On taking charge of the football side of United in February, Ratcliffe promised to lift United “back to the top of English, European and world football,” at the same time asking for patience from supporters as he attempted to turn round football’s equivalent of an oil tanker.
“Ratcliffe’s first question to United’s football staff was, ‘How are you messing it up so badly, what’s gone wrong here?'” a source told ESPN. “The problem for him now is that he could ask the same question, but INEOS now have to take their share of the blame.”
Eight months after taking charge of the football operations at United, INEOS has made plenty of changes. It has hired a new CEO (Omar Berrada), a new sporting director (Dan Ashworth) and a technical director (Jason Wilcox), but the team is languishing in the bottom half of the Premier League and manager Ten Hag lurches from game to game fielding questions about his job security after every disappointing result or performance.
In an attempt to cut costs and streamline United’s operation, Ratcliffe and INEOS have announced 250 job cuts, cancelled corporate credit cards and told staff that the plan is to reduce the workforce to the same size as Real Madrid.
“Ed Woodward wanted us to be like Barcelona, Richard Arnold thought we should adopt the model used by Formula 1 and now INEOS want us to be like Real Madrid,” a United source told ESPN about former club CEOs. “Everyone tells us we’re the biggest club in the world, so why should we constantly be trying to copy somebody else?”
For the players, sources have said that the experience of playing for Manchester United now seems like anything but representing one of the game’s most illustrious teams. Two people told ESPN that Bruno Fernandes was prepared to leave this summer after growing tired of the club’s repeated failure to deliver, but eventually stayed and signed a contract after, according to one source, “the club panicked and gave him a massive new deal.”
Laurens: Nothing will change for Man United if they keep Ten Hag
Nedum Onuoha and Julien Laurens discuss Erik ten Hag’s future at Man United after club executives met in London.
Many of the players have been “underwhelmed” by the impact made by INEOS, while there has been anger within the dressing room at not simply the departure of several long-serving staff members as part of the job cuts, but also at the treatment of some of them.
“One member of the ground staff had been at the club for over 30 years,” a source said. “He was let go by the club and was sweeping up on his own on his last day with tears rolling down his face. Nobody did anything for him, despite all the years he had given to the club.” — Mark Ogden
The Manchester United squad left Wembley after May’s FA Cup final win against Manchester City expecting to start preseason under a new manager. Some were expecting Gareth Southgate, England manager at the time, to be appointed before the squad flew out to the United States for the preseason tour in late July. But after 2½ weeks of intense deliberation, Ratcliffe and his senior United executives decided to retain Ten Hag as manager despite concerns about his ability to do the job on and off the pitch.
“Erik is very blunt and direct,” a source told ESPN. “He’s fundamentally an honest guy, but he had to be told last season to soften his approach with the players. He was too critical too often, but sometimes it was down to his use of English.
“He speaks the language, but he doesn’t have a great grasp of it or the nuances. For instance, he pissed off Casemiro last season for saying he was dropped for ‘football reasons.’ Erik meant ‘tactical’ reasons, but he ended up angering a multiple Champions League winner by suggesting he was criticising him as a footballer.”
Ten Hag’s handling of Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford also caused disharmony within the squad. While there was initial support among the majority of the players for the decision to discipline Sancho for a social media outburst after the winger was dropped from the first-team dressing room, sources say the treatment was soon regarded as heavy-handed and displayed a lack of flexibility on Ten Hag’s part.
Sources have told ESPN that Rashford’s loss of form and focus last season was not helped by Ten Hag regularly criticising the player in media interviews — again partly exacerbated by his limited grasp of English.
Some players struggled to boost their confidence under Ten Hag’s hardline approach, and sources have told ESPN that one senior player asked low-level members of staff to give him motivational talks before games to help his morale.
Although Ten Hag kept his job after the FA Cup win, he would only survive as part of a reshaped coaching team. Mitchell van der Gaag, Steve McClaren and Benni McCarthy, all appointed by Ten Hag on his arrival from Ajax in the summer of 2022, left the club, with several coaches hired in their place.
Why Hutchison thinks Thomas Frank is a perfect Man United manager
Don Hutchison explains his number one pick to replace Erik ten Hag at Manchester United, should the club decide to remove the Dutchman from his role.
Ten Hag returned to the Netherlands to recruit Go Ahead Eagles coach Rene Hake, who he had worked alongside at FC Twente, while former United forward Ruud van Nistelrooy, whose senior coaching career was limited to a season in charge of PSV Eindhoven in 2022-23, returned to Old Trafford as assistant manager. Van Nistelrooy had no previous working relationship with Ten Hag, but his arrival in the summer saw him make an instant impact.
“Ruud looks like a manager, and he acts like one too,” a source told ESPN. “He has one-on-one meetings with players and there is certainly an aura about him. Nobody will say it, but if he became manager at United, nobody would be surprised.”
Van Nistelrooy, who scored 150 goals in 219 appearances for United from 2001 to 2006, is also hugely popular with the supporters. After the 3-3 Europa League draw away to Porto in October, Van Nistelrooy was the last person to leave the pitch after the nonplaying substitutes performed their postmatch warm-down, with the 48-year-old applauding fans who stayed behind to sing his name.
Ten Hag’s preference of training in Manchester and flying out to a European venue in the late afternoon is not dissimilar to coaches at other teams, but sources have said players were “unhappy” at having to stay overnight in Porto after the game and return to Manchester on Friday afternoon.
“They just want to fly home, sleep in their own beds and then train in the afternoon,” a source said. “But they landed [back in England] during rush hour, and then had to travel to Birmingham the following day for the game at Aston Villa.”
United then played out a dismal 0-0 draw at Villa in front of Ratcliffe, Brailsford, Berrada, Ashworth and Wilcox, extending the team’s winless sequence to five games. After the match, Ten Hag talked of United keeping a fourth clean sheet in five games, insisting that the more worrying statistic of just five goals in seven games would soon be improved when his team takes its chances.
It was a hard watch for Ratcliffe and his executive team. Despite Brailsford’s early promise to make things better, everything seemed to have gotten worse. — Ogden
There was a theory when the Glazers announced their “strategic review” in November 2022 that the motivation behind the decision was a realisation that facilities like their Old Trafford stadium and their Carrington training area were falling well behind, and that they didn’t have the money to make improvements. Richard Arnold, the former CEO, said as much when he set up an impromptu meeting with disgruntled fans at a pub close to his house in June 2022.
“For the future, investing in a new stadium and a latest-and-greatest training ground, we’ve got to do something,” he said. “We’ve got to get investors in. I need that to do what I want for the club. I’ve got to have more cash now because no club in the world has the money to build a new stadium. You either borrow it or invest it. The money has got to come from somewhere.”
It’s nearly nine months since the strategic review officially concluded and Ratcliffe completed his purchase of a minority stake, but the search for funds to rebuild Old Trafford is ongoing.
Sources have told ESPN that no decision has been made about whether to redevelop the current stadium or build a new one on the same land in Trafford. The task force set up by Ratcliffe — which includes Lord Sebastian Coe and Gary Neville — is expected to deliver its recommendation by the end of the year. The project could cost in excess of £2 billion, but it’s still unclear where the money is going to come from.
Old Trafford is in need of renovations as the club’s leadership figures out how to secure funding for a new stadium. Getty
“We must look at all possible funding options,” COO Collette Roche told a fans’ forum in July. “It’s still early stages with no decisions made.”
Sources have told ESPN that Ratcliffe’s preference is to build a new 100,000-seat stadium in the footprint of Old Trafford to create a lasting legacy. However, there are concerns about how the history of United’s home since 1910 would be maintained. There was an initial proposal made as recently as the summer that Old Trafford could be downsized and used as a home for the women’s and youth teams, but discussions since have made it clear that the plan isn’t cost-effective.
United insist they won’t make any firm decisions about anything related to the stadium until supporters have been given a chance to voice their opinions, but the idea of creating a “Wembley of the North” in Manchester is proving easier said than done. — Dawson
Ratcliffe has been clear that every decision since his arrival — whether it be high-profile appointments or redundancies — has been taken with the aim of improving performances on the pitch. But already the club has been forced to defend itself against accusations that Ratcliffe and INEOS are interested in only the men’s side and not the women’s team.
Sources have told ESPN that there was dismay throughout the club that INEOS did not send a representative to Wembley for the women’s FA Cup final in May, a game United won to lift their first major trophy since the team was reformed in 2018. There was further criticism over the summer when the club decided to move female players out of their bespoke facility at Carrington to accommodate the men’s team while the training ground undergoes a £50 million revamp.
Dan Thomas is joined by Craig Burley, Shaka Hislop and others to bring you the latest highlights and debate the biggest storylines. Stream on ESPN+ (U.S. only).
Around the same time, club captain Katie Zelem and England international Mary Earps left on free transfers.
United have insisted they are “fully committed” to the women’s team, Roche says, while manager Marc Skinner has had to act as peacemaker between disgruntled supporters and club bosses.
“They genuinely love women’s football and have a real burning ambition for it to be in the forefront of their direction, that will only improve,” Skinner said in September. ”I know when the facilities are finished, we will only benefit from it. I can promise you that.”
United are still playing catch up with Chelsea, Manchester City and Arsenal, but they’ve started the WSL season positively with three wins from three games. — Dawson
Ratcliffe has been consistent in his message that things will take time to get better. He followed through with his aim of bringing on board the best executives by hiring Dan Ashworth from Newcastle as sporting director, Jason Wilcox from Southampton as technical director and Omar Berrada from Manchester City as CEO.
Much of the responsibility to untangle the mess that came before and get United back to the top of English football lies with them. Ashworth will have a huge influence over recruitment, an area in which the club has failed spectacularly in the 11 years since it last won the Premier League title. Ashworth was happy with last summer’s transfer business, but there’s an acceptance that one window is not enough to fix a squad that has drastically underperformed.
Publicly, United have been reluctant to put a timeframe on exactly when they might be in a position to challenge for the title. However, in a call with staff earlier this season, Berrada said the aim is to win it by 2028 — the year in which the club will celebrate its 150th anniversary.
That gives Ratcliffe more than three seasons to fulfill his ambition of getting United back to where he believes they belong. It also shows how far United have fallen and the amount of work required to reverse a downward spiral that has been going on for more than a decade.
www.espn.com – SOCCER
From the long-overdue stadium renovations to managerial decisions and transfer policy, all is not well at Man United. How is the new club leadership addressing these issues?
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Sources: Tuchel to raid Chelsea for England staff
Thomas Tuchel is set to raid former club Chelsea as he attempts to form his backroom staff after becoming England’s new head coach, sources have told ESPN.
Thomas Tuchel is set to raid former club Chelsea as he attempts to form his backroom staff after becoming England’s new head coach, sources have told ESPN. Thomas Tuchel is set to raid former club Chelsea as he attempts to form his backroom staff after becoming England’s new head coach, sources have told ESPN.
Maresca: Chelsea open to letting staff leave to join Tuchel at England (0:38)Enzo Maresca says Chelsea are “happy” if backroom staff want to reunite with Thomas Tuchel at England. (0:38)
Thomas Tuchel is set to raid former club Chelsea as he attempts to form his backroom staff after becoming England’s new head coach, sources have told ESPN.
The 51-year-old will start work as Gareth Southgate’s successor on Jan. 1, with the Football Association (FA) confirming this week that Anthony Barry would leave his post with Portugal and join up as Tuchel’s assistant.
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Barry previously worked at Chelsea with Tuchel, who later convinced the 38-year-old to join him at Bayern Munich.
During his unveiling on Wednesday, Tuchel stated that “there will be a few more people in the backroom staff but we will keep the group very small because I always want to acknowledge the potential and the quality in the staff of the FA.”
Sources said the FA have contacted Chelsea regarding head of performance analysis James Melbourne. He is expected to agree a move, while Tuchel is also an admirer of goalkeeping coach Hilario.
Speaking at a news conference on Friday, Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca suggested the club would not block anybody who wanted to leave.
“I know that one of them has been approached, that is one of the analysts and we are quite open to leave people to take their chances in case they want to take it,” Maresca said.
“And the other one, I think Hilario, I heard something but there’s been not any approach yet so this is the only thing I know. But as I said, we are open-minded in terms to allow people to take chances and also we are happy to keep people that they want to stay and the one that they want to go they can go.”
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Thomas Tuchel is set to raid former club Chelsea as he attempts to form his backroom staff after becoming England’s new head coach, sources have told ESPN.
The Broncos followed a familiar formula to beat the Saints in New Orleans. The Broncos followed a familiar formula to beat the Saints in New Orleans. The Broncos followed a familiar formula to beat the Saints in New Orleans. play Broncos pile on with 52-yard fumble...
Sometimes it felt inevitable, other times impossible, but Jets GM Joe Douglas achieved a yearlong mission to land a playmaker. Sometimes it felt inevitable, other times impossible, but Jets GM Joe Douglas achieved a yearlong mission to land a playmaker. Sometimes it...
