International Soccer

AMSTERDAM — Frank de Boer has emerged as the most likely candidate to be named coach of the Netherlands after weeks of speculation over who would succeed Ronald Koeman.

A contract up to the 2022 World Cup finals in Qatar is expected to be signed in time for De Boer to take charge of the team's three internationals next month, Dutch media reported on Wednesday.

He would replace Koeman who left last month to become Barcelona coach.

There’s no global women’s footballer more under appreciated in America than Germany’s Dzsenifer Marozsán. For those whose interest in the game peaks around World Cup time, the stylish No. 10 is pretty much an unknown. 

After winning her first cap in 2010, Marozsán missed the 2011 World Cup with a knee injury. In 2015 she contributed eight goals throughout qualifying but was severely limited during the finals with an ankle injury. When the USWNT met Germany in the semifinals, Marozsán could only enter the match in the 77th minute with Die Nationalelf already trailing 1-0.

U.S. Soccer on Tuesday announced its men's national team will not play any international matches during the upcoming window in October due to COVID-19 concerns.

The U.S. has not played since defeating Costa Rica 1-0 in February in Carson, California.

Friendlies against Netherlands and Wales were postponed in March, along with the Concacaf Nations League final four in June and the start of 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers in September.

Croatia midfielder Ivan Rakitić has called time on his international career with the 2018 World Cup runners-up, he said on Monday.

The former Barcelona player, 32, was an integral part of the Croatia side who reached the World Cup final in Russia before losing 4-2 to France.

Rakitić, who made 106 appearances and scored 15 goals for his country, discussed the decision with national captain Luka Modrić, coach Zlatko Dalić and Croatian Football Association president Davor Šuker.

England women's soccer head coach Phil Neville says he hopes to lead the British team at the Tokyo Olympics next year and expects the Football Association (FA) to decide shortly as to whether he will be handed the reins.

Australia's women's soccer team, the Matildas, apologised on Friday after it emerged that their replica away kit was not on sale in female sizes.

The new kit, made by Nike of 100 percent recycled polyester from plastic bottles, was unveiled earlier alongside the men's home and away jerseys but fans soon noted that only the women's gold home shirt was available for purchase online.

Our new @nike kit is now available to purchase 

Japan's Olympic Minister insists the rearranged Tokyo 2020 Games must be held "at any cost,” while the International Olympic Committee says only that it is committed to delivering a safe event.

But with less than a year before the July 23-Aug. 8 Games are due to start, the hugest of question marks remains over whether they can ever take place. With neither partner seemingly willing to consider scrapping the event as the coronavirus pandemic continues to wreak havoc globally, we consider the options available, and possible scenarios:

KABUL — Pressure is mounting in Afghanistan for the arrest of the fugitive former head of the national soccer federation, who was banned from the sport for life last year after FIFA's ethics committee found him guilty of sexually abusing female players.

Keramuudin Karim, 58, is accused by the attorney general's office of repeated abuse of at least five female footballers between 2013 and 2018 during his time as president of the Afghanistan Football Federation (AFF).

Atlanta United technical director Carlos Bocanegra was elected to the National Soccer Hall of Fame on Tuesday.

The former U.S. Men's National Team captain is the lone member of the Class of 2020 and will be enshrined in 2021.

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Carlos Bocanegra made his mark on American Soccer. #NSHOF20