Player Profile

Carli Lloyd tips Naomi Girma to be cornerstone of USWNT defense for years to come

NEW YORK - United States defender Naomi Girma completes her meteoric rise from national team debutant to the Women's World Cup stage next month and many are predicting she will be a key player for the four-times champions for many years.

The 23-year-old center back first played for the senior U.S. team last year and quickly settled in to earn a place in Vlatko Andonovski's World Cup squad.

The hero in 2019, Megan Rapinoe handed new role in fourth World Cup

NEW YORK - The USWNT's Megan Rapinoe will take on a different role in her fourth Women's World Cup appearance, coach Vlatko Andonovski said on Wednesday, as he named his 23-player squad for the quadrennial tournament.

The pink-haired forward's heroics led the U.S. to a fourth title in 2019, as her larger-than-life persona helped cement her as the biggest celebrity in American soccer, drawing legions of fans and the ire of former U.S. President Donald Trump.

From youth soccer to the World Cup in 9 months: USWNT phenom Alyssa Thompson takes the spotlight

NEW YORK - Nine months ago, Alyssa Thompson was playing youth soccer. In July, the 18-year-old forward will test herself against the best after being named in the four-time champions United States' squad for the Women's World Cup.

It has been a dizzying rise for Thompson, the second-youngest ever named in a U.S. World Cup squad.

Meet the Herons — Messi's ragtag crew of teammates at Inter Miami

Have you ever wanted to watch the story of Space Jam play out in real life? You know, Michael Jordan getting recruited to elevate the play of a motley assembled group of enthusiastic but extremely limited characters?

That's the narrative viewers worldwide are about to experience on Apple TV's MLS Season Pass as Lionel Messi joins Inter Miami — 27th-place in a 29-team league — at the halfway stage of the campaign. 

Zlatan Ibrahimović hangs up his boots at 41

AC Milan's Sweden striker Zlatan Ibrahimović said on Sunday he had decided to end his playing career at the age of 41 after a trophy-laden career at some of Europe's top clubs.

The extrovert Swede's Milan contract expires at the end of June and will not be renewed following a season plagued by injuries, prompting him to end a remarkable career.

Ibrahimović arrived in Milan for his second spell with the club in early 2020, having won the Scudetto with them in 2011, and helped the club win the title again last season.

Albañil, ensamblador de muebles y nuevo refuerzo de Cruz Azul – La historia de Moisés Vieira

Cruz Azul le está echando ganas al mercado de pases. La Máquina aseguró a Carlos Salcedo, dicen que está a nada de firmar a Matheus Dória, mientras que acaba de pagar 4,8 millones de dólares por el 90 por ciento del pase del delantero brasileño Moisés Vieira.

Exclusive: Meet Luca Koleosho, Espanyol’s attacking phenom and undecided quadruple international

The ability to choose is often taken for granted in soccer. With the increased prominence of dual nationals in recent years, fans are becoming used to seeing players pick which nationality they want to represent, like Yunus Musah and Folarin Balogun. What’s less common, however, is a player who, before turning 19, not only qualifies for four national teams but has already represented three of them.

The 15 best players at the Women's World Cup, ranked

The growth of the women's game has manifested in the biggest (32 teams), most audacious (co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand) World Cup yet. The individual talent pool, as evidenced by our following best players at the Women's World Cup list, has also never been more exciting.

There are some household names looking for one last legacy-defining tournament, but there's also an emerging next generation taking things to another level.

56-year-old Kazuyoshi Miura makes his debut in the Portuguese second division

Former Japan striker Kazuyoshi Miura added yet another achievement to his age-defying career on Saturday, making his debut for Portuguese second-tier club Oliveirense at the age of 56.

Miura, who joined Oliveirense on loan from Yokohama FC earlier this year, came on in the 90th minute of a 4-1 win at Académico de Viseu.

According to a report on the Portuguese league's website, Miura's appearance made him "the oldest footballer ever to play in Portuguese football, with 56 years, one month and 24 days."

What's better than getting your first signature boot? Scoring and celebrating with it

There was a standout moment during Crystal Palace's incredible 5-1 victory over Leeds United on Sunday that I failed to notice — I think I was too busy trying to comprehend Leeds' total capitulation — but now register as one of the best goal celebrations of the 2022-23 season.

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