Here's everything you need to know for Week 7 NFL games. Which teams will win? Who are the X factors, and which storylines matter most? Here's everything you need to know for Week 7 NFL games. Which teams will win? Who are the X factors, and which storylines matter...
Five-star quarterback Jared Curtis reopened his recruitment when he decommitted from Georgia's 2026 class. Five-star quarterback Jared Curtis reopened his recruitment when he decommitted from Georgia's 2026 class. Five-star quarterback Jared Curtis reopened his...
Which young stars take a spot in the top 10? Where do LeBron, Steph and KD check in? ESPN's NBA Rank countdown concludes with the very best players for 2024-25. Which young stars take a spot in the top 10? Where do LeBron, Steph and KD check in? ESPN's NBA Rank...
Our college football experts touch on big SEC matchups this weekend, five surprises as we hit midseason and more. Our college football experts touch on big SEC matchups this weekend, five surprises as we hit midseason and more. Our college football experts touch on...
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Barcelona president Joan Laporta claims the club turned down an offer worth $270 million (€250M) for forward Lamine Yamal in the summer. Barcelona president Joan Laporta claims the club turned down an offer worth $270 million (€250M) for forward Lamine Yamal in the...
Saints wide receiver Rashid Shaheed will miss the rest of the season after undergoing surgery to repair a meniscus injury, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Thursday. Saints wide receiver Rashid Shaheed will miss the rest of the season after undergoing surgery...
David Fry hit a two-run homer in the 10th, completing Cleveland's rally over the Yankees on Thursday and pulling the Guardians within 2-1 in the ALCS. David Fry hit a two-run homer in the 10th, completing Cleveland's rally over the Yankees on Thursday and pulling...
null null null play Shohei Ohtani crushes a towering 3-run shot for Dodgers (0:49)Shohei Ohtani lifts a mammoth shot down the line in right field to make it 7-0 Dodgers. (0:49) Oct 17, 2024, 11:50 PM ET It was another blockbuster night in MLB's league championship...
Grading Argentina, Brazil, other South American World Cup hopefuls
At the midpoint of qualifying, we give each team a letter grade from A to F based on their performances.
At the midpoint of qualifying, we give each team a letter grade from A to F based on their performances. At the midpoint of qualifying, we give each team a letter grade from A to F based on their performances. At the midpoint of qualifying, we give each team a letter grade from A to F based on their performances.
www.espn.com – SOCCER
At the midpoint of qualifying, we give each team a letter grade from A to F based on their performances.
First roster since Olympic gold shows USWNT getting younger, less reliant on known stars
The USWNT has often relied on veteran stars, but coach Emma Hayes appears ready to turn the page ahead of the 2027 World Cup. Jeff Kassouf reacts to the USWNT’s new roster.
The USWNT has often relied on veteran stars, but coach Emma Hayes appears ready to turn the page ahead of the 2027 World Cup. Jeff Kassouf reacts to the USWNT’s new roster. The USWNT has often relied on veteran stars, but coach Emma Hayes appears ready to turn the page ahead of the 2027 World Cup. Jeff Kassouf reacts to the USWNT’s new roster. The USWNT has often relied on veteran stars, but coach Emma Hayes appears ready to turn the page ahead of the 2027 World Cup. Jeff Kassouf reacts to the USWNT’s new roster.
www.espn.com – SOCCER
The USWNT has often relied on veteran stars, but coach Emma Hayes appears ready to turn the page ahead of the 2027 World Cup. Jeff Kassouf reacts to the USWNT’s new roster.
Feds charge fan with arson for flares in Orlando
A man has been charged with “arson of a building that led to personal injuries” after releasing two flares into the stands at an Orlando City match at Inter&Co stadium in Orlando, Florida, federal prosecutors announced Thursday.
A man has been charged with “arson of a building that led to personal injuries” after releasing two flares into the stands at an Orlando City match at Inter&Co stadium in Orlando, Florida, federal prosecutors announced Thursday. A man has been charged with “arson of a building that led to personal injuries” after releasing two flares into the stands at an Orlando City match at Inter&Co stadium in Orlando, Florida, federal prosecutors announced Thursday. A man has been charged with “arson of a building that led to personal injuries” after releasing two flares into the stands at an Orlando City match at Inter&Co stadium in Orlando, Florida, federal prosecutors announced Thursday.
www.espn.com – SOCCER
A man has been charged with “arson of a building that led to personal injuries” after releasing two flares into the stands at an Orlando City match at Inter&Co stadium in Orlando, Florida, federal prosecutors announced Thursday.
Berhalter accepts USMNT firing, but ‘it still hurts’
Gregg Berhalter acknowledged that his firing in August as USMNT coach was “a really difficult moment,” but said he’s now hungry and motivated again to take on his new roles as Chicago Fire head coach and director of football.
Gregg Berhalter acknowledged that his firing in August as USMNT coach was “a really difficult moment,” but said he’s now hungry and motivated again to take on his new roles as Chicago Fire head coach and director of football. Gregg Berhalter acknowledged that his firing in August as USMNT coach was “a really difficult moment,” but said he’s now hungry and motivated again to take on his new roles as Chicago Fire head coach and director of football. Gregg Berhalter acknowledged that his firing in August as USMNT coach was “a really difficult moment,” but said he’s now hungry and motivated again to take on his new roles as Chicago Fire head coach and director of football.
www.espn.com – SOCCER
Gregg Berhalter acknowledged that his firing in August as USMNT coach was “a really difficult moment,” but said he’s now hungry and motivated again to take on his new roles as Chicago Fire head coach and director of football.
Ancelotti: Mbappé unaffected by media reports
Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said Kylian Mbappé is “not affected at all” by media speculation — dismissed by the forward’s representatives as “totally false” — linking the player with a rape allegation in Stockholm.
Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said Kylian Mbappé is “not affected at all” by media speculation — dismissed by the forward’s representatives as “totally false” — linking the player with a rape allegation in Stockholm. Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said Kylian Mbappé is “not affected at all” by media speculation — dismissed by the forward’s representatives as “totally false” — linking the player with a rape allegation in Stockholm. Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said Kylian Mbappé is “not affected at all” by media speculation — dismissed by the forward’s representatives as “totally false” — linking the player with a rape allegation in Stockholm.
www.espn.com – SOCCER
Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said Kylian Mbappé is “not affected at all” by media speculation — dismissed by the forward’s representatives as “totally false” — linking the player with a rape allegation in Stockholm.
Rooney ‘surprised’ by Tuchel getting England job
Former England forward Wayne Rooney has said he is surprised at the FA’s decision to appoint Thomas Tuchel as the new England manager.
Former England forward Wayne Rooney has said he is surprised at the FA’s decision to appoint Thomas Tuchel as the new England manager. Former England forward Wayne Rooney has said he is surprised at the FA’s decision to appoint Thomas Tuchel as the new England manager. Former England forward Wayne Rooney has said he is surprised at the FA’s decision to appoint Thomas Tuchel as the new England manager.
www.espn.com – SOCCER
Former England forward Wayne Rooney has said he is surprised at the FA’s decision to appoint Thomas Tuchel as the new England manager.
Slot on TAA future: ‘Same question, same answer’
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has remained non-descript when it comes to the future of right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has remained non-descript when it comes to the future of right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold. Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has remained non-descript when it comes to the future of right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold. Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has remained non-descript when it comes to the future of right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold.
www.espn.com – SOCCER
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has remained non-descript when it comes to the future of right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Éderson: City have successor in mind if Pep exits
Manchester City goalkeeper Éderson has said he thinks his club have already lined up a successor should Pep Guardiola decide to leave at the end of the season.
Manchester City goalkeeper Éderson has said he thinks his club have already lined up a successor should Pep Guardiola decide to leave at the end of the season. Manchester City goalkeeper Éderson has said he thinks his club have already lined up a successor should Pep Guardiola decide to leave at the end of the season. Manchester City goalkeeper Éderson has said he thinks his club have already lined up a successor should Pep Guardiola decide to leave at the end of the season.
www.espn.com – SOCCER
Manchester City goalkeeper Éderson has said he thinks his club have already lined up a successor should Pep Guardiola decide to leave at the end of the season.
Source: Wilshere to leave Arsenal for Norwich role
Former England midfielder Jack Wilshere is set to join Norwich City as a first-team coach, sources have told ESPN.
Former England midfielder Jack Wilshere is set to join Norwich City as a first-team coach, sources have told ESPN. Former England midfielder Jack Wilshere is set to join Norwich City as a first-team coach, sources have told ESPN. Former England midfielder Jack Wilshere is set to join Norwich City as a first-team coach, sources have told ESPN.
www.espn.com – SOCCER
Former England midfielder Jack Wilshere is set to join Norwich City as a first-team coach, sources have told ESPN.
Thomas Tuchel has managed the likes of Borussia Dortmund, PSG, Chelsea and Bayern Munich, but the German's coaching career actually started when he was still at school Thomas Tuchel has managed the likes of Borussia Dortmund, PSG, Chelsea and Bayern Munich, but the...
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Can Klopp make Red Bull more likeable? Probably not in Germany
In Germany, where football’s commercialisation isn’t celebrated like it is elsewhere, Jürgen Klopp’s decision to join Red Bull hasn’t gone down well.
In Germany, where football’s commercialisation isn’t celebrated like it is elsewhere, Jürgen Klopp’s decision to join Red Bull hasn’t gone down well. In Germany, where football’s commercialisation isn’t celebrated like it is elsewhere, Jürgen Klopp’s decision to join Red Bull hasn’t gone down well.
What is Jürgen Klopp’s new role at Red Bull? (1:42)Tom Hamilton explains Jürgen Klopp’s new role as global head of soccer at Red Bull from the start of 2025. (1:42)
It has been nearly a decade since Jürgen Klopp last worked full time for a German football entity, but he remains the most ubiquitous face on television in the Bundesrepublik.
Switch on ARD/ZDF breakfast television any weekday morning and you’ll see segments of the show sponsored by financial services company Deutsche Vermögensberatung, accompanied by Klopp’s friendly and familiar hearty laugh. It doesn’t end there. Klopp is a natural product ambassador and has also helped promote everything from beer to exercise bikes to cars, chocolate bars and most recently, an electronics company.
So, it was no surprise that Red Bull CEO Oliver Mintzlaff went to tremendous lengths to secure Klopp for the ever-expanding RB football world. The surprise to many arrived in the form of the self-described “normal one” accepting the offer. Why Red Bull? It’s not exactly the most popular branch of football among German fans. Klopp surely could have picked from any number of next projects.
As “global head of soccer,” he’ll advise all the clubs worldwide within the RB stable. Not coincidentally, RB Leipzig are coached by Marco Rose, his former player at Mainz.
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Meanwhile, RB Salzburg have Pepijn Lijnders, Klopp’s former Liverpool assistant at the helm. At the New York Red Bulls, it’s Sandro Schwarz, who played with and under Klopp in Mainz before either man had hit the big-time world of football.
It undoubtedly helps when you get paid a lot of money to work with friends and former associates.
I’ve been struck by the differences in reaction between England and Germany. The English attitude seems to be one of “Good luck to you, you’ve earned the right to do what you want next.”
In Germany, it was never going to be quite as relaxed. Leipzig remain polarising mostly due to the manner of their birth in 2009, buying the rights to the fifth-division Leipzig-area club SSV Markranstädt, and with only a limited membership, loyal to Red Bull management, thus avoiding issues with German football’s 50+1 ownership structure whereby members must own the majority of each club.
This makes RB pariahs to many traditional football fans, and for Klopp, the people’s man, to associate himself with them was never going to be met with strong approval. The cover of last Thursday’s Kicker, the specialty German football magazine, featured Klopp’s face and the self-explanatory words “Kultur-Schock.” Kicker’s online poll of readers showed 72% disapproved of his move.
The Klopp topic opened Sunday’s weekly Doppelpass panel discussion on Sport1 and, in contrast, most of the participants stood behind Klopp’s decision. Particularly vocal in admiration of Red Bull was former Eintracht Frankfurt and Hertha Berlin sporting chief Fredi Bobic.
After departing Liverpool at the end of the 2023-24 season, Jürgen Klopp was named head of global soccer at Red Bull. (Photo by Bernd Weißbrod/picture alliance via Getty Images)
“They have the right structures. I’m thinking only of the game and the sport,” he said. “Many traditionalists are still living in their past and in their romance. Now they’re playing in the 2. Bundesliga.”
Ouch.
Klopp says he’s looking forward to learning again in his new role, but he already knows enough to understand that even though this is a move by Mintzlaff to make Red Bull seem more likeable, attitudes are hard to shift.
German fans seem to have more misgivings about Klopp’s new role than Thomas Tuchel taking over the England reins.
What is often not understood outside Germany is that England are simply not viewed as their ultimate rivals. Due to World Cup history, Italy and the Netherlands can lay claim to this status more than the Three Lions.
Why Thomas Tuchel’s nationality shouldn’t matter to England fans
James Olley compares the differences between Thomas Tuchel and Gareth Southgate.
