West Ham United's Michail Antonio questioned the logic of people asking for teammate Kurt Zouma to be "sacked" after a video emerged of Zouma abusing his cats, with the striker asking if what the Frenchman did was worse than those guilty of racism.
Nine of the world’s best footballers want answers. Christen Press, Crystal Dunn, Tobin Heath, Carli Lloyd, Sam Mewis, Alex Morgan, Kelley O’Hara, Megan Rapinoe and Becky Sauerbrunn are questioning how so many kids and women were allowed to be abused repeatedly just for playing the sport they love. And the women’s soccer world hopes they get those answers.
Let preseason commence — an NWSL CBA has been ratified.
Hours before players were scheduled to report to preseason training camps, the NWSL and NWSLPA reached an agreement on the league’s first collective bargaining agreement, which averts a potential work stoppage right before the 2022 season. The NWSL CBA provides basic minimum standards of compensation and treatment, including paid mental health leave, free agency and no longer being forced to play on substandard fields.
Tim Weah started and played 73 minutes in the USMNT’s victory over El Salvador in Columbus, Ohio, on Thursday. Now he’s been denied entry into Canada for the USMNT’s World Cup qualifier with the Canucks on Sunday, leading many to ask: Is Tim Weah vaccinated against Covid-19?
The Mexican Football Federation is once again asking its fans to not yell discriminatory chants at soccer matches. This time it’s threatening a five-year ban to anyone who does not comply.
FMF president Yon de Luisa announced new plans to stamp out the homophobic “puto” chant from matches on Monday, including lengthy bans to anyone caught yelling the homophobic word at Mexico national team matches.
| NOTA
Heading into what could be one of the biggest years of his career, Weston McKennie is playing superbly right now. The Juventus midfielder has played every second for the club in 2022, including all 120 minutes in the Supercoppa Italia on Wednesday at the San Siro. Though Inter Milan pulled off a 2-1 comeback to take the trophy, McKennie scored a great goal, after which we saw how much his teammates love him — or at least how much they really want an excuse to touch his gorgeous hair.
As a longtime Arsenal fan, I may be a bit biased when I say this, but the most striking adidas jersey I’ve ever seen was unveiled on Friday by the North London club. You won’t be able to buy this amazing Arsenal white kit, but there’s a great reason behind it.
As part of its “No More Red” initiative to stop knife crime and youth violence in London, Arsenal revealed a stunning all-white adidas jersey. The campaign features famed actor Idris Elba, a noted Gooner, plus club legend Ian Wright.
⚪
Carlos Cordeiro, the former U.S. Soccer Federation president who resigned in disgrace after overseeing some of the most deplorable arguments the USSF has ever put forward in a lawsuit, wants his old job back. Megan Rapinoe, for one, has made her opinion known on the matter.
HONG KONG — Chinese authorities have banned footballers from getting tattoos and instructed national team players who have been inked to remove or cover them up to set a "good example for society."
A growing number of high-profile Chinese players have been sporting tattoos, including international defender Zhang Linpeng, who has previously been told to cover up while appearing for both the national team and club side Guangzhou FC.
After being linked with Inter Milan, Sampdoria, Ajax and Wolves, it looks like one club has distinguished itself as the clear front-runner for signing Ricardo Pepi this January.
As reported by the only guy that now reports this sort of thing, Fabrizio Romano, the 18-year-old USMNT phenom is on the verge of moving to the Bundesliga from FC Dallas with Wolfsburg currently leading the race.
Wolfsburg is 13th in the table because of an attack that's generated only 17 goals in 17 matches. Lukas Nmecha and Wout Weghorst both have six goals and no other player has more than two.