During the opening weekend of the Premier League season, Chelsea striker Diego Costa once again found himself as the center of the attention in the Blues' match against Swansea, as he was involved in two prominent penalty shouts while on the attack. He did not get either call and was quick to show just how upset he was that a penalty was not awarded. Which begs the question: is Diego Costa his own worst enemy at this point?
Borussia Dortmund have announced the extension of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s contract with the club until 2020, according to the club's website. The Gabonese forward has been sought out by many European clubs, including Arsenal and Bayern Munich. His pace makes him an attractive player to many managers, but his talents will remain with Dortmund.
Nick Rimando looks like someone you'd want on your side in a bar fight. He's short for a goalie, but sturdy. He's friendly, gregarious even, but he gives off a subtle intensity, which loses its subtlety when he steps in front of a soccer goal. That's his territory, where he's made his living in MLS since 2000 with (now defunct) Miami Fusion, D.C. United and Real Salt Lake. At 36, he's an MLS lifer at this point.
Harry begins signing autographs at the south end of Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. He does what looks like a TV interview first, then starts at the beginning of the throng of people lined up to take a picture of him or have him sign something. The crowd stretches from the southwest end of the stadium, where Harry is, to the middle of the north end, where Harry will be. Eventually.
Denver, Colorado is 5,280 feet above sea level, and Tottenham Hotspur, along with most of the MLS All-Stars, won't be used to playing in those conditions.
"It's going to be a tough training session for us this afternoon and a tough game for us on Wednesday at this altitude, on top of the hotness" said Spurs midfielder Nabil Bentaleb.
"We had a gym session earlier, and it was quite tough," said forward Harry Kane. "We train this afternoon so we'll probably get a bit more used to it, being outside."
The transfer of Iker Casillas from Real Madrid to Porto, from a sporting point of view, looks positive for all involved in the transaction.
However, it would not be surprising if the signing of the Spanish goalkeeper, despite his advanced age, ended up including him in a long list of players who have been bought at low prices and then sold at high ones by the Portuguese team.
The most exciting moment of Wigan Athletic's preseason 1-1 draw at Altrincham didn't occur during actual gameplay.
Wigan defender James Tavernier was about to take a corner when a young fan ran onto the field and stole Tavernier's thunder.
Tavernier's reaction is pretty hilarious.
As Chile continue to celebrate their home Copa America win, the tide begins to shift from national to club football. In a penalty shootout win over Lionel Messi and Argentina, some Chilean players have been granted a rest period by their parent clubs.
“The question of our times” is often thrown around at bars, universities, and kitchen tables between drunks, scholars, friends, and you and me. It might might take different forms, but its nature is always the same: it’s a question that we all have an answer to, but to which there is no real answer.
There isn’t really a universal question of our times, but there are specific ones in specific areas. In football, there is no debate about what that question is: Messi or Ronaldo, who is better?
According to a study by former Barcelona Chief Marketing and Commercial Officer Esteve Cazada, Raheem Sterling is the most valuable young player in Europe.
The study, conducted by Cazada's company, Soccerex, valued Sterling at 35 million pounds. Liverpool rejected a bid at that number from Manchester City recently.
PSG defender Marquinhos was second on the list, followed by Memphis Depay of Manchester United, Domenico Berardi of Sassuolo and Jose Maria Jimenez of Atletico Madrid.