It’s well known that Tuchel, as he told my ESPN pitchside colleague Archie Rhind-Tutt nine months ago, feels a bond with English football and indeed feels more in tune with the country’s football culture.
German fans tend to value the traditional aspects and atmosphere of the English game, if not the commercialisation of the sport that stands in stark contrast to what most Bundesliga clubs — boasting considerable community focus — stand for.
That Tuchel has opted to experience this culture as England manager is not something that will whip up anyone in Germany as it has among some strident English newspapers this week.
Germany don’t have the problem right now of a paucity of high-level coaches. Julian Nagelsmann, a year into his work as Bundestrainer, has stamped his vision on to the national team and the performances have become easy on the eye.
I liked how ZDF analyst Christoph Kramer put it after the 1-0 win over the Dutch on Monday night: “If both teams had been playing in dark overalls, we would still know which team is Germany, because it has Nagelsmann’s signature and you can see it.”
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FRIDAY, OCT. 18 (all times ET)• Borussia Dortmund vs. St. Pauli (2:20 p.m.)
SATURDAY, OCT. 19 (all times ET)• Leverkusen vs. Frankfurt (9:20 a.m.)• Bayern vs. Stuttgart (12:20 p.m.)• Celta Vigo vs. Real Madrid (2:50 p.m.)
SUNDAY, OCT. 20 (all times ET)• Man City vs. Villa (WSL) (7:10 a.m.)• Atletico vs. Leganes (10:05 a.m.)• Wolfsburg vs. Werder (11:20 a.m.)• Chelsea vs. Spurs (WSL) (1:40 p.m.)• Barcelona vs. Sevilla (2:30 p.m.)• Gotham FC vs. Orlando Pride (5 p.m.)
Qualifying for the UEFA Nations League quarterfinals with such ease is not something we’ve grown accustomed to. Nagelsmann hit the jackpot with Stuttgart’s Jamie Leweling in his Germany debut, scorer of a thumping goal and unlucky to see an earlier strike chalked off for a controversial and complex offside.
The inclusion of striker Tim Kleindienst in both games also merits mention. At 29, Kleindienst, previously with Heidenheim and now with Borussia Mönchengladbach, was selected due to the Leistungsprinzip — performances dictate personnel.
Play well at club level and Nagelsmann is sure to notice. It marks such a bold change from the past when there seemingly had to be a Bayern Munich block and a Borussia Dortmund block and you filled in the squad from there.
It seems only fair to update manager Pellegrino Matarazzo’s situation in TSG Hoffenheim. I must admit while penning this column just before the international break, I thought there was a good chance he would have been relieved of his duties by now.
But the Leistungsprinzip has come to the Italian-American’s aid. It’s difficult to dismiss someone after supervising fine back-to-back performances against Dynamo Kyiv (2-0) in the UEFA Europa League and Stuttgart (1-1 away) in the Bundesliga.
In addition, Hoffenheim have just appointed highly regarded sporting director Andreas Schicker from Austrian champions Sturm Graz, and he’s not about to tear things up as he gets his feet under the table. The status quo for Matarazzo has been confirmed by Dr. Markus Schütz, chairman of the management board.
“We’ve never said it’s his last game, but that we all have to be successful and as quickly as possible,” Dr. Schütz said. “There is no identifiable final. That would also ruin the atmosphere to set such ultimatums. It’s pointless.”
Still, with only four points gathered from six games, this weekend’s home match against bottom club Bochum will tell us a lot.
ESPN BET is owned and operated by PENN Entertainment, Inc. and its subsidiaries (‘PENN’). ESPN BET is available in states where PENN is licensed to offer sports wagering. Must be 21+ to wager. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.
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In Germany, where football’s commercialisation isn’t celebrated like it is elsewhere, Jürgen Klopp’s decision to join Red Bull hasn’t gone down well.
Yamal can emulate Messi, Cruyff at Barça – Deco
Barcelona sporting director Deco has said Lamine Yamal has everything needed to become “a reference player” at the club.
Barcelona sporting director Deco has said Lamine Yamal has everything needed to become “a reference player” at the club. Barcelona sporting director Deco has said Lamine Yamal has everything needed to become “a reference player” at the club.
Fàbregas: Yamal can create his own story away from Messi at Barcelona (2:23)Cesc Fàbregas speaks about the comparisons between Lamine Yamal and Lionel Messi at Barcelona. (2:23)
Barcelona sporting director Deco has said Lamine Yamal has everything needed to become “a reference player” at the club.
Yamal, 17, one of the stars in Spain‘s Euro 2024 winning team, has scored five goals and set up five more in 11 appearances for Barça this season.
“Lamine is writing his history at Barca,” Deco told RAC 1 radio. “Like [Lionel Messi], like Johan [Cruyff], [Andres] Iniesta or Ronaldinho did in their time. He has everything to be a reference player in his club. It is wonderful to have him here, appreciate him and look after him.
“He has decision-making that is very difficult to see in someone his age.”
Yamal has claimed several records since making his debut aged 15 in 2023. At 16, he became the youngest scorer in LaLiga history and the youngest player ever to feature at a European Championship. He won the Young Player of the Tournament at Euro 2024.
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Those achievements have seen him draw comparisons with Barça legend Messi. Deco, who played four seasons with Messi at Barça, said: “Leo was a slightly more explosive player at the time but Lamine is 17 years old and is winning.
“Leo was fortunate to grow up in an environment of a club that was winning, a generation that was winning, this gave him a little more time. Lamine is part of a renewal, of a generation that is being created. The good thing about Lamine is that he has an unusual maturity for his age and what he is experiencing.”
Barca president Joan Laporta said this week that his club had turned down an offer worth €250 million ($270m) for Yamal in the summer.
Yamal returned to Barça this week after picking up a hamstring strain in Spain’s game against Denmark.
Deco said Barcelona must protect Yamal from overload to avoid injuries.
“It is evident that young players are subject to many matches,” Deco said. “Too many. Also Gavi or Pedri, but not only ours. It seems like we risk our lives in every game. We have to take care of Lamine, he is still in the formative process…”
Laporta, meanwhile, revealed his club is close to signing “the best sponsporship kit agreement in the world of football” with Nike.
Laporta said the re-negotiation of the club’s agreement with the American sports company is close to being finalised.
“We will soon announce the best sponsorship kit agreement in the world of football,” Laporta told Barca One.
“We could have signed it in the month of August but I made a commitment to Barcelona fans that I wanted the best contract on the market. “That offer was matched. Now we are finalising the deal that will sponsor our kit in the next 10 years.”
ESPN BET is owned and operated by PENN Entertainment, Inc. and its subsidiaries (‘PENN’). ESPN BET is available in states where PENN is licensed to offer sports wagering. Must be 21+ to wager. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.
Copyright: © 2024 ESPN Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Barcelona sporting director Deco has said Lamine Yamal has everything needed to become “a reference player” at the club.
In what was supposed to be a made-for-TV moment, a catastrophe almost ensued as Bevo and Uga were set for a photo op. In what was supposed to be a made-for-TV moment, a catastrophe almost ensued as Bevo and Uga were set for a photo op. In what was supposed to be a...
Our college football experts touch on big SEC matchups this weekend, five surprises as we hit midseason and more. Our college football experts touch on big SEC matchups this weekend, five surprises as we hit midseason and more. Our college football experts touch on...
Gloria Nevarez said the forfeitures that volleyball teams are willing to take to avoid playing San Jose State is "not what we celebrate in college athletics" and that she is heartbroken over what has transpired with the Spartans and their opponents. Gloria Nevarez...
Mbappé’s role, Ten Hag’s future, new-look Barca: Which preseason plans are panning out (and which are not)?
Two months into the European soccer season, let’s check in on Man United, Real Madrid, Liverpool, Bayern Munich and Barcelona to see whether they’ve lived up to preseason expectations.
Two months into the European soccer season, let’s check in on Man United, Real Madrid, Liverpool, Bayern Munich and Barcelona to see whether they’ve lived up to preseason expectations. Two months into the European soccer season, let’s check in on Man United, Real Madrid, Liverpool, Bayern Munich and Barcelona to see whether they’ve lived up to preseason expectations.
Life is a funny thing. You organize and scheme with the hope that your preparations will have you ready for whatever lies ahead, but as Mike Tyson once said, “Everyone has a plan until you punch them in the face.” And when you’re a big club dealing with marathon-long seasons, truer words have never been spoken.
This upcoming weekend will mark over two months since the start of the Premier League and LaLiga (and just less in the Bundesliga), so with that in mind, we take a closer look at five teams across Europe that started with specific hopes and objectives to see whether they’re keeping up with preseason promises or flailing after the first couple months.
The biggest storyline of the summer was Kylian Mbappé’s arrival at Real Madrid. For the LaLiga and European champs, the world’s biggest star joining them was a clear win from the standpoint of brand optics. Madrid also won financially, given his free transfer from Paris Saint-Germain. In my opinion, the move was more necessary for Mbappé than Real Madrid so that he could prove himself in a tougher league.
On his league debut, I mentioned on “SportsCenter” that manager Carlo Ancelotti’s biggest headache would be to balance the chemistry between Jude Bellingham, Rodrygo, Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior, specifically the latter two as they have an affinity for attacking from the left wing.
In other words, there might be too many cooks in the kitchen.
But Ancelotti knows that Real Madrid, as usual, will eventually figure it out. And he’s somewhat right. In LaLiga, Real Madrid are second to Hansi Flick’s Barcelona with 21 points, have not lost yet and after failing to score in his first three matches since his goal against Atalanta in the UEFA Super Cup, Mbappé finally got going, netting seven goals so far with five in the league.
He was out of action for the Madrid derby (which they tied 1-1) after suffering a thigh injury, but he returned for the Champions League loss against Lille — who ended Madrid’s 36-match unbeaten run in the competition — and the following 2-0 league victory against Villarreal. Although his fitness is questionable, the Frenchman is picking up steam. Still, we’ve yet to see this Madrid team hit top gear.
The biggest issue for Real Madrid is how to find the right balance in a star-studded attack. (Photo by Federico Titone/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Ancelotti’s confidence is only partly right because Real Madrid are competing without Toni Kroos, who retired this summer. Kroos was key in connecting midfield and attack, which is the biggest issue with the team right now.
“Real Madrid are predictable, they are slow, [and] it is very difficult for them to filter passes,” said former Madrid player Guti in the popular Spanish TV show “El Chiringuito.” “It is very difficult for them to play in space, everyone wants the passes at their feet and that is very difficult in today’s football.”
I think the perfect example of Guti’s sentiments was Madrid’s loss to Lille. There was a sense of detachment throughout the game where the front three kept swapping roles but found no success. The added headache of Dani Carvajal‘s season-ending injury is also a huge problem. Meanwhile, Vinícius is also hurt but should return within a week or so.
So there you have it. Real Madrid and Mbappé are doing relatively fine and will find ways to get results. But this season, in big games against strong teams — both in the league and Europe — they will have a harder time finding success. El Clásico on Oct. 26 (stream live on ESPN+ at 3 p.m. ET, U.S. only) might be an early determinant for the title race, but one thing is for certain: If Real Madrid end up retaining the LaLiga trophy and winning the Champions League once again, it will have been a much tougher task than last season.
On the eve of the season opener between Manchester United and Fulham, manager Erik ten Hag spoke confidently of the campaign ahead and how the past two seasons showed the blueprint for success at Old Trafford.
“We know we are in the right direction, we know we have won two trophies and we know our game model,” said Ten Hag in his first prematch conference of the season. “So, now we have to integrate the new players where we think they can improve the game model, improve the team levels and we take it from there. I always have very high expectations but we want to go for trophies.”
These were not unrealistic targets from Ten Hag, who — after all — had won the FA Cup in impressive fashion against Manchester City three months earlier. In order to build on their momentum, the club hit the third-highest net spend in the league ($145 million-plus) as Ten Hag refreshed his squad. Several players such as Scott McTominay, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Raphaël Varane and Donny van de Beek left while Matthijs de Ligt, Leny Yoro and Noussair Mazraoui came in to revamp the defensive unit. Manuel Ugarte also arrived to bolster the midfield, while Joshua Zirkzee‘s signing inspired optimism for the United attack.
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Eight weeks later and the Red Devils don’t look like a trophy favorite or a top-six team. They are currently 14th with eight points in the league, which is their lowest tally in Premier League history after seven matches. They are on a run of five games without a win in all competitions, and they have only two league victories.
Defensively, they have conceded eight goals, which is not so awful because Ten Hag has had to rely on Harry Maguire and Jonny Evans — not his first-choice center-back pairing. But United’s attack is what really illustrates their poor form as they have only scored five goals so far, and only last-placed Southampton have scored fewer (4).
Marcus Rashford and Rasmus Højlund have not impacted much, though the latter recently returned from injury. And Zirkzee? After scoring against Fulham in the opener, he has yet to find the back of the net. Bruno Fernandes, United’s captain and most influential player, has also been disappointing. Now, it must be said that injuries have not helped (Yoro was a big loss and now Mazraoui will be sidelined for a few weeks due to a heart procedure), but that still doesn’t excuse their low position in the table.
