Off the Pitch

The first place a match-worn soccer jersey usually goes is the washing machine, however that wasn’t the case for six Lionel Messi shirts worn at the 2022 World Cup. A Messi shirts auction saw six of the Argentine’s World Cup jerseys sold for a staggering $7.8 million.

Messi shirts auction

New York based auction house Sotheby sold the six jerseys for a price tag higher than nearly any other jersey in history. The most expensive in sports history was a Michael Jordan jersey from the 1998 NBA Finals that sold for $10.1 million.

One in five players were the target of online abuse during the 2023 Women's World Cup, FIFA said on Monday as a package of social media protection tools hid nearly 117,000 comments.

The Social Media Protection Service (SMPS), developed by the world governing body with players' union FIFPRO and launched at the 2022 men's World Cup, was offered to teams at the women's finals in Australia and New Zealand, FIFA said in June.

The LaLiga game between Granada and Athletic Bilbao was abandoned on Sunday after a supporter died having suffered a cardiac arrest in the stands, both clubs said.

The game was initially suspended in the 17th minute as paramedics tried to resuscitate the fan and it was eventually abandoned an hour later.

LaLiga fan dies during Granada vs. Athletic Club

Breaking: The LALIGA match between Granada and Athletic Club was suspended after a fan died at the Nuevo Estadio de Los Cármenes.

Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands have submitted a joint bid to world soccer governing body FIFA to host the Women's World Cup in 2027, the countries' football associations said on Friday.

Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands will face competition from Brazil, who are looking to bring the @FIFAWWC to South America for the first time. pic.twitter.com/VJMEVW4glL

The United States men’s national team will face Uruguay, Panama and Bolivia in Group C of the 2024 Copa América. The USMNT Copa América group is looking great.

The draw for the tournament took place on Thursday. It took 50 minutes until a ball was drawn, but the groups for the 2024 Copa América are now official.

2024 Copa América groups

The CONMEBOL Copa América 2024 draw is set

Angel City FC signed 18-year-old defender Gisele Thompson through the 2025 NWSL season.

The deal announced Thursday includes an option for 2026 for the Los Angeles native, who becomes the youngest player ever to sign with the club.

Thompson is currently a senior at Harvard-Westlake School in Studio City, Calif. She is the younger sister of Angel City's 2023 No. 1 overall draft pick, Alyssa Thompson.

Soccer superstar Lionel Messi was named Athlete of the Year by Time Magazine on Wednesday, thanks in large part to his decision to bring his talents to Inter Miami and ultimately raise the profile of Major League Soccer.

The honor comes just over a year from Messi's win with Argentina at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. In July, the 36-year-old left Ligue 1 leader Paris Saint-Germain for Inter Miami.