Amazing

Brazilian winger Malcom hasn’t quite hit the heights expected of him after a $46 million transfer to Barcelona in the summer of 2018. He lasted just one season in Spain before he was shipped off to Russia. But just look at the man now; I don’t think he could be any happier.

Malcom and Zenit St. Petersburg players walked onto the pitch for a Russian Premier League match against FC Rostov on Friday carrying puppies in their arms. It was all part of an attempt to get these good boys and girls adopted from local shelters. 

To Argentina’s reserve league we go for a Thursday morning match between Racing and Huracán, the site of two very good goals for the Avellaneda-based club.

The first was scored by 18-year-old Nicolás Meaurio. It’s a scorpion kick that takes on the form of a BMX Superman trick. It might lose a style point since the goalkeeper got his hand to it, but you can tell that the total unreasonableness of the effort caught him completely by surprise.    

Benfica’s Futsal team defeated Hungarian side Haladás 8-3 in the Futsal Champions League on Wednesday. The real talk of the town is the incredible goal scored by Benfica’s Hossein Tayyebi. The Iranian pulled out some exquisite trickery to score Benfica’s third goal. Check out this Tayyebi goal.

Thirty years ago to the day, the U.S. edged Norway 2-1 to claim the first Women’s World Cup title. Except, it wasn’t called the Women’s World Cup yet, matches were only 80 minutes because FIFA didn’t think women could handle a full 90 and the USWNT returned home to a greeting party of three. The first Women’s World Cup was far from the blockbuster it is today, but it was a start, one that can’t be forgotten on its 30-year anniversary.

Lionel Messi edged Robert Lewandowski for the men’s 2021 Ballon d’Or, the Argentine’s record-extending seventh trophy as the best men’s player in the world. But Cristiano Ronaldo, who didn’t even attend the award show in Paris, still managed to make it all about him.

Messi, who this year helped Argentina win the 2021 Copa América and Barcelona win the Copa del Rey (lol), was also named the world’s best men’s player in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015 and 2019. 

HERE IS THE WINNER!

FIFA announced the 2021 Puskás Award nominees on Monday and once again it’s a list of all-time bangers. The 11 goals include scorpion kicks, rabonas, bicycle kicks, audacious chips and goals from midfield — and Tottenham Hotspur could repeat as winner.

The Puskás Award is voted upon by two groups with equal electoral weight: an international panel of “FIFA Legends” and fans, who can vote here through Dec. 17. 

Weston McKennie is undoubtedly a Texan. And as any good Texan knows, all pizza is better with ranch dressing, whether it’s from New York, Chicago, Italy or Pizza Hut. Unfortunately, his Juventus teammates don’t seem to understand. 

The USWNT is in Australia for a pair of friendlies against the Matildas on Friday and Tuesday. Away from their families for Thanksgiving, the U.S. squad and staff found comfort in meeting some adorable Aussie animals on Wednesday. 

Before the first match on Friday, the Americans hung out with kangaroos and koalas, getting up close and personal with two of Australia’s most prominent creatures.