After drawing with Aston Villa, Ten Hag tried to calm the storm by saying that United was a “long-term” project. But the question United fans will surely ask is, “Does this long-term project have an ending?”
Hansi Flick’s arrival at Barcelona was always in the cards. Back in 2021, after the German manager had led Bayern Munich to a historic treble a season prior, ESPN reported that Barcelona president Joan Laporta had inquired about his availability.
But in the end, Flick chose to lead the German national team, and that partnership ended last year in September after poor results and a group stage exit at the 2022 World Cup. Laporta still wanted Flick, though, because he admired the German’s philosophy of high pressing, attention to fitness and firm-hand approach.
His wish came true this summer after Flick replaced Xavi Hernández, but there was some doubt about the appointment. It was less about Flick and more about how much he would have to deal with, given Barcelona’s financial problems and that Barça seemed far off from reaching the heights of their glamorous rivals Real Madrid, who had stolen the headlines with Mbappé’s arrival.
But so far, Flick is exactly what the doctor ordered. After nine matches, Barça are top of LaLiga with 24 points, having won every game bar one. They have conceded nine in the league, which is one less than at this stage last season. Offensively, they have 28 goals, seven higher than last season at this time of the campaign.
Robert Lewandowski, who was doubted to perform given his age (36), has been in tremendous form, scoring 10 goals in nine league matches, with two more in the Champions League. Meanwhile, Lamine Yamal has remained one of the best players in the game right now with five assists and four goals in the league.
However, Raphinha, to me, is the one talk about. He has been magnificent and has made the most of Ousmane Dembélé’s departure. In his first two seasons, he managed 10 goals in each campaign in all competitions. This season? He already has six goals and five assists. In fact, no other player across Europe’s five top leagues has created more chances (39) for his team than the Brazilian. And it’s not even November! The weight of the captain’s armband has also been a positive as Raphinha has embraced the responsibility after Marc-André ter Stegen’s long-term injury.
Raphinha has stepped up this season for Barcelona and his output has been crucial for the club’s strong start. Alex Caparros/Getty Images
Everything Laporta loves about Flick is working. The German has implemented more intensity and off-the-ball discipline.
“We work much harder than before,” said midfielder Pedri last month. “The new fitness coaches are really good for us. We work hard and you notice it in the games. The team doesn’t dip after the 70th or 80th minute, it maintains the same fitness levels.”
Flick has also helped integrate more La Masia players into the first team. In the 3-0 win against Alavés, Flick started six players who graduated from Barça’s famous academy, including Marc Casadó, who has been brilliant in midfield.
Now, it’s still early and there are notable injuries and issues to deal with — including those to new signing Dani Olmo and the aforementioned Ter Stegen, which forced Barcelona to bring Wojciech Szczesny out of retirement to compete with young shot-stopper Iñaki Peña. It is also vital to protect the young players from burnout, including Yamal, who suffered an injury scare during international duty.
But for the most part, Flick’s regimented, no-nonsense, super fit squad is delivering for Barcelona.
How do you replace a legendary manager who won multiple trophies including the Champions League (three finals) and the Premier League title at a time of Pep Guardiola/Man City dominance? Jurgen Klopp was not only a respected head coach, he was an adopted Liverpudlian, so anyone who came in to replace him had an almost impossible task of delivering success as well as earning the admiration of loyal supporters.
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As of right now, Liverpool’s executive board can feel satisfied because Arne Slot has been exactly what the club needed after losing Klopp. The Reds lead the Premier League table with 18 points, but most importantly, the Dutch manager has been excellent in applying his strategy. Klopp’s heavy metal football was tattooed on the team, but Slot has been calculated in the club’s transition. He didn’t eradicate the previous philosophy; he modified it.
Trent Alexander-Arnold has gone back to his original role as a right-back rather than marauding into midfield, Ibrahima Konaté is turning into one of the best center-backs in the league, Luis Díaz is on his way to producing more goals in half a season than he did the entire previous campaign and Ryan Gravenberch could be their most important player (no other member of the squad has made more recoveries or interceptions than him, in addition to having an almost 90% pass accuracy rate).
Under Slot, Liverpool do more with less. Their possession and shot creation is relatively lower than in Klopp’s era, but their productivity and output is high.
There is one caveat, though. Liverpool has statistically played the easiest schedule out of any Premier League team so far, and once they return from the international break, things are about to get much harder. Between the end of this international window and the next one on Nov. 14, Slot’s side has to face Chelsea, Arsenal, Brighton (twice), Aston Villa as well as Champions League matches against RB Leipzig and Bayer Leverkusen. Things don’t get easier after that as they will also face Real Madrid and Man City in the space of five days.
Liverpool are currently on a great roll thanks to their Slot machine, but soon, we’ll find out whether they’re the real deal.
Admit it. Vincent Kompany’s summer arrival at Bayern Munich from newly relegated Burnley surprised you, didn’t it?
I was shocked, especially since there were other, more experienced coaches in contention. The perennial Bundesliga winners finished third in 2023-24 and trophyless for the first time since 2011-12, despite Harry Kane‘s tremendous debut season (36 league goals to win the European Golden Shoe).
Ultimately, Kompany’s appointment was about methodology. The move for the former Man City captain was about returning to what was pure about Bayern Munich. They wanted to win again, but in their own way. The Bavarians wanted someone who could implement an attractive philosophy that suited their personnel. Since Pep Guardiola had been there, done that and already had a job, who better to bring in than a former student of his? Kompany is ambitious, smart and most notably, willing to carry out the teachings he learned from Guardiola, who had incredible success with Bayern between 2013 and 2016.
In the league, the club is undefeated and leads the table on goal difference, having scored a league high of 20 goals. Overall, Bayern 33 goals in all competitions and Kane has 10 of them. Their average possession (66%) is the best in the league and their pass success rate is more than 90%, also leading the Bundesliga.
However, there are elements of Kompany’s strategy that leave vulnerable gaps because their intense pressure and high-line tactics often allow smart teams to counter attack with precision. Their loss to Aston Villa in the Champions League — where Jhon Durán instinctively caught Manuel Neuer off his line — is a perfect example. In fact, the past three matches have them on a winless run (1-1 vs. Bayer Leverkusen, 1-0 loss to Villa, 3-3 vs. Eintracht Frankfurt) and much of this is because of opponents’ ability to react to the counter-pressing.
How the team wins back possession as quickly as possible will be Kompany’s most important task on his to-do list. If Bayern Munich are to reclaim their throne, they need to be smarter without the ball, not just with it.
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Two months into the European soccer season, let’s check in on Man United, Real Madrid, Liverpool, Bayern Munich and Barcelona to see whether they’ve lived up to preseason expectations.
Spain omit Bonmatí amid player welfare concerns
Spain coach Montse Tomé has said Aitana Bonmatí’s surprise omission from the latest La Roja squad is because the Barcelona midfielder needs a break.
Spain coach Montse Tomé has said Aitana Bonmatí’s surprise omission from the latest La Roja squad is because the Barcelona midfielder needs a break. Spain coach Montse Tomé has said Aitana Bonmatí’s surprise omission from the latest La Roja squad is because the Barcelona midfielder needs a break.
Premier League director slams FIFA’s football calendar: ‘Enough is enough’ (1:53)Mathieu Moreuil, Premier League director of international football relations, says FIFA is ignoring domestic leagues’ complaints of the football calendar becoming over-saturated. (1:53)
Spain coach Montse Tomé has said Aitana Bonmatí‘s surprise omission from the latest La Roja squad is because the Barcelona midfielder needs a break amid increasing concerns about player welfare across football.
A rise in injuries in both the men’s and the women’s game has cast the spotlight on the number of games players are being asked to play.
Bonmatí represented Spain at the Olympic Games in the summer and has played seven of Barça’s eight matches this season, but she did miss the match against Madrid CFF on Oct. 5 due to a minor injury.
“We have spoken with Barcelona and with Aitana and we believe what she needs is to rest,” Tomé told a news conference on Thursday.
“The national team have always looked out for the health of the players first. As a coaching staff, we comprehensively follow all players in all leagues and try to call up those that can be at their best [physically].”
Aitana Bonmatí has been left out of the Spain squad. Getty
Tomé has also opted against calling up Bonmatí’s teammate Irene Paredes, who only recently returned from an injury layoff but has featured in Barça’s last four fixtures.
However, Tomé said that the decision to leave out the central defender, one of Spain’s captains, is a “sporting” one.
Barça forward Salma Paralluelo is among those to miss out through injury, but the likes of Alexia Putellas and Jenni Hermoso are included in the squad.
World champions Spain will play two friendlies in the upcoming international break, at home to Canada on Oct. 25 and away against Italy on Oct. 29.
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Earlier this week, European football chiefs and the global players’ union, FIFPRO, united to criticise FIFA over the global football calendar as they filed an antitrust complaint against the global football governing body.
FIFPRO and the European Leagues, which represents 37 domestic leagues, jointly filed the complaint at the European Commission in Brussels in which they argue global football’s governing body FIFA is abusing its right as both tournament organiser and regulator.
The complaint was related to the calendar in the men’s game, and the introduction of a new Club World Cup next summer, but there are similar concerns in the women’s game.
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Spain coach Montse Tomé has said Aitana Bonmatí’s surprise omission from the latest La Roja squad is because the Barcelona midfielder needs a break.
Paquetá requests probe into alleged betting leaks
West Ham midfielder Lucas Paquetá has asked the Football Association to investigate how information from its case against him over alleged breaches of betting rules has been leaked to the media.
West Ham midfielder Lucas Paquetá has asked the Football Association to investigate how information from its case against him over alleged breaches of betting rules has been leaked to the media. West Ham midfielder Lucas Paquetá has asked the Football Association to investigate how information from its case against him over alleged breaches of betting rules has been leaked to the media.
Lucas Paquetá scored for West Ham against Ipswich before the international break. Rob Newell – CameraSport via Getty Images
West Ham midfielder Lucas Paquetá has asked the English Football Association (FA) to investigate how information from its case against him over alleged breaches of betting rules has been leaked to the media.
Paquetá was charged in May with deliberately seeking to receive a booking during four Premier League games in 2022 and 2023 in order for one or more persons to profit from betting.
The 27-year-old Brazilian denies the charges against him.
“I am frustrated and upset to have read recent misleading and inaccurate press articles, published in both England and Brazil, claiming to disclose information about my case,” Paquetá said in a statement posted on social media.
“I am also concerned that, although they are false and misleading, these articles are clearly sourced from an individual close to the case. The FA proceedings are supposed to be confidential.
“I have, therefore, instructed my lawyers to write to the FA to request that they conduct a thorough investigation into how information about the case, even if inaccurate, is finding its way into the public domain.”
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West Ham midfielder Lucas Paquetá has asked the Football Association to investigate how information from its case against him over alleged breaches of betting rules has been leaked to the media.
Haaland among fastest, walks most in Prem
The Premier League’s fastest players have been revealed with Manchester City’s Erling Haaland among the quickest in the competition.
The Premier League’s fastest players have been revealed with Manchester City’s Erling Haaland among the quickest in the competition. The Premier League’s fastest players have been revealed with Manchester City’s Erling Haaland among the quickest in the competition.
Erling Haaland has been named as one of the Premier League’s fastest players. James Gill – Danehouse/Getty Images
The Premier League‘s fastest players have been revealed with Manchester City‘s Erling Haaland among the quickest in the competition.
Haaland has clocked a top speed of 35.7 km/h this season, according to BBC Sport and Opta.
The data also showed that the Norway international has walked the furthest of any outfield player in the Premier League this term, covering 28.2km without breaking into a run.
While no doubt an impressive pace, the City striker is still some way behind Tottenham’s Micky van de Ven, the quickest player in the league having reached a top speed of 37.1 km/h.
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Van de Ven showed his pace at Old Trafford in September during Spurs’ 3-0 win over Manchester United when he picked up the ball inside his own half before bursting through the United defence to provide an assist for Brennan Johnson who opened the scoring.
Wolves winger Carlos Forbs is behind Van de Ven with a top speed of 36.6 km/h followed by Nottingham Forest‘s Anthony Elanga who has reached 35.9 km/h.
City defender Kyle Walker, known for his blistering pace, has dropped off the Premier League’s quickest list, down to 80th according to data from this season so far.
Gabriel Martinelli is the fastest Arsenal player with a top speed of 35.6 km/h, just ahead of United forward Alejandro Garnacho who has been clocked at 35.5 km/h.
Pedro Neto is Chelsea‘s quickest player having reached 35.4 km/h, while Trent Alexander-Arnold is ahead of Liverpool teammate Mohamed Salah, having run at 34.7 km/h this season.
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The Premier League’s fastest players have been revealed with Manchester City’s Erling Haaland among the quickest in the competition.
United’s Mazraoui trains after heart procedure
Manchester United defender Noussair Mazraoui has returned to training after undergoing a heart procedure.
