LONDON — Christian Pulisic is as committed and passionate about the U.S. men’s team immediately focusing on winning the 2026 World Cup, co-hosted by Mexico and Canada, as he was determined to drive the rebuild after Bruce Arena’s squad failed to qualify for Russia 2018. It was a promise on which Pulisic delivered, too, playing a part in every goal the USMNT scored at Qatar 2022, including the 1-0 winner…
The January transfer window may be closed around Europe, but teams are looking ahead to the summer and there’s plenty of gossip swirling around. Transfer Talk brings you all the latest buzz on rumours, comings, goings and, of course, done deals!
Carlo Ancelotti praised Luka Modric and Toni Kroos after the veteran midfielders starred in Real Madrid’s 1-0 Champions League round-of-16 win over Liverpool on Wednesday. Karim Benzema scored in the 78th minute with Vinicius Junior providing the assist as holders Madrid overcame last year’s beaten finalists Liverpool 6-2 on aggregate to qualify for the quarterfinals. – Stream LIVE: Barcelona vs. Real Madrid, Sunday 3/19, 3:55 p.m. ET, ESPN+ – Champions…
Tigres UANL moved on to the quarterfinals of the CONCACAF Champions League after a 1-1 draw with Orlando City SC at Exploria Stadium on Wednesday saw the Liga MX side move advance on away goals. The two teams came into the match level at 0-0 on aggregate following the scoreless first leg in Monterrey. Tigres was without star striker Andre-Pierre Gignac, who could not gain entry into the U.S. due…
Gianni Infantino was reelected as FIFA president during the 73rd Congress in Kigali, Rwanda, on Thursday. Infantino stood unopposed, making his reelection as head of football’s governing body a formality, even if he is not universally popular among member associations for a range of reasons, including pushing for a failed plan to play the World Cup every two years. – Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) The FIFA president…
Manchester United have confirmed they will visit the United States this summer to play preseason matches and prepare the squad for the next campaign, the Premier League club announced on Wednesday. ESPN reported last month that United will face Wrexham in San Diego in July. United did not specify in Wednesday’s announcement when or where the exact location of each match will be held, but said that the programme will…
There are plenty reasons to be angry and worried when it comes to football. Manchester City have been charged with false accounting to cover up Financial Fair Play breaches. Barcelona, the league leaders in LaLiga, face corruption charges after it emerged they paid the vice president of the Spanish referees’ committee half a million dollars a year between 2016 and 2018. Juventus, who have already been docked 15 points this…
The global professional football players’ union FIFPRO has written to FIFA calling for parity in conditions, facilities and prize money between the men’s and women’s World Cups. The letter, seen by ESPN, was sent by FIFPRO to FIFA president Gianni Infantino in October, a month before the start of the men’s 2022 World Cup. News of the letter was first reported by The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday, just four…
LaLiga president Javier Tebas feels “ashamed” by “the worst reputational crisis” he can remember in Spanish football as Barcelona face corruption charges for payments made to the former vice president of the refereeing committee. Prosecutors last week alleged Barca had sought favourable treatment from match officials as part of an agreement which saw them pay Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira around €7 million between 2001 and 2018. – Stream on ESPN+:…
The United States men’s national team will play Mexico in an exhibition on April 19 at Glendale, Arizona. The match announced Tuesday is not on a FIFA fixture date, meaning many if not all Europe-based players will not be available, a group that includes most starters from last year’s World Cup roster. The U.S., with its full player pool available, has CONCACAF Nations League matches at Grenada on March 24…