If you’re like me, your FIFA Career Mode has played out in a similar vein for the last decade: (1) Select your favorite Premier League club. (2) Sign one or two big names for the starting XI (get in here, Daniele De Rossi, son of Rome). (3) Load the bench with Americans and create compelling backstories in your own head about how Jordan Morris is ready to take his chance against Macclesfield Town in the Carabao Cup second round.
The October 2018 FIFA rankings were released Thursday and France is no longer the best team in the world — at least when it comes to arbitrary numerical rankings.
Belgium, which was tied with France at No. 1 in September, moved into sole position atop the October 2018 FIFA rankings. Brazil follows France in third while Croatia and England, which jumped over Uruguay, round out the top five.
Porto climbed to the top of UEFA Champions League Group D with an impressive 3-1 win in Moscow against Lokomotiv on Wednesday, and the Mexican duo of Handsome Hector Herrera and Jesús “Tecatito” Corona played a large part in the win.
The Handsome One scored Porto’s second with Tecatito supplying the assist in the 35th minute.
Hector Herrera doubles Porto's lead
A fascinating tactical battle between Lucien Favre’s Bundesliga-leading Dortmund and Diego Simeone’s Atletico (currently averaging 0.55 goals conceded per game in LaLiga) was bossed by the home side at the Westfalenstadion on Wednesday, BVB putting four past Europe’s misers while limiting the visitors to only two shots on frame.
Achraf Hakimi registered a hat-trick of assists while the moves were finished by Axel Witsel, Jadon Sancho and Raphael Guerreiro (x2). Marco Reus wasn’t on the scoresheet, but his deployment in the false nine role murdered Atletico’s shape.
The ball looped up into the air and time slowed down. Goalie Hugo Lloris watched helplessly as a deflected shot sailed just out of his reach. Tens of thousands of fans inside the Philips Stadion in Eindhoven held their collective breath. Then the Hirving Lozano goal vs Tottenham fell into the net and the crowd exploded into jubilant celebration.
Mexico international Chucky Lozano scored against the run of play with his first Champions League group-stage goal on Wednesday in Group B action, and it all came down to a poor piece of play from Spurs defender Toby Alderweireld.
Atlanta United has announced that after cooperative negotiations between the club and manager Gerardo “Tata” Martino concerning a contract extension beyond the 2018 season, the 55-year-old Argentine coach has elected to decline the offer and move on following the 2018 MLS Cup Playoffs.
It’s only taken him 38 Eredivisie appearances, but after scoring against FC Emmen on Saturday, Hirving “Chucky” Lozano reached the landmark of 25 league goals for PSV Eindhoven.
A return of 17 goals and eight assists in his first season in Europe certainly captured attention, but the Mexico international has already bagged eight while adding three assists in only nine matches this term.
After missing four matches due to an ankle injury caused by teammate Bruno Valdez during training, 18-year-old Club America phenom Diego Lainez made his full return on Saturday by starting his first Liga MX match since Aug. 23. Matt Miazga’s BFF certainly looked back to his best in America’s 3-0 win over Tijuana, going the full 90 minutes and scoring a golazo in the 59th minute.
A pair of former Pachuca teammates are having themselves a ball in the Netherlands right now.
Chucky Lozano had a breakout season with PSV Eindhoven a year ago, scoring 17 goals in the Eredivisie. He welcomed compatriot Érick Gutiérrez to the team in August and now the two El Tri players are becoming terrifyingly prolific.
Against FC Emmen on Saturday, the Chucky and Guti were at it again, scoring back-to-back goals for the third time this season.
Weston McKennie is expected to become a major part of the midfield fulcrum for the USMNT over the next decade. But the Texan, who turned 20 in August, has shown off his versatility with Schalke this season.
McKennie started up top as one of two forwards for Schalke on Saturday against Werder Bremen, the sixth different position he’s played in six Bundesliga appearances this season.