Manchester United defender Noussair Mazraoui has returned to training after undergoing a heart procedure. Manchester United defender Noussair Mazraoui has returned to training after undergoing a heart procedure.
Ten Hag proud of Man United’s ‘solid’ defending in Aston Villa draw (1:12)Erik ten Hag reacts to Manchester United’s goalless draw with Aston Villa in the Premier League. (1:12)
Manchester United defender Noussair Mazraoui has returned to training after undergoing a heart procedure.
Mazraoui had the corrective operation after complaining of palpitations during the 0-0 draw with Aston Villa before the international break.
The 26-year-old, who also experienced a heart issue during his time at Bayern Munich, was able to train with Erik ten Hag’s first-team squad at Carrington on Thursday.
A source has told ESPN that a decision has not yet been made about whether the full-back will be available for Brentford‘s trip to Old Trafford on Saturday.
Ten Hag has also been boosted by the return of Alejandro Garnacho and Amad. The pair withdrew from international duty with Argentina and Ivory Coast respectively, but are expected to be fit to face Brentford.
Noussair Mazraoui joined Manchester United from Bayern Munich in the summer. James Gill – Danehouse/Getty Images
Harry Maguire and Kobbie Mainoo will both miss the game. Maguire left Villa Park wearing a protective boot after being substituted at halftime.
Mainoo, meanwhile, is suffering from an ongoing muscle issue. The midfielder was substituted during the 3-0 defeat to Tottenham and missed the 3-3 draw with FC Porto four days later.
He was able to play 85 minutes against Villa, but subsequently withdrew from the England squad ahead of their games against Greece and Finland. The club have confirmed that both Maguire and Mainoo are expected to be sidelined “for a few weeks.”
Mason Mount and Luke Shaw were both absent from training on Thursday as they continue their recoveries. Summer signing Manuel Ugarte also trained away from the main group after picking up an injury playing for Uruguay during the break.
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Manchester United defender Noussair Mazraoui has returned to training after undergoing a heart procedure.
Messi: I value happiness over reaching 2026 WC
Lionel Messi said he prioritizes the ability to stay happy and healthy at this point in his career over fixating on reaching the 2026 FIFA World Cup with Argentina.
Lionel Messi said he prioritizes the ability to stay happy and healthy at this point in his career over fixating on reaching the 2026 FIFA World Cup with Argentina. Lionel Messi said he prioritizes the ability to stay happy and healthy at this point in his career over fixating on reaching the 2026 FIFA World Cup with Argentina.
Will Messi still be playing for Argentina at the 2026 World Cup? (1:25)Mauricio Pedroza reacts to Lionel Messi’s comments about his teammates after Argentina’s 6-0 win over Bolivia. (1:25)
Lionel Messi said he prioritizes the ability to stay happy and healthy at this point in his career over fixating on reaching the 2026 FIFA World Cup with Argentina.
Messi, 37, has left the door open to playing in the next World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico, despite previously suggesting that the 2022 tournament in Qatar, when he led Argentina to the title, would be his last.
Still, after scoring a hat trick in Argentina’s World Cup win over Bolivia on Tuesday, he acknowledged that “I know these can be my last games.”
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“In the moment, we will see,” Messi said Thursday after receiving the America legend award from Spanish publication Marca. “I don’t like to accelerate time or look ahead. I try to enjoy every day. I hope I can keep playing at this level to feel good and be happy.
“When I get to do what I love, I am happy. I value that more than reaching the 2026 tournament. I haven’t set a goal to reach the World Cup, but more so to live day-to-day and be well.”
The forward started his professional career in 2004, making his official debut with Barcelona when facing Espanyol in a regular-season LaLiga match on Oct. 16 of that year. He has gone on to make 898 club appearances over a 20-year span, featuring for Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Miami CF after leaving Barcelona in 2021.
Internationally, he worked his way through the Argentine youth national team before reaching the senior team in 2005. He boasts a total of 112 goals in 189 appearances for Argentina, having featured in every major tournament since his debut.
Messi has become an integral part of La Albiceleste’s recent success, leading the team as captain to two Copa América trophies, the 2022 FIFA World Cup title and one Finalissima win.
He has clinched 48 major trophies in his career, but he remains determined to keep succeeding now with Inter Miami.
“The step I took to come here [to Inter Miami] didn’t mean retiring,” he said. “We came here to try and keep making this team big, to help the development by winning titles, which we have and we’re close to clinching more.”
Messi led Miami to a meteoric rise in 2024, inspiring a 21-4-8 (W-L-D) record to lift the Major League Soccer Supporters’ Shield and be poised to break the league record for most points in a single season with a win over the New England Revolution on Saturday.
The team also secured home-field advantage through the entirety of the MLS playoffs by securing the Supporters’ Shield.
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Lionel Messi said he prioritizes the ability to stay happy and healthy at this point in his career over fixating on reaching the 2026 FIFA World Cup with Argentina.
Thompson back for first USWNT team since Paris
Six uncapped players will join head coach Emma Hayes’ 26-player roster for the United States women’s national team’s first matches since winning the Olympic gold medal in women’s soccer in August.
Six uncapped players will join head coach Emma Hayes’ 26-player roster for the United States women’s national team’s first matches since winning the Olympic gold medal in women’s soccer in August. Six uncapped players will join head coach Emma Hayes’ 26-player roster for the United States women’s national team’s first matches since winning the Olympic gold medal in women’s soccer in August.
Alyssa Thompson slots in the goal for Angel City FC (1:11)Alyssa Thompson slots in the goal for Angel City FC (1:11)
Six uncapped players will join head coach Emma Hayes’ 26-player roster for the United States women’s national team’s first matches since winning the Olympic gold medal in women’s soccer in August.
The training camp, which begins next week in Austin, Texas, will also mark the returns of midfielder Ashley Sanchez and forward Alyssa Thompson for the first time since late 2023.
Both players were part of the USWNT’s 2023 World Cup squad but dropped from the Olympic picture.
Defender Alyssa Malonson and forwards Yazmeen Ryan and Emma Sears all earned their first call-ups to a senior USWNT camp.
“Our focus is forward, our focus is on our process, and we want to keep chasing new heights,” Hayes said in a statement. “I love that we get to see most of our Olympic Team again after a few months, but I also love getting to work with some newer players and evaluate how they perform in our environment.”
The USWNT will play Iceland, ranked No. 13 in the world, on Oct. 24 in Austin, Texas, and again on Oct. 27 in Nashville, Tennessee.
The Americans, ranked No. 1 in the world by FIFA, conclude the window against world No. 33 Argentina in Louisville, Kentucky, on Oct. 30.
The USWNT won a fourth Olympic gold medal on Aug. 10, defeating Brazil 1-0 in what was only Hayes’ 10th game in charge.
The USWNT’s collective bargaining agreement requires all available players from the Olympic team to be recalled for victory tour matches. This first international window following the Americans’ gold medal win is considered the victory tour.
However, four of the 22 players (including the four alternates) from the 2024 Olympics are absent from this roster.
Alyssa Thompson is returning to USWNT action for the first time since late 2023. Jessica Alcheh-USA TODAY Sports
Forward Trinity Rodman will not join the USWNT for this camp. Rodman returned to the field for limited minutes with the Washington Spirit on Sunday after several weeks out due to a back injury.
Rodman will remain with the Spirit to rehab ahead of the National Women’s Soccer League playoffs, which begin in early November.
Attacking midfielder Croix Bethune had her NWSL season end in late August after suffering a torn meniscus while throwing out the first pitch at a Washington Nationals game in late August.
Bethune’s breakout rookie season for the Spirit up until that point — she tied the NWSL single-season record of 10 assists in only 17 games — earned her a spot as an alternate for the Olympics and, eventually, a rostered gold medalist.
Defender Tierna Davidson also suffered an injury over the weekend while playing for NJ/NY Gotham FC.
Crystal Dunn, who started all six games at fullback for the USWNT at the Olympics, “was not available for selection due to personal commitments,” U.S. Soccer said.
Dunn has missed recent Gotham games with an excused absence. All three matches in the upcoming window are considered victory tour matches for the purpose of the team’s CBA, meaning each player could make up to $18,000 per game, the most possible for a friendly.
The three upcoming matches are the last of the year on home soil for the USWNT. The Americans will end 2024 with a trip to Wembley Stadium in London to play England on Nov. 30, followed by a visit to the Netherlands on Dec. 3.
“Every 90 minutes of an international match is full of learning, for me and the players, and we’re looking forward to three great games for our fans to end our home schedule before we go to Europe in November,” Hayes said.
Fourteen of the 26 players on the roster have fewer than 20 caps. Among the uncapped players are defender Emily Sams and midfielder Hal Hershfelt, who traveled with the USWNT to the Olympics as alternates but did not play.
Sams earned a gold medal by making a game-day roster. Defender Hailie Mace, who plays for the Kansas City Current, is also back with the USWNT.
She last appeared for the squad in November 2022. Twenty-three players will be selected for each of the three upcoming matches’ game-day roster.
U.S. Soccer confirmed that it will host a “Futures Camp” in January in the Los Angeles area that will include young and less experienced players training in a camp alongside the senior USWNT.
Roster by position (Club; Caps/Goals) – October friendlies 2024
GOALKEEPERS (3): Jane Campbell (Houston Dash; 8), Casey Murphy (North Carolina Courage; 19), Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars; 112)
DEFENDERS (9): Emily Fox (Arsenal FC, ENG; 57/1), Eva Gaetino (Paris Saint-Germain, FRA; 0/0), Naomi Girma (San Diego Wave FC; 40/0), Casey Krueger (Washington Spirit; 56/0), Hailie Mace (Kansas City Current; 8/0), Alyssa Malonson (Bay FC; 0/0), Jenna Nighswonger (NJ/NY Gotham FC; 15/2), Emily Sams (Orlando Pride; 0/0), Emily Sonnett (NJ/NY Gotham FC; 99/2)
MIDFIELDERS (7): Korbin Albert (Paris Saint-Germain, FRA; 18/1), Sam Coffey (Portland Thorns FC; 24/1), Hal Hershfelt (Washington Spirit; 0/0), Lindsey Horan (Olympique Lyon, FRA; 156/35), Rose Lavelle (NJ/NY Gotham FC; 106/24), Olivia Moultrie (Portland Thorns FC; 4/2), Ashley Sanchez (North Carolina Courage; 27/3)
FORWARDS (7): Yazmeen Ryan (NJ/NY Gotham FC; 0/0), Emma Sears (Racing Louisville FC; 0/0), Jaedyn Shaw (San Diego Wave FC; 16/7), Sophia Smith (Portland Thorns FC; 56/23), Mallory Swanson (Chicago Red Stars; 100/38), Alyssa Thompson (Angel City FC; 9/0), Lynn Williams (NJ/NY Gotham FC; 71/19)
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Six uncapped players will join head coach Emma Hayes’ 26-player roster for the United States women’s national team’s first matches since winning the Olympic gold medal in women’s soccer in August.
Berhalter accepts USMNT firing, but ‘it still hurts’
Gregg Berhalter acknowledged that his firing in August as USMNT coach was “a really difficult moment,” but said he’s now hungry and motivated again to take on his new roles as Chicago Fire head coach and director of football.
Gregg Berhalter acknowledged that his firing in August as USMNT coach was “a really difficult moment,” but said he’s now hungry and motivated again to take on his new roles as Chicago Fire head coach and director of football. Gregg Berhalter acknowledged that his firing in August as USMNT coach was “a really difficult moment,” but said he’s now hungry and motivated again to take on his new roles as Chicago Fire head coach and director of football.
Gregg Berhalter acknowledged that his firing in August as U.S. men’s national team coach was “a really difficult moment,” but said he’s now hungry and motivated again to take on his new roles as Chicago Fire head coach and director of football.
Berhalter, 51, was introduced in his twin roles on Thursday by Fire owner Joe Mansueto, and said that he looks at the opportunity with Chicago as a chance to awaken a “sleeping giant.”
But he also took some time to reflect on what transpired with the USMNT over the summer, including the group stage exit at the Copa América that ultimately cost him his job.
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“It’s a really difficult moment when you get fired as a coach, and I don’t want to liken this to life and death at all because it’s not. You’re still alive, but it is like mourning a death,” Berhalter said. “And you wake up the next day and you feel really bad. Your confidence takes a hit and it’s a really difficult moment.
“For me it was really about being with my family in those moments and giving myself the time and the freedom and the space to feel sad and feel bad. We didn’t perform well in Copa América and when you don’t perform well at a high level there’s consequences, and I take full responsibility for that. But it still hurts.”
Berhalter added that once he got past the mourning period, he took some time to reflect on what he could have done better. He solicited feedback from the USMNT players, analyzed their responses and identified ways to improve.
“And then from there you become motivated, alright? Now I want the next opportunity. You get hungry again,” he said. “And during that period when I got hungry, there’s a number of opportunities that I was looking at and I kept coming back to Chicago and the potential and the alignment.
“It’s not every day that you get to work for a man like Joe Mansueto, who understands what a top level is and how to build something that’s really good and sustainable.”
