Month: June 2023

Jun 14, 2023, 07:37 PM ET Golfer Rickie Fowler said he is hopeful of becoming an investor in Leeds United following last week’s announcement that the second-tier English club would be taken over by the investment arm of the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers. Leeds said Friday that 49ers Enterprises, which already owned 44% of the

Jun 14, 2023, 05:29 PM ET Croatia scored twice in extra time to beat the Netherlands 4-2 in their Nations League semi-final in Rotterdam on Wednesday and advance to Sunday’s decider. Croatia will play against either Italy or Spain, who face off in the second semifinal in Enschede on Thursday, for a first major title

Julien Laurens, CorrespondentJun 14, 2023, 05:18 PM ET Former Crystal Palace manager and Arsenal legend Patrick Vieira is interested in the vacant United States men’s head coaching job, sources have told ESPN. Sources added that the United States Soccer Federation has already made contact with the Frenchman, but talks haven’t progressed following the initial approach.

Cesar Hernandez Jun 14, 2023, 01:25 PM ET This summer is a pivotal one for the men’s national teams of the United States and Mexico. Beginning with their Concacaf Nations League semifinal Thursday at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas — and an ensuing final or third-place match on Sunday — both teams will then need

Jun 14, 2023, 02:33 PM ET The Women’s World Cup will be broadcast in Britain, Spain, France, Germany and Italy after governing body FIFA extended its agreement with the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), ending the threat of a blackout in Europe’s top soccer nations. The rights for this year’s tournament are being sold separately from

Associated Press Jun 14, 2023, 03:03 PM ET Premier League clubs agreed Wednesday to measures for tackling the rise in tragedy-related chanting at matches, with criminal prosecution of offenders a principal aim. The move comes in response to incidents of chants and other behavior — often between rival clubs — taunting victims and survivors of

Jun 14, 2023, 12:39 PM ET FIFA secretary general Fatma Samoura is leaving after seven years as the highest profile woman working in world soccer, the governing body said Wednesday. Samoura will stay in the job she has held since 2016 through this year’s Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand and leave at

Jeff Carlisle, U.S. soccer correspondentJun 14, 2023, 01:15 PM ET Close Jeff Carlisle covers MLS and the U.S. national team for ESPN FC. Lucy Rushton has been hired by NWSL expansion team Bay FC to be their first GM, sources have told ESPN. Bay FC was announced as the league’s 14th team in April ahead

Jun 14, 2023, 10:17 AM ET James Milner will join Brighton & Hove Albion as a free agent next month following his successful eight-year spell at Liverpool, the two Premier League clubs announced on Wednesday. Brighton said the 37-year-old has signed a one-year deal with the south-coast club after a trophy-laden spell with Liverpool where

Jon Molyneux-Carter, Senior EditorJun 14, 2023, 04:00 AM ET It’s easy to forget that at one stage Lionel Messi could have joined Manchester City, while Erling Haaland could have ended up across town at Manchester United. Would the entire course of Premier League history have changed if Cristiano Ronaldo had moved to Arsenal instead of

Jeff Carlisle, U.S. soccer correspondentJun 14, 2023, 08:16 AM ET Close Jeff Carlisle covers MLS and the U.S. national team for ESPN FC. NWSL expansion side Bay FC has hired former Levi Strauss & Co. executive Brady Stewart to be the organization’s first CEO. Bay FC was announced as the NWSL’s 14th team in early

Jun 14, 2023, 07:16 AM ET Kylian Mbappe has hit out at his own club Paris Saint-Germain and France for their treatment towards Lionel Messi during his two seasons in Ligue 1. Messi joined the French champions in 2021 on a free transfer from Barcelona and despite winning the league on two occasions, the forward

Jun 14, 2023, 06:16 AM ET Real Madrid have completed the signing of England midfielder Jude Bellingham from Borussia Dortmund, the club announced on Wednesday. The 19-year-old has put pen to paper on a six-year deal at the Bernabeu and will face the media at his official presentation tomorrow. – Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga,

Jon Molyneux-Carter, Senior EditorJun 14, 2023, 04:00 AM ET Once again, in spite of a global financial crisis, soccer clubs around Europe spent an incredible amount of money to sign players in January and this summer may not be any different. Indeed, clubs spent a record $1.57 billion (£1.27bn) on transfers in the January transfer

Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford has said elite players need more rest between matches to reduce risk of injury and believes it is “mad” some clubs play around 20 more games per season than others in the same division. United’s 62-game campaign ended with an FA Cup Final defeat to Manchester City, who completed the

Jeff Carlisle, U.S. soccer correspondentJun 13, 2023, 07:28 PM ET Close Jeff Carlisle covers MLS and the U.S. national team for ESPN FC. Former United States coach Gregg Berhalter is in the running for the vacant managerial posts at Eredivisie side Sparta Rotterdam and Liga MX giants Club América, sources have confirmed to ESPN. The

Sam Marsden Moises Llorens Jun 13, 2023, 03:46 PM ET Inter Miami have sounded out Jordi Alba’s interest in joining the club but face competition to sign the Barcelona defender from Atletico Madrid, Inter Milan and clubs in Saudi Arabia, sources have told ESPN. Alba, 34, has reached an agreement to end his contract with

Ryan Rosenblatt Jun 13, 2023, 03:47 PM ET Lionel Messi has played at the top levels in Spain and France, but MLS is going to be a uniquely American adventure for one of the game’s legends. Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images Lionel Messi is making the move to MLS, following a long line of stars who

Jun 13, 2023, 02:40 PM ET A Tottenham fan was banned from attending football matches for three years on Tuesday for making gestures mocking the Hillsborough disaster during a Premier League game against Liverpool. Kieron Darlow, a 25-year-old man from Welwyn, north of London, made the gestures at a game between the teams at Anfield