Lionel Messi has donated money to help restore an area outside Madrid that has been affected by wildfires. Isabel Diaz Ayuso, the president of the Community of Madrid, revealed the former Barcelona star has given 80,000 Euros (approximately $92,000 / £68,500) to the cause. Writing on X, Diaz Ayuso said: “Leo Messi has donated €80,000 for the reconstruction of the Sierra Oeste de Madrid. “I want to thank him and…
The United States men’s national team returns to action for the first time since the 2026 World Cup during the September/October FIFA international window, hosting Peru, Chile, Canada and Mexico in friendlies across the country. The USMNT is set to play Peru on Sept. 26 at Inter.co Stadium in Florida before facing Chile at Energizer Park in St. Louis. The squad will then turn to Concacaf opponents when hosting Mexico…
Mykhailo Mudryk could play his first Chelsea match for 20 months on Wednesday according to manager Xabi Alonso. The Ukraine international last played competitively in November 2024, before he was suspended for testing positive for banned substance meldonium. The 25-year-old was last week cleared to play again by the FA. He flew to join the rest of the squad in Hong Kong ahead of their friendly with Juventus alongside new…
Real Madrid are set to meet with Vinícius Júnior‘s representatives this week to resume contract renewal talks, sources have told ESPN, although the club are not prepared to increase their most recent offer to the star. ESPN reported on Monday that Madrid had offered an improved package to Vinícius since the World Cup — worth around €22 million a year — after months of deadlock in negotiations over a new…
English World Cup referee Anthony Taylor has taken up a post as director of elite refereeing with the Turkish Football Federation. The 47-year-old announced last month he was retiring from officiating after a 20-year career, in which he took charge of 668 professional domestic matches and also refereed at Euro 2020, along with the 2022 and 2026 World Cups. Taylor’s new role in Turkey was confirmed to the Press Association…
Gio Reyna has completed a move to Strasbourg from Borussia Mönchengladbach. The USMNT star has signed a five-year deal with the French Ligue 1 side, bringing an end to his seven year spell in the Bundesliga. During his time in Germany, he played for Borussia Dortmund and Gladbach. Across six seasons with Borussia Dortmund, Reyna scored 19 goals and provided 18 assists in 147 games in all competitions. He spent…
RB Leipzig managing director Marcel Schäfer has denied that the ongoing battle between Roc Nation and Max Gradel could derail the deal to take Yan Diomande to Real Madrid. Ivorian teenager Diomande has been the subject of interest from a number of clubs this summer but it appeared that the Spanish giants had leapt in front of Paris Saint-Germain in the quest to sign him, in a deal set to…
Randal Kolo Muani has said “this story wasn’t over” after sealing his return to Juventus more than a year after he left. The French forward rejoined the Turin giants on a permanent transfer from Paris Saint-Germain. While on loan at Juventus for the second half of the 2024-25 season, Kolo Muani enjoyed his most productive spell in recent years scoring 10 goals in 22 appearances. “I’m absolutely delighted — I’ve…
FIFA’s chief of global football development Arsène Wenger has said Gianni Infantino’s decision to withdraw from a plan to sell stakes in the World Cup company to private investors was “absolutely necessary and beyond question.” Former Arsenal manager Wenger issued a statement on Tuesday morning, a week on from the first reports emerging about Infantino’s plan to create FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) and sell a 20% stake in it to…
Ajax have completed the signing of Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen on a season-long loan, the two clubs have confirmed. A source told ESPN there is no option for Ajax to make the deal permanent next summer, with Ter Stegen, who has a contract with Barça until 2028, keeping his options open. Both clubs will pay a percentage of the German international’s wages as part of an agreement that was…