Gregg Berhalter poses with Chicago Fire owner Joe Manseuto at his unveiling as the club’s new head coach and director of football Thursday. Melissa Tamez-Imagn Images
That alignment includes the opening of a new training facility as well plenty of flexibility in rebuilding the roster of a team that has failed to reach the postseason in each of the past seven years. Mansueto also said Thursday that the team is looking to build a soccer-specific stadium and is touring potential sites.
“Having our own soccer specific stadium is what we’d like to see,” he said. “And so we’re actively pursuing that and if we can find the right parcel in Chicago, I think we’ll move forward on it.”
Mansueto explained that the club’s previous director of football, Georg Heitz, notified him in August that he intended to head back to Europe. With preseason for the 2025 campaign set to begin in January, Mansueto felt time was of the essence. An initial list of 80 candidates was quickly whittled down to three, two domestic and one from abroad.
“We wanted to give whoever we brought in enough time to be able to work on the roster, look at the organization, make changes. So we wanted to get somebody in as quickly as possible,” he said.
Mansueto said it wasn’t initially his intention to have one person fill both the director of football and head coach roles, but that Berhalter’s track record — he previously held both posts with the Columbus Crew — convinced him a similar setup would work with the Fire.
“From my perspective, what I wanted to do, what I tried to do is create an environment where people can do their best work and if he can do his best work as director of football and head coach,” Mansueto said.
“So there’s this seamless connection. I’m fine with it and he’ll build underneath him an organization to offload the things.”
Mansueto brought Berhalter in for a three-hour interview, and said he was immediately convinced he had found the right candidate.
“We all walked out of there and said, ‘That’s our guy,'” added Mansueto.
An offer was made around two weeks ago, and Berhalter accepted.
“Me and Joe are very aligned on where we want this club to go,” Berhalter said. “It’s really about creating an established top-performing club in Major League Soccer and having the consistency throughout the time that we’re here.
“The second thing is about potential. This market, this club, this team has a ton of potential and that’s what makes it exciting.”
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Gregg Berhalter acknowledged that his firing in August as USMNT coach was “a really difficult moment,” but said he’s now hungry and motivated again to take on his new roles as Chicago Fire head coach and director of football.
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Cule-play: Barcelona unveil new logo for Clásico kit
Barcelona have announced that Coldplay’s logo will be splashed across the front of the club’s home shirt during Oct. 26’s Clásico.
Barcelona have announced that Coldplay’s logo will be splashed across the front of the club’s home shirt during Oct. 26’s Clásico. Barcelona have announced that Coldplay’s logo will be splashed across the front of the club’s home shirt during Oct. 26’s Clásico.
Barcelona have announced that Coldplay’s logo will be splashed across the front of the club’s shirt during the men’s Clásico against Real Madrid on Oct. 26 (stream live on ESPN+) as part of a continued sponsorship agreement with Spotify.
The British band, who are one of the most popular musical groups ever, will also feature on the women’s jersey for the Liga F match against Eibar on Nov. 2.
In addition to the shirts, Spotify, Barça and Coldplay are also launching a limited-edition lifestyle collection of merchandise including T-shirts, hoodies and scarfs.
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Coldplay will be the fifth act to create a special one-off shirt for Barça, following on from the likes of Drake, Rosalía, Karol G and The Rolling Stones.
The logo, which is a series of moons inspired by the group’s new album, titled “Moon Music,” will replace the Spotify branding on the front of Barça’s shirts.
Coldplay have a cherished place in recent Barça history, with Pep Guardiola using the band’s “Viva la Vida” as the soundtrack to a motivational video shown to the players ahead of the 2009 Champions League final they won against Man United.
The track subsequently gained increased significance among supporters, while Coldplay’s members (Chris Martin, Jonny Buckland, Guy Berryman, and Will Champion) have previously been invited to training sessions at the club’s Sant Joan Despí base.
In 2023, the band also played a series of sold-out concerts at the Olympic Stadium in the city — which became Barça’s temporary home later that year to allow Camp Nou to be redeveloped.
The gigs were attended by Barça players past and present, including Lionel Messi, with distracted concertgoers chanting the Argentine forward’s name at one point at a time when a return to the Catalan club had not been completely ruled out before his move to Inter Miami CF.
Logos from The Rolling Stones, shown here, as well as Drake, Karol G and Rosalía have all featured on Barcelona’s shirt previously. Alex Caparros/Getty Images
Barça will desperately hope that shared history with Coldplay will bring them some luck when they wear the special shirts against Madrid next weekend.
Their first collaboration was with Canadian rapper Drake and ended in defeat to Los Blancos in the Clásico in October 2022.
A win followed in the next Clásico when Rosalía’s “Motomami” logo adorned Barça shirts, but back-to-back LaLiga defeats to Madrid have followed as part of collaborations with The Rolling Stones and, earlier this year, Karol G.
The women’s team have had better luck. They weren’t part of the Drake partnership, but have beaten Real Madrid, Sevilla and Villarreal while wearing the Rosalía, The Rolling Stones and Karol G special edition shirts.
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Barcelona have announced that Coldplay’s logo will be splashed across the front of the club’s home shirt during Oct. 26’s Clásico.
Beckham: Man Utd needed Ratcliffe changes
David Beckham has backed minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe to bring necessary change to Manchester United, but admitted it could take time for the club to return to the top.
David Beckham has backed minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe to bring necessary change to Manchester United, but admitted it could take time for the club to return to the top. David Beckham has backed minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe to bring necessary change to Manchester United, but admitted it could take time for the club to return to the top.
Laurens: Nothing will change for Man United if they keep Ten Hag (1:49)Nedum Onuoha and Julien Laurens discuss Erik ten Hag’s future at Man United after club executives met in London. (1:49)
David Beckham has backed minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe to bring necessary change to Manchester United, but admitted it could take time for the club to return to the top.
United have not won the Premier League title since Beckham’s former manager Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013 and last season recorded their worst-ever Premier League finish, coming eighth.
But the sporting structure at Old Trafford has been overhauled under Ratcliffe since becoming a minority owner in February and Beckham said those changes were sorely needed.
“I think that it definitely needed change,” Beckham told his former United and England teammate Rio Ferdinand on his “Rio Ferdinand Presents” podcast. “Speaking as a United fan, I think that many people had said that the club needed change and it needed a fresh perspective in how this club needs to be run and the decisions that are made.
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“I really like Jim [Ratcliffe]. I’ve met him a few times over the years with a few mutual friends and I think that he’s a fan and obviously he’s a great businessman as well, one of the best and one of the biggest. But I think more importantly the fans see that he cares, and I think that that’s a big part of it.
“I think obviously the fans had lost faith with the leadership over the years and obviously he really cares about what he wants to do and what he wants to create. So, hopefully, things will change but these things take time. These things take time.
“I think we have been quite patient as United fans over the years, but we want those good old days back. We want those days back, and the sooner the better.”
While United have continued to struggle this season, Beckham has enjoyed much greater success with his own team, Inter Miami. The club has already claimed the Supporters’ Shield as MLS’ best regular-season team and on Saturday could break the all-time record for most points in a single season.
The team has been led by Argentina great Lionel Messi. And Beckham said that he took some inspiration from Ferguson when bringing the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner to Miami last year.
“I think that one of the things that I learned from the boss over the years — and it wasn’t something that he specifically told me — one of the things that I learned from the boss was it’s not about bringing the biggest and best players, it’s about bringing the right players.
“If you can bring the biggest and best players that is the right player. There’s not many of them around, but with Leo we knew that we were bringing and I knew that, yes he was going to be successful on the field but I also knew that he was going to help our club off the field.”
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David Beckham has backed minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe to bring necessary change to Manchester United, but admitted it could take time for the club to return to the top.
FA chief sees ‘parallels’ between Tuchel, Wiegman
Football Association chief Mark Bullingham has said he sees “parallels” between England women’s boss Sarina Wiegman and newly apppointed men’s coach Thomas Tuchel.
Football Association chief Mark Bullingham has said he sees “parallels” between England women’s boss Sarina Wiegman and newly apppointed men’s coach Thomas Tuchel. Football Association chief Mark Bullingham has said he sees “parallels” between England women’s boss Sarina Wiegman and newly apppointed men’s coach Thomas Tuchel.
Why Thomas Tuchel’s nationality shouldn’t matter to England fans (2:07)James Olley compares the differences between Thomas Tuchel and Gareth Southgate. (2:07)
Football Association chief Mark Bullingham has said he sees “parallels” between England women’s boss Sarina Wiegman and newly apppointed men’s coach Thomas Tuchel.
Tuchel, who signed an 18-month contract with England on Wednesday, will be hoping to repeat the success Wiegman, another non-English manager, brought to her side.
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The Dutch coach led the women’s team to win their first major trophy by lifting the Euro 2022 title on home soil, while Tuchel will be looking to earn the men’s side to their first triumph since 1966 when he leads his team into the 2026 World Cup in the United States.
“I think Sarina would say she felt she came into a team that was ready to win and she instilled that confidence in the team and I think part of that came from the fact she was a proven winner,” Bullingham told BBC 5 Live.
“Of course, we see parallels for that and that was forefront in our mind, when we were looking for a head coach, someone who could really give the team confidence and they had what it takes to win.”
Tuchel, who will begin work on Jan. 1, said he believes England are ready to win another major trophy.
“I think it’s just nuances, it’s just details,” he told a news conference on Wednesday. “If you lose on penalties in a final, who would I be to say I know what you did wrong when you were there.
“You were there. We or they have been in two finals I think. Semifinals and quarterfinals. Lost each of them very, very close, each of them could have gone either way. The genuine belief is that we are there, that we are ready.”
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Football Association chief Mark Bullingham has said he sees “parallels” between England women’s boss Sarina Wiegman and newly apppointed men’s coach Thomas Tuchel.
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Why Tuchel is a necessary quick fix for England — and why England is a gamble for Tuchel
Thomas Tuchel’s decision to take the England job is a surprising one, but it’s a big bet by the storied manager on himself.
Thomas Tuchel’s decision to take the England job is a surprising one, but it’s a big bet by the storied manager on himself. Thomas Tuchel’s decision to take the England job is a surprising one, but it’s a big bet by the storied manager on himself.
Why Marcotti doubts that Thomas Tuchel is the right man for England (2:17)Gab Marcotti and Julien Laurens wonder how Thomas Tuchel would suit international management with England. (2:17)
For the third time — after Sven-Goran Eriksson and Fabio Capello — England’s Football Association has turned to a foreign coach, appointing Thomas Tuchel as manager of the national team.
That’s not as much of a big deal in England these days, since Eriksson was given the job in 2000, but it’s a big enough deal among the game’s other heavyweights that Brazil, Argentina, Germany, France or Italy have never looked abroad. Then again, none of these countries have a league as outward-looking, as diverse and as globalised, as England. So that part makes sense.
Nor are they facing a long-standing dearth of talent among homegrown coaches like England is, where Newcastle’s Eddie Howe is the only Englishman to have managed a top-10 league finish in recent years. That, too, make sense.
But most of all, the choice of Tuchel (like Capello and Eriksson before him) is born out of a desire to win, and to do so straight away. He is seen as a shortcut to success — a guy to execute rather than build. There are no certainties, only percentages — as his last club, Bayern Munich, found out — and Tuchel, at least among those coaches who were available, has shown he can move the needle and give you the best possible chance of winning while your window of opportunity is still open.
It’s not that this is an aging team — other than Harry Kane, most of the key players are the right side of 30 — it’s just that they have reached two finals, a semifinal and a quarterfinal in the past four major tournaments, and the time is right to take that final step towards silverware before a nation convinces themselves they are cursed for eternity.
The fact that he was given an 18-month deal — and not the monster long-term contracts, replete with references to philosophy and mentality, we’ve seen in the past — is further evidence of this. It all fits how Tuchel is seen now: an instant-fix, deliver results type of guy. It’s sort of ironic when you consider what he was before.
Tuchel is betting on himself to make a good impression with England despite it being out of his usual comfort zone. Michael Regan – The FA/The FA via Getty Images
There’s a 2012 TED Talk-type video titled “Rule breaker” of a much younger-looking Tuchel — who at that point had taken little Mainz to consecutive top 10 Bundesliga finishes — standing in a black T-shirt and discussing his approach to coaching and team-building. At times, he skews towards being a junior mad professor: like when he says that by changing his formation (and personnel) every game in order to mirror whoever Mainz are playing, he makes the task simpler for his players. Or when, because he doesn’t want his players to play down the wing but hit diagonal balls instead, he redesigns the training pitch, turning it into a diamond and cutting off the corners. (He did a lot of fiddling with pitch shapes in his time at Mainz, from circular ones to rectangular ones, both long and very narrow and short and very wide.)
At others, he sounds like a New Age motivational speaker: “We try to achieve ‘flow’ and when we do we become unwitting ‘rule breakers’ … we look each other in the eye and shake hands when we greet each other and tell ourselves how happy we are to be working together.” And then he caps thing off with that corny (but valid) Michael Jordán quote about achieving success by failing again and again.
