Football

Jeff Carlisle, U.S. soccer correspondentSep 13, 2024, 05:16 PM ET Close Jeff Carlisle covers MLS and the U.S. national team for ESPN FC. Open Extended Reactions NEW YORK CITY — Amid the smiles and backslapping that took place during Mauricio Pochettino’s unveiling as the new U.S. men’s national team manager on Friday, there was one,

Lizzy Becherano Sep 13, 2024, 10:50 AM ET Open Extended Reactions Inter Miami head coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino confirmed Lionel Messi will be available to play against the Philadelphia Union on Saturday at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Messi is set to return to action for Miami for the first time in two months,

Rob Dawson, CorrespondentSep 12, 2024, 11:53 AM ET Open Extended Reactions MANCHESTER, England — Erik ten Hag has aimed a barb back at Cristiano Ronaldo by suggesting the Portugal forward doesn’t know what he’s talking about because he is “far away from Manchester.” Ronaldo criticised Ten Hag in a podcast hosted by Rio Ferdinand by

Open Extended Reactions OSLO, Norway — “You’re here to talk about VAR?,” Mykle, a pint of lager in one hand and jabbing his finger with the other, said. “It’s all bulls—: nobody wants it here.” This is Norway, ranked the seventh-happiest country in the world earlier this year by the World Population Review, and usually

Rob Dawson, CorrespondentSep 12, 2024, 05:00 AM ET Open Extended Reactions The point at which Manchester United knew they were making progress in the summer transfer window — the club’s first under the new leadership team put together by Sir Jim Ratcliffe — came in mid-July. With Matt Hargreaves, director of football negotiations, locked in

ESPN News Services Sep 11, 2024, 07:41 PM ET Open Extended Reactions A TV cameraman said Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez “slapped me” after Colombia‘s 2-1 win in a World Cup qualifying match. Jhonny Jackson told Colombian media he approached Martínez after the final whistle in Barranquilla on Tuesday as the goalkeeper greeted another player. Footage

ESPN News Services Sep 11, 2024, 03:23 PM ET Open Extended Reactions Kylian Mbappé is not ready to compromise with Paris Saint-Germain. The France superstar rejected a mediation offer by the French soccer league’s legal commission on Wednesday in his dispute with his former club over wages and bonuses. Mbappé’s representatives met with PSG officials

Jeff Carlisle, U.S. soccer correspondentSep 11, 2024, 09:37 AM ET Close Jeff Carlisle covers MLS and the U.S. national team for ESPN FC. Open Extended Reactions It was in mid-August, shortly after the U.S. women’s national team claimed the Olympic gold medal with a 1-0 win over Brazil, that U.S. Soccer Federation chief executive J.T.

Jeff Carlisle, U.S. soccer correspondentSep 10, 2024, 11:51 PM ET Close Jeff Carlisle covers MLS and the U.S. national team for ESPN FC. Open Extended Reactions CINCINNATI — The Mauricio Pochettino era can’t begin soon enough. The United States men’s national team closed out the September international window with a disappointing 1-1 draw with New

Jeff Kassouf Sep 10, 2024, 08:00 AM ET Open Extended Reactions The National Women’s Soccer League is growing faster than ever, but it’s also at an inflection point. The league and the NWSL Players Association recently announced a new collective bargaining agreement through 2030 that brings sweeping and transformative changes, including full free agency, the

Megan Swanick Sep 9, 2024, 12:56 PM ET Open Extended Reactions It’s Monday, and another week of NWSL action is in the books, which means it’s time for ESPN’s Power Rankings. Our rankings are derived from a combination of key season statistics (points per game, goal differential, expected goal differential), recent performance, the Opta computer

ESPN News Services Sep 9, 2024, 06:31 PM ET Open Extended Reactions Norway captain Martin Ødegaard injured an ankle on Monday ahead of a key series of games for his club Arsenal. Ødegaard covered his face with his hands while being treated on the field midway through the second half of a 2-1 Nations League

Rob Dawson, CorrespondentSep 9, 2024, 01:15 PM ET Open Extended Reactions Antony is determined to stay at Manchester United despite interest from Fenerbahce, a source told ESPN. Turkish clubs can sign players until Friday and Fenerbahce, managed by Jose Mourinho, are among the suitors for Antony. The Brazilian winger has only played one minute of

Alex Kirkland Rodrigo Faez Sep 8, 2024, 01:58 PM ET Open Extended Reactions Rodrygo told ESPN he was “upset” at his omission from this week’s men’s Ballon d’Or shortlist, after helping Real Madrid win a LaLiga and Champions League double last season. Club teammates Vinícius Júnior, Jude Bellingham, Federico Valverde, Toni Kroos — since retired

Jeff Kassouf Sep 8, 2024, 08:55 PM ET Open Extended Reactions Forward Alex Morgan played 15 minutes and had a penalty kick saved on Sunday for San Diego Wave FC in her final match as a professional. Morgan, a two-time World Cup winner and Olympic gold medalist, announced on Thursday that the Wave’s NWSL home

Substitute Cristiano Ronaldo struck a late winner as Portugal came from a goal down to beat Scotland 2-1 to continue their strong start to the Nations League on Sunday. After Bruno Fernandes had fired in Portugal’s equaliser, Ronaldo pounced in the 88th minute for his 901st career goal. Scotland were given hope of a first

Lizzy Becherano Sep 7, 2024, 07:49 PM ET Open Extended Reactions United States men’s national team interim coach Mikey Varas said his players lacked the right mentality in a historic 2-1 loss to Canada Saturday at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kansas. It was Canada’s second-ever victory over the USMNT on U.S. soil and

Lizzy Becherano Sep 7, 2024, 09:19 PM ET Open Extended Reactions Three months after a dismal 2024 Copa America group-stage exit, the United States men’s national team returned to action for the September international window under different management and a renewed desire to prove themselves. But the promise of change and growth lasted mere minutes