Central & South America

Women's World Cup odds: Is there any hope outside of USA or England?

With an expanded 32-team tournament and matches across Australia and New Zealand, the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup (beginning with a crowd of over 100,000 for the Matildas opener against Ireland) is going to be the best in the competition's 32-year history.

The USWNT is favored for a three-peat but that's never been done before, and there will be fierce competition from European champions England, two-time world champs Germany and teams looking to take the next step like France and Spain. 

Amateur player kills himself two days after a video of him assaulting a ref went viral

Next to the railroad tracks and with a gunshot to his head. That's how the Argentine police found the body of Williams Tapón, a 24-year-old amateur soccer player that went viral over the weekend in the South American country after a video of him assaulting a referee during a local league emerged online.

What happened?

Following a series of controversial calls made by referee Ariel Paniagua during a game played last Saturday, Tapón got riled up when a teammate was sent off and decided to attack the official by punching and kicking his head.

Remember Alexandre Pato? This is him now. Feel old yet?

On the one hand, Alexandre Pato isn't old — he's only 33. On the other, memories of his footballing career belong to the wizened generations. It's been a decade since his last appearance for Brazil and 12 years since that unforgettable goal against Barcelona.  

Gold Cup semifinal predictions: We've been drinking the Kool-Aid

The Concacaf Gold Cup semifinals are upon us Wednesday night, and although it's easy to pencil the United States and Mexico into the final for a third straight time, we shouldn't be so quick to write off Panama or Jamaica.

This feels like a particularly open final four. You could probably make just as convincing of an argument about why the U.S. is the best team remaining as you could one about why they're the worst, and the same goes for El Tri. 

No VAR needed: Player sent off after dropping his pants and urinating on the field

When you have to pee, you have to pee. That's probably what Argentino de Merlo midfielder Leonel Ovejero was thinking when struck by the natural urge, so he decided to drop his pants and proceeded to urinate on the field where the game between his team and Sacachispas was being played.

Little did he know the act would cost him a straight red card.

Gold Cup quarterfinal predictions: Let's get Concacaf'd

After a strangely long break in the action (the United States has a whole week to figure out how to win 6-0 again), the Concacaf Gold Cup returns this weekend with the quarterfinals. 

It's no surprise to see the USMNT and Mexico at the business stage of the tournament, but Jamaica, Panama, Guatemala and Canada all navigated the group phase without tasting defeat. 

Will we see any surprises in the last eight?  

2023 Concacaf Gold Cup quarterfinal predictions 

Panama vs. Qatar

Goalkeeper unleashes brutal flying kick on opponent, says it was not his fault

A Copa Sudamericana match between Peruvian side Universitario de Deportes and Argentina's Gimnasia y Esgrima de La Plata didn't end well. After losing the game and being kicked out of the competition, Gimnasia players went into sore-loser mode and started a gigantic fight on the pitch.

Alexia Putellas drops a golazo on Panama during Spain's 7-0 demolition

It's been almost a year since two-time Ballon d'Or winner Alexia Putellas went down with an ACL injury that cost her a place at last summer's European Championship and almost the entire 2022-23 club season with Barcelona.  

Her last appearance for Spain was actually July 2, 2022, when she received her 100th cap and scored her 27th goal in a friendly against Italy.

Now, after a long and demanding road to recovery, Putellas made her long-awaited return to the national team Thursday during a friendly against fellow World Cup participants Panama. 

Brazilian defensive midfielder scores ridiculous 25-yard piss-missile bicycle kick game-winner

Brazilian defensive midfielder Guilherme Madruga scored a spectacular bicycle kick from distance in the second tier of Brazil on Tuesday to secure a 1-0 win for his club Botafogo-SP.

Madruga had yet to score a goal for the club this season, but on his 28th appearance he unleashed a Puskás-worthy strike.

It's a friendly, Leo, go easy on them! Messi scores hat trick on 36th birthday

It's probably for the best that Lionel Messi was way too busy to watch Inter Miami play on Saturday night. While the Herons were getting smacked 4-1 by Philadelphia for a seventh consecutive defeat in MLS, Messi was celebrating his 36th birthday in his hometown of Rosario and playing in a testimonial match for Newell's Old Boys legend Maxi Rodríguez.

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