That Tuchel won plaudits for style of play, vision and creativity more than the results. At Mainz, he overachieved with an under-resourced team; at Borussia Dortmund, he won style points but finished 10 points and 18 points off the top in his two seasons while winning the German Cup.
This Tuchel emerged at Paris Saint-Germain after a one-year sabbatical following his sacking as Dortmund boss in 2017 (when he fell out with the front office … it wouldn’t be the last time, either). It’s not so much that he won silverware at Paris Saint-Germain — let’s face it: most do, and for obvious reasons — but the way he harnessed the club’s individual talents and turned them into a unit, capable of not just dominating Ligue 1, but also reaching the Champions League final in 2020. And while he may not admit it, that also meant occasionally adopting a healthy dose of pragmatism and safety-first mentality.
‘Sorry I have a German passport!’ – Tuchel on England fan backlash
Thomas Tuchel says he is “proud” to be England’s manager and speaks about whether he will sing the national anthem.
It’s a rep Tuchel was able to maintain, at least initially, in his next two stints. He guided Chelsea to a Champions League crown in the pandemic year, beating Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City in the final and he delivered a title for Bayern in 2022-23 after replacing Julian Nagelsmann in March 2023, a decision prompted by the fact that he was seen as more “concrete” and more of a “winner” than his predecessor.
That’s the reputation Tuchel takes with him into the England job: A pragmatic, tactical savant who can squeeze the most out of his players and who turned the idealism of his youth into something serviceable and results-oriented. It’s not undeserved, but it comes with several caveats, starting with the fact that his final season at Bayern saw them finish third, 18 points from the top, their worst showing in more than three decades.
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The other warning sign lies in the fact that he was fired early in each of his last four gigs, each time falling out with the club over personnel issues. Each case is different, and you can find mitigating factors for each one — from the madness of Todd Boehly’s first few months in charge at Chelsea, to the toxic environment at Bayern, to the egos at PSG, to the weight of the Jurgen Klopp legacy at Borussia Dortmund — but the facts don’t change. For the past decade, every time he has left a club, he has done so early, under a cloud and looking like a spent bundle of nerves. Who can forget the famous alpha male handshake incident with Antonio Conte? (It’s more fun when set to music.)
Come to think of it, there are more than few parallels with Conte: tactical brilliance and early results, followed by clashes with the folks upstairs and loopy behaviour. But maybe there’s another and, perhaps, it’s the most significant.
In 2014, fresh off his dismissal from Juventus, Conte made the step into international management, taking on one of the least-gifted Italy sides in recent memory. He could have held out for a top club job, but he chose to his challenge himself, putting his reputation on the line, knowing that failure could mean getting bumped off the elite job carousel.
Olley: England need a tactician like Tuchel to win the World Cup
James Olley reacts to Thomas Tuchel’s appointment as England manager.
Tuchel is doing the same with England. He could have waited for a top club vacancy — Manchester United being the obvious, but by no means only, opening in the next eight months. Instead, he’s opting for England knowing full well that radical change awaits. True, he won’t have sporting directors acquiring players he doesn’t want (and not signing those he does want), but equally, the only way he can outperform his predecessor is by actually winning major silverware, something the England team has achieved just once in more than 150 years of history. Not to mention the fact that, until the World Cup rolls around in 2026, he’ll only get to work with his players for a few days at a time, which is a massive departure from a club job, especially for such a tactically oriented manager.
In other words, he’s betting on himself and he has skin in the game, because another flop or early departure will mean moving to the back of the elite manager queue. That part is encouraging, almost as much as the tactical savvy and experience he will bring to the job.
After seeing Tuchel the “rule-breaker” idealist and Tuchel the big-club pragmatist, maybe we’ll get to see an entirely new Tuchel.
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Thomas Tuchel’s decision to take the England job is a surprising one, but it’s a big bet by the storied manager on himself.
Fàbregas: Barça’s Yamal ‘most talented in world’
Cesc Fàbregas has told ESPN he thinks Barcelona teenager Lamine Yamal is “the most talented player in the world.”
Cesc Fàbregas has told ESPN he thinks Barcelona teenager Lamine Yamal is “the most talented player in the world.” Cesc Fàbregas has told ESPN he thinks Barcelona teenager Lamine Yamal is “the most talented player in the world.”
Fàbregas: Yamal can create his own story away from Messi at Barcelona (2:23)Cesc Fàbregas speaks about the comparisons between Lamine Yamal and Lionel Messi at Barcelona. (2:23)
Cesc Fàbregas has told ESPN he thinks Barcelona teenager Lamine Yamal is “the most talented player in the world.”
A 2010 World Cup winner and two-time European Champion with Spain, Fabregas, now coach of Serie A side Como, is impressed by what he has seen so far from the 17-year-old.
Asked who he considered to be the most talented player in the world, Fàbregas said: “I would probably say Lamine Yamal… for the impact that he’s having. When you have this type of talent, this type of quality, for me to see the freedom and how he expresses himself on the pitch, it’s fantastic to see because of the creativity.”
Yamal, who has scored five goals and has five assists in 11 appearances for Barcelona this season, has claimed several records since his debut.
At 16, he became the youngest goal scorer in LaLiga history and the youngest player ever to feature at a European Championship. He also won the Young Player of the Tournament at the 2024 Euros after helping Spain claim the title.
“I think he’s a unique talent,” Fàbregas said. “He’s someone that you just need to let him go out and play football. He will always make a difference when he’s pressed. When he’s not pressed, he always finds the right solution, even if it’s an individual action or a one, two, or the last ball, or give continuity to the play, whatever the game demands in that moment.
Lamine Yamal has been called the most talented player in the world by Cesc Fàbregas. Alex Caparros/Getty Images
“He’s capable of reading [a game] and he’s capable of understanding what it needs.
“I think this is already a sign of a big player, of a very mature player. And what I like the most is that it feels like he’s playing in the street. It feels like everything becomes so easy for him. He’s free in the mind.”
Fàbregas, who spent three seasons at Barça alongside Lionel Messi, understands why people draw similarities between Lamal and the Argentina captain. However, the former Arsenal midfielder believes Yamal must follow “his own path.”
“I can understand it [comparisons with Messi],” he said.
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“I don’t like it because I think every player is different and we all have our own story. And now Lamine needs to follow his own road and create his own pathway. But definitely there are signs that always make you go back to what Leo [Messi] used to be. I think it’s completely normal, especially also the Barcelona fans coming from a difficult period of years where there’s been some difficulties.
“So I think the excitement that Lamine brings to the table nowadays, it’s very important. It’s like Leo, you know, in difficult times he stepped up for the team.
“And I think with Lamine, the potential is there to do very, very well for many years at Barcelona.”
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Cesc Fàbregas has told ESPN he thinks Barcelona teenager Lamine Yamal is “the most talented player in the world.”
MLS boss: FIFA suit could spark schedule change
MLS president Don Garber said the recent antitrust antitrust lawsuit before the European Commission in Brussels could spark change to the congested global calendar.
MLS president Don Garber said the recent antitrust antitrust lawsuit before the European Commission in Brussels could spark change to the congested global calendar. MLS president Don Garber said the recent antitrust antitrust lawsuit before the European Commission in Brussels could spark change to the congested global calendar.
Laurens on FIFPro’s scheduling complaint: Actions speak louder than words (2:24)Julien Laurens says the complaint filed by FIFPro and the European leagues is not enough to force a change in FIFA’s football calendar. (2:24)
Major League Soccer president Don Garber said the recent antitrust lawsuit before the European Commission in Brussels could spark change to the congested global calendar.
On Tuesday, LaLiga president Javier Tebas said that FIFA’s 2025 Club World Cup, which still does not have sponsorship or broadcast deals, should be cancelled.
Garber said he recognises the concern over the revamped 32-team Club World Cup to be hosted in the United States.
He warned there could be danger of oversaturation in football but sees how the lawsuit could actually be a pathway to a more palatable global calendar and greater collaboration between governing bodies and leagues.
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“I read about the lawsuits just the other day, but sometimes it takes a little disruption to get everybody to sit at the same table and make the right decisions,” Garber told reporters at The Summit, part of Leaders Week London.
“I would hope that you make those right decisions, because you’re basing those decisions on data, fact and research and strategy, but if not, sometimes you have to be forced to make those decisions.”
The new tournament from football’s world governing body, featuring 12 European clubs, will come after a season featuring an expanded Champions League and before an enlarged 48-team World Cup in 2026, hosted in the U.S., Canada and Mexico.
“We all need to be mindful of the calendar, and I understand Javier’s views,” Garber said.
Top players have criticised the ever-increasing fixture schedule, with some talking of strike action.
MLS president Don Garber said he hopes for dialogue over the calendar congestion woes. Getty Images
European Leagues, players’ union FIFPRO Europe and LaLiga jointly filed a complaint to EU antitrust regulators this week against FIFA’s international match calendar.
“I think we’ve got to all work to see whether or not we can be a more engaged part of the decision-making process, and I would include that in the Club World Cup. We as a league are as mindful as everybody else about the toll on our players and all the various competitions they have to compete in,” Garber said.
The 2025 Club World Cup, due to run from June 15-July 13, will be held around the same time as Concacaf’s Gold Cup, to be hosted on the Western Coast of the U.S. and Canada.
The MLS season is set to resume after that as well as European leagues.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino on Tuesday began a tour of U.S. cities that will host the Club World Cup.
Information from Reuters was used in this report.
Former Barcelona and Spain defender Gerard Piqué on Wednesday said it was the responsibility of all football organisations to find a solution.
“There are too many games, and we are seeing now players saying ‘listen, we are getting injured. There are games every three days, we don’t have time to rest in summer’,” the 37-year-old told The Summit, part of Leaders Week London.
“I would suggest to reduce the games,” he added when asked what he would do if he were in charge of global football.
“Go to the leagues and say, ‘listen, instead of 20 teams, why you don’t do leagues of 16 teams.
“And at the same time, I would go to UEFA and say, ‘why you create this Nations League, which is the new competition that is difficult to follow’ and I will go to FIFA and say, ‘okay, don’t do this FIFA World Cup of clubs that you created now.’
“I understand that they want to generate more revenues, but for the sake of football, I think that it could be much better to have less games, more premium and more exclusive [experiences] and it will be much easier also to follow from the audience point of view, and for players it will be less games.”
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MLS president Don Garber said the recent antitrust antitrust lawsuit before the European Commission in Brussels could spark change to the congested global calendar.
Pochettino urges patience after USMNT loss
Coach Mauricio Pochettino cautioned against making any harsh judgments of the United States men’s national team after the 2-0 fall to Mexico.
Coach Mauricio Pochettino cautioned against making any harsh judgments of the United States men’s national team after the 2-0 fall to Mexico. Coach Mauricio Pochettino cautioned against making any harsh judgments of the United States men’s national team after the 2-0 fall to Mexico.
A wake-up call for Pochettino and the USMNT following Mexico loss (0:46)USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino says he and his team need to learn from their mistakes following a 2-0 defeat to Mexico. (0:46)
Coach Mauricio Pochettino cautioned against making any harsh judgments of the United States men’s national team after the 2-0 fall to Mexico on Tuesday in Guadalajara, reiterating his process with the federation just begun.
“Overall, I think Mexico was a little bit better than us and fully deserved the victory,” Pochettino said in a news conference after the match. “But for us it’s a process that we started 10 days ago, and today was a great opportunity for our player to visit a very difficult place to play. I think only we can improve and learn from this experience.”
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U.S. Soccer announced the arrival of Pochettino in September, only a few weeks before the October international window. He led the USMNT for the first time on Oct. 12 in a 2-0 victory over Panama in Austin, before traveling to Mexico for the game against El Tri.
He coached the entire October roster for just a couple days before Marlon Fossey, Zack Steffen, Weston McKennie and Ricardo Pepi departed camp due to injury, while Christian Pulisic returned to AC Milan to avoid a work overload.
Pochettino admitted he felt disappointed with not having the entire squad available for the match against Mexico, given the opportunity to learn from the challenges of a game in Guadalajara.
“We all feel disappointed because I think we didn’t have all the players that we wanted to have when we started,” he said. “We lost some players for different reasons and we arrived a little bit short here.
Mauricio Pochettino was appointed as the USMNT coach in September. Photo by Omar Vega/Getty Images
“I say thank you to the players [that were here] because they were amazing, professional and the behavior was amazing. And that’s it. It’s only a game that we lose, of course, in Mexico.
“We wanted to win. I think we need to be positive about this type of game. We need to play more games like this to improve the knowledge that we have.”
Pochettino insists that he needs more time to evaluate and study the players before making any conclusions.
“Give us time, let us evaluate all the players, have them, know them, and from there I will give you a better opinion about what is much more fundamental than what I see.”
The USMNT will now shift focus to the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal series against Jamaica in the November international window.
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Coach Mauricio Pochettino cautioned against making any harsh judgments of the United States men’s national team after the 2-0 fall to Mexico.
