Opinion

Farewell Messi-Neymar-Mbappé, you were far better in theory than in practice

For the second consecutive season, a Paris Saint-Germain club entirely hellbent and solely existing for Champions League glory has failed to advance beyond the competition's last 16.

PSG now faces over six months of deep contemplation before the start of the 2023-24 UCL group stage, and although they'll rue Vitinha's inability to score on an open net/Marco Verratti carrying on the club's tradition of having the softest midfielders in the game, those failures should only emphasize how the entire squad needs investment. 

Charleston Battery might have the best jerseys in America

As one of the oldest operating professional clubs in the United States, the Charleston Battery had to celebrate their 30th anniversary (founded in 1993) with something special.

The club has entered a new era under the ownership of Rob Salvatore, highlighted by a move to Patriots Point Soccer Complex and the recent hiring of 2022 USL Championship Coach of the Year Ben Pirmann. These are exciting times for the Black and Yellow, and now the team has one of the year's best kits.

After viral indoor goal, Dutch phenom knocks Barça out of UEFA Youth League with another stunner

I've seen enough. I'm declaring 17-year-old AZ Alkmaar phenom Kees Smit the winner of the 2023 Golden Boy Award, and there's nothing some preciously talented La Masia graduate at Barcelona can do about it. 

Over a month ago, the Netherlands youth international came to my attention with an incredibly inventive goal during an indoor match. It's as beautiful as a Rembrandt.   

USMNT player rankings from Leeds USA vs. Fulhamerica FA Cup clash

Fulham defeated Leeds United 2-0 in the FA Cup on Tuesday to advance to the last eight of the tournament. The match saw five different United States men’s national team players involved. Here’s how they performed.

USMNT rankings for Fulham vs. Leeds United

Antonee Robinson and Tim Ream started in defense for Fulham while Tyler Adams and Weston McKennie lined up in the Leeds midfield. Brenden Aaronson came on as a substitute in the 74th minute.

Messi named FIFA men's player of the year 2022

PARIS - Lionel Messi was named FIFA player of the year 2022 on Monday as Argentina scooped all major men's awards after winning a vintage World Cup final last December.

The 35-year-old forward scored two goals in the final against France, with the South Americans emerging triumphant on penalties following a 3-3 draw after extra time in Qatar.

Champions League panic rankings: How each team's feeling before second legs

Domestic action returns to the fore with the FA Cup, Copa del Rey and Coupe de France dominating the midweek action, but the Champions League is set to return with the Round of 16 second legs on March 7/8-14/15. 

We've got some dynamite return legs brewing with five of the eight matches separated by one goal or less, and who knows, maybe Liverpool can finally deliver some excitement now that nothing's expected from them. 

5 things we learned from MLS opening day

The 2023 MLS season is finally underway and we've already learned a great deal from the league's opening fixtures. From the on-field play to the coverage and other adjacent news surrounding kick-off, MLS fans will certainly have lots to talk about before the match week has even finished. 

Is USWNT ready for the 2023 World Cup? Two friendlies vs. Ireland scheduled for April

The expectations for the United States women’s national team are about as high as they get for any team. The best evidence of the astronomically high bar for the USWNT is the coverage of their 2023 SheBelieves Cup triumph.

Despite getting three-straight wins against No. 6 Canada, No. 11 Japan and No. 9 Brazil while only conceding once, the consensus is that there’s still lots of work to do and roster spots to figure out.

UNOZERO adds gorgeous Turf and Futsal to its boots offering — we've got an exclusive discount

The noise is unrelenting. From the moment we wake until our day's complete, we're exposed to around 4,000 to 10,000 ads that enter our consciousness and demand consideration. The market around the game of soccer is no different, where footwear brands promise innovations that can make you stronger, faster and more powerful than you'd ever imagined — only to declare them obsolete just months later as the newest product is rolled out. We get swept away by technological "advances" and spend hundreds of dollars wrapping our feet in unforgiving synthetic plastic.

‘Stop trying to be a hard a** and pass the ball’ — Alexi Lalas tears into Adams and McKennie

Polarizing soccer pundit Alexi Lalas ruffled feathers in the USMNT sphere after sharing his opinion about the midfield duo of Tyler Adams and Weston McKennie. Lalas doesn’t seem to be a fan of their physical approach in the Premier League.

Adams and McKennie have only played four EPL games together at Leeds United and have already earned a name for themselves. We at The18 refer to them as the ‘Premier League Bad Boys’ due to their hard tackles and how they never back down from a fight.

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