As the world heals from the pandemic, pick-up matches are on their way back as well. Pick-up matches exemplify all the best parts of soccer: intense rivalries, healthy competition and the opportunity to sharpen your skills.
If FIFA gave out an award each year for the least-hated player, then N’Golo Kanté would win every year. The Al-Ittihad midfielder simply has no haters due to how humble he is. With the man being so loved worldwide, it makes the Kanté birthday story even sadder.
Felipe Saad, one of Kanté’s former teammates on Ligue 2 side Caen, told Brazilian outlet Uol Sport a heart-tugging story about one of his interactions with the Frenchman.
Paul Riley is the most successful head coach in National Women’s Soccer League history. With three championships and three more NWSL Shields, the opinion of the Liverpool native carries a lot of weight in women’s soccer. And his opinion on the differences between his current league and the top flight in England highlight how far the FA Women’s Super League still has to go.
MANCHESTER, England - England and Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane says he wants a meeting with chairman Daniel Levy and made the strongest hints yet that he wants to leave the club.
"It's a moment in my career where I have to reflect and see where I'm at," Kane said in an interview with Gary Neville's Overlap YouTube channel. "Ultimately it's going to be down to me, how I feel and what's going to be the best for me and my career."
I’m not a podcast person. I listened to Season 1 of Serial on a road trip and only finished it because I was on a road trip. I then avoided the format for like six years until Grant Wahl’s American Prodigy: Freddy Adu, because I need to know where my son Freddy is and what he’s doing at all times.
But I’m back at it with The Crack Podcast, which I started simply because I love DaMarcus Beasley and Oguchi Onyewu, but I continue because it’s hilarious, informative and generally fucking excellent.
El título de la Premier League roza los dedos del Manchester City. Hoy los Cityzens, con un exquisito Sergio Agüero, necesitaron apenas 82 segundos para liquidar su duelo ante Crystal Palace y ahora solo necesitan dos puntos en los próximos cuatro encuentros para poder abrazarlo con confianza y destapar las botellas de champagne.
¡Ah! Y no es la única ruta: si Manchester United cae mañana ante Liverpool, el título será para Pep Guardiola y sus jugadores.
MELBOURNE - Upbeat Australia coach Graham Arnold has urged Argentina to bring Lionel Messi to the Olympics and described their tough pool as Tokyo's "group of dreams.”
Drawn with twice champions Argentina, 1992 winners Spain and Egypt, the “Olyroos” face an uphill battle to reach the knockout rounds of the 16-team tournament, their first Games since Beijing in 2008.
Despite The Super League going official on Sunday, much of the new competition’s finer details are still shrouded in mystery (except for the part where the 15 founding clubs make a lot of money).
NEWCASTLE - Tottenham Hotspur manager José Mourinho said they were the architects of their own downfall after failing to hold on to the lead in a 2-2 Premier League draw at Newcastle United on Sunday.
Spurs led 2-1 at the break thanks to a quick-fire double from Harry Kane but an 85th-minute equalizer from Joe Willock prevented Mourinho's side from provisionally moving up to fourth in the table.
CARDIFF - Gareth Bale intends to return to Real Madrid for the final 12 months of his contract next season, he said on Tuesday.
Bale has been at Tottenham Hotspur on loan this season, initially struggling with fitness but playing regularly in recent weeks, but said ahead of the start of World Cup qualification with Wales this week that he plans to head back to Spain next season.
“The main reason I came to Spurs this season was that I wanted to play football, first and foremost, but going into the Euros I wanted to be match fit too.”