Tuchel bullish on England aim to win ’26 World Cup
New England head coach Thomas Tuchel has said he will not shy away from publicly stating his aim is to win the 2026 World Cup and believes only “nuances” and “details” have stopped the side ending their long wait for silverware.
New England head coach Thomas Tuchel has said he will not shy away from publicly stating his aim is to win the 2026 World Cup and believes only “nuances” and “details” have stopped the side ending their long wait for silverware. New England head coach Thomas Tuchel has said he will not shy away from publicly stating his aim is to win the 2026 World Cup and believes only “nuances” and “details” have stopped the side ending their long wait for silverware.
‘Sorry I have a German passport!’ – Tuchel on England fan backlash (1:42)Thomas Tuchel says he is “proud” to be England’s manager and speaks about whether he will sing the national anthem. (1:42)
New England head coach Thomas Tuchel has said he will not shy away from publicly stating his aim is to win the 2026 World Cup and believes only “nuances” and “details” have stopped the side ending their long wait for silverware.
Gareth Southgate came closer than any manager since Sir Alf Ramsey to delivering England’s first men’s trophy since 1966, guiding the team to back-to-back Euros finals.
Southgate stepped down after losing the Euro 2024 showpiece to Spain in July and the Football Association (FA) responded by appointing under-21 manager Lee Carsley on an interim basis before pivoting to a proven winner in Tuchel.
Sources have told ESPN that Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola was among the 10 candidates FA chief executive Mark Bullingham revealed on Wednesday that they had spoken to during the process.
However, they ultimately chose Tuchel, who has won 11 major honours at club level including the 2021 Champions League with Chelsea.
The 51-year-old will start his 18-month contract on Jan. 1 — meaning he will get just one tournament cycle as things stand — and when asked if it was win or bust for him with England, Tuchel said: “I don’t know, it depends. I know what you’re saying. No, it’s not a gamble, but we speak it out now very clearly why we are here and what we want to achieve.
Thomas Tuchel was appointed as England manager on Wednesday. Michael Regan – The FA/The FA via Getty Images
“We are not shy of it. We are absolutely open about it. It does not help the more often we speak about it, but it should be out there and then we can set the standards and set the values and principles because then we have to live up to them for 18 months.
“Let’s judge it when we have done it. If we decide it was a failure, then we will not continue. If we decide it was not a failure, then we will continue. Let’s see. No one can predict the future.
“It feels absolutely right for me to do so, it feels clear and it feels easy for me to explain. When it’s easy to explain, it’s normally good.
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“We are playing with players for the best league and the biggest competition in the world. We have a group of young hungry players. We are desperate to win a title, so we have all the ingredients, so I think we should try to implement this into our style of play.
“I think we should play an attacking style of football and we should try to emphasise a physical side of the game because this is what English football is all about and this is what excites our supporters, and this is what suits the players.”
Southgate led England to the 2018 World Cup semifinals where they were beaten in extra-time by Croatia. They lost the Euro 2020 final on penalties before exiting the World Cup two years later with a narrow 2-1 defeat to France in which Harry Kane missed a late penalty that would have tied the score.
Spain edged another tight game 2-1 in Berlin and when asked to explain what England were missing, Tuchel said: “I think it’s just nuances, it’s just details. If you lose on penalties in a final, who would I be to say I know what you did wrong when you were there.
“You were there. We or they have been in two finals I think. Semifinals and quarterfinals. Lost each of them very, very close, each of them could have gone either way. The genuine belief is that we are there, that we are ready.”
Bullingham also defended the appointment of a foreign-born manager — the third in England’s history — despite the FA making the development of homegrown players and managers at St. George’s Park central to their mission.
Citing the arrival of English coach Anthony Barry as Tuchel’s assistant, Bullingham said: “If you look at St. George’s Park overall, I think it has been a really good success. Our pathway is really strong, both from a coaches and players point of view. There are a lot of fantastic young coaches around and obviously Anthony is one of those.
“I think any federation in the world that is looking to hire a senior manager, clearly you would love to have five to 10 domestic candidates who are coaching clubs in your domestic league, challenging and winning honours in your domestic league and European football. We are not quite in that place at the moment.”
Tuchel confirmed he will be living in England and explained why he will not take charge immediately with Carsley remaining in post for next month’s UEFA Nations League games against Greece and Republic of Ireland.
“It was important for me to narrow it down into a project and not lose the focus, to start in another competition, the Nations League, then go into qualification and the tournament,” he said.
“I wanted to have a clean start and a bit of time to recharge fully and start in January and start the first camp in March.”
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New England head coach Thomas Tuchel has said he will not shy away from publicly stating his aim is to win the 2026 World Cup and believes only “nuances” and “details” have stopped the side ending their long wait for silverware.
USWNT’s Fox nets first Arsenal goal in UWCL rout
LONDON –United States international Emily Fox scored her first goal for Arsenal in a runaway 4-1 win over Valerenga in the Women’s Champions League on Wednesday.
LONDON –United States international Emily Fox scored her first goal for Arsenal in a runaway 4-1 win over Valerenga in the Women’s Champions League on Wednesday. LONDON –United States international Emily Fox scored her first goal for Arsenal in a runaway 4-1 win over Valerenga in the Women’s Champions League on Wednesday.
LONDON —United States international Emily Fox scored her first goal for Arsenal in a runaway 4-1 win over Valerenga in the Women’s Champions League on Wednesday.
It was only Arsenal’s second win of the season and a much-needed boost of positivity just a day after the resignation of Jonas Eidevall. The Swede left his post on Tuesday after a disappointing string of results that included a 5-2 thrashing to Bayern Munich and a home loss to title-rivals Chelsea.
Renée Slegers has been appointed interim manager and she has Mariona Caldentey to thank for a winning start to her tenure. The Spain international sparkled in midfield and joined Fox on the scoresheet along with Caitlin Foord and Alessia Russo
Whatever nerves Slegers may have had going into the game were allayed in the 2nd minute, when Foord’s cutback from the left fell kindly for Fox to tap in from close range.
Arsenal didn’t let up their intensity and minutes later looked to have doubled their lead through Russo, only for it to be chalked off for offside. Leah Williamson too went close for the hosts, hitting the post from a corner.
Arsenal players celebrate after scoring a goal against Valerenga in the Women’s Champions League.
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Caldentey, deployed in a more central role than usual, set the tempo for Arsenal in midfield. Her dexterity and directness saw her routinely pick apart the Valarenga defence, who were reprieved on more than one occasion by Russo’s off-target finishing.
But Caldentey couldn’t be contained and sparked the move for Arsenal’s second in the 29th minute. She played in Beth Mead on the left, whose deflated shot was fired into the roof of the net by Foord.
It appeared to be game, set and match for Valerenga, but hardly five minutes later they were handed an unlikely lifeline. Laia Codina was harried off the ball near the box by Katrina Savik, who played in Olaug Tvedten for a simple finish. The goal sparked hysteria in the small pocket of Valerenga fans at the Emirates, who didn’t relent in their singing through the game.
In a half that saw Arsenal have nearly 80% possession and 10 shots, it was Valerenga that went into the break with greater momentum.
Savik targeted Codina from the get-go in the second half and nearly punished the Spain international for further sloppiness. She brushed off the center-back and darted into the back before unleashing a shot that went inches above the bar.
Valerenga showed greater solidity in the second half, but their legs eventually gave away. Caldentey got on the scoresheet herself with a sharp finish from the box in the 85th minute and in added time, setup Russo to add further gloss to the win.
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LONDON –United States international Emily Fox scored her first goal for Arsenal in a runaway 4-1 win over Valerenga in the Women’s Champions League on Wednesday.
Pogba: I considered retiring before doping reprieve
Paul Pogba revealed he considered retirement after initially being handed a four-year ban for doping, admitting that he had to be “more careful” after taking a supplement that contained a prohibited substance.
Paul Pogba revealed he considered retirement after initially being handed a four-year ban for doping, admitting that he had to be “more careful” after taking a supplement that contained a prohibited substance. Paul Pogba revealed he considered retirement after initially being handed a four-year ban for doping, admitting that he had to be “more careful” after taking a supplement that contained a prohibited substance.
Pogba reveals doping ban led him to clear out his ‘entourage’ (2:23)Paul Pogba says it’s “anger” and “determination” that’s driving him to return to football following his doping ban, after clearing out his “entourage”. (2:23)
Paul Pogba revealed he considered retirement after initially being handed a four-year ban for doping, admitting that he has to be “more careful” after taking a supplement that contained a prohibited substance.
Pogba, 31, saw his ban reduced to 18 months by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on appeal earlier this month, meaning he can return to professional football in March 2025.
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Asked by ESPN whether he thought he would ever play again after the first ruling in February, Pogba said: “Yeah, I had many thoughts in my head, I had so many thoughts to even stop playing.
“I’m like: ‘What am I going to do?’ If it’s four years, you start making the maths in your head. … Four years not playing, training — which club is going to want me? Would I be fit and stuff like that, you make a lot of pictures in your head.
“But on the other side, I had faith obviously, and I was positive. I knew I didn’t do anything wrong on purpose, so then thankfully that happened and they reduce it.”
The France midfielder tested positive for DHEA, a substance that raises testosterone levels, in August 2023 after Juventus‘ opening match of the 2023-24 season against Udinese. His last professional appearance came against Empoli on Sept. 3, 2023, before the news of his adverse test result broke.
Pogba added that the saga had made him wiser as a human being.
“When you sit back and see how things went through my whole life, not only the doping, I’m like yeah, definitely I gained 10 more years, got more experience, more sage, I would say more wise,” he said. “And it made me realise you sometimes have to be more careful of the decision that you take.
“Definitely what I’ve learned is you always triple check because until it happens, everything is fine. … A lot of players have coaches, physios, chefs on their own and that can happen. So for sure the advice I would give everybody is make sure that you have everything on record.
“At the end of the day, obviously I took responsibility for not double checking.”
The 2018 World Cup-winner remained tight-lipped when asked about his club future. His team is in talks with Juventus over a contract termination that would allow him to join a new club next year in preparation for a March return.
“Right now I’m with Juventus, so we don’t know really what’s going on,” Pogba said. “All the parties are talking, lawyers, etc. So I want to know what will happen next.
“But my main focus right now is just to get myself ready. I keep training and everything. Get ready for being able to join a team in January.”
Pogba said he is aware that he will have to re-prove himself if he is to earn a place back in Didier Deschamps’ national team setup and spoke highly of his relationship with the head coach.
“It’s so good to have somebody that is your manager and you can have a good relationship also outside football,” he said. “And this is really rare and that’s why I’m very grateful and appreciate the relation that I have with him.
“We need to respect these players [in the France team], also that they’re here and you have to respect that. And the way I respect that is, for me, training hard to deserve my place because they deserve to be in the position and to play for the national team.
“And there is good players in this position also. It’s always good to hear good positive things, ‘We want you’ and stuff like that. But you have to respect they’re doing well.”
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Paul Pogba revealed he considered retirement after initially being handed a four-year ban for doping, admitting that he had to be “more careful” after taking a supplement that contained a prohibited substance.
20 years of Messi: Ranking his seasons from worst to first
It’s been 20 years since Lionel Messi made his professional debut. The all the seasons since, which were the best put together by the Argentina legend?
It’s been 20 years since Lionel Messi made his professional debut. The all the seasons since, which were the best put together by the Argentina legend? It’s been 20 years since Lionel Messi made his professional debut. The all the seasons since, which were the best put together by the Argentina legend?
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On Oct. 16, 2004, in the 82nd minute of a 1-0 win against local rival Espanyol, Barcelona manager Frank Rijkaard made a substitution. Off went Deco, the game’s lone scorer, and on came a 17-year-old Argentine named Lionel Messi.
Acquired from Newell’s Old Boys as an undersized 13-year-old, the intense, shaggy-haired teenager didn’t do a whole lot in his eight minutes on the pitch. In fact, he would continue playing primarily for the Barcelona B team during the 2004-05 season and wouldn’t score his first goal for the senior team until the following May. But those eight minutes were the start point for everything that followed.
Wednesday marks the 20th anniversary of Messi’s professional debut and the start of a career that has since encompassed many achievements. Those honors include eight Ballons d’Or, four UEFA Champions League titles, a FIFA World Cup title, an Olympic gold medal, two Copa América titles, 12 league titles (and one Supporters’ Shield!), three FIFA Club World Cup wins, nearly 20 domestic cups and super cups, countless varieties of Golden Boots and Balls, more than 800 goals, more than 50 hat tricks and the most assists of any soccer player on record.
To commemorate Messi’s 20 years in the soccer spotlight, ESPN looks back at each year by ranking them from 20th to first, and discusses the highs and lows of his storied career. This isn’t a simple ranking of when he scored the most goals — rather, it’s an attempt at bringing together his individual, club and international accomplishments. In fact, his single best individual season doesn’t actually rank No. 1.
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It’s been 20 years since Lionel Messi made his professional debut. The all the seasons since, which were the best put together by the Argentina legend?