Keita Balde has played in Spain, Italy and now France. Monaco’s Keita Balde has said he will pay rent for 200 seasonal workers who have been sleeping rough in the city of Lleida, claiming racism has seen local hotels refuse to help. Balde, 25, was born in Catalonia but plays for Senegal, the country of
Spain
Cesar Azpilicueta‘s team calls him the “boss.” He speaks to them every day via email or text message, monitors their performance, offers advice and expects success. He tells them to uphold the team’s values at all time and wear the shirt with pride. But this is a life away from his day job of being
Jan Aage Fjortoft explains why the Bundesliga’s return brought relief for other leagues hoping to restart. Gab Marcotti believes clubs should make a deal with TV companies if they cannot afford to refund fans. The Exploding Heads create CGI “fan-amations” in the absence of fans from stadiums. Gab Marcotti is impressed with AGF’s approach to
Footballers from the past and present join forces to pay tribute to workers striving to combat the coronavirus. Barcelona’s players and supporters come together to show their support in the fight against coronavirus. Portuguese football stars encourage their fan base to stay strong amidst the coronavirus pandemic. AS Monaco star Cesc Fabregas has announced that his
Sid Lowe says no fans in La Liga stadiums until 2021 would seriously impact the summer transfer window. Sid Lowe dives into the proposed protocols for team training and the potential timetable for La Liga’s return. Spain’s footballers will be able to begin individual training on May 4 as part of plans announced by the
Ale Moreno explains why Antonio Conte’s Inter are “the most motivated” to win the Europa League. Gab Marcotti and Julien Laurens debate whether Philippe Coutinho’s rumoured transfer to Chelsea makes sense. Craig Burley says “absolutely no problem” to rumors that Bayern’s Philippe Coutinho is linked to Chelsea. Former Chelsea forward Diego Costa told ESPN Brasil that
ESPN EXCLUSIVE: Braithwaite explains how he complements Messi ESPN The world has come to a standstill, so we compiled 10 shows and documentaries that will scratch your soccer itch while in isolation. ESPN The Hall of Fame is a concept as old as sports itself but the Premier League finally has a pantheon in 2020.
Take a trip down memory lane with a look back at every trophy Barcelona won from 2008-12 under Pep Guardiola. Shaka Hislop and Steve Nicol clash over Lionel Messi’s standing after his UCL showing vs. Chelsea in 2018. Over the years, our writers have been present for some of the game’s greatest occasions. In the final
The coach of a Spanish junior football team has been warned about his behaviour after celebrating a goal too much and displaying non-sporting conduct in a match between nine-year-olds. Barcelona-based Sant Andreu, who play in Spain’s fourth division, received a complaint from junior level opponents Bufala de Badalona after their coach was filmed racing on
Xabi Alonso finished his playing career at Bayern Munich and now coaches Real Sociedad’s reserve team. Former Liverpool, Bayern Munich and Spain midfielder Xabi Alonso has been cleared of three counts of tax fraud in a Madrid court. Alonso, who retired in 2017, was accused of defrauding the Spanish tax office of €2 million from
Women’s footballers in Spain went on strike for the first time on Saturday. Spanish women’s football players have decided to return to the pitch after temporarily halting their strike which began on Saturday. The players’ union (AFE) announced on Monday evening that following further mediation, it had agreed to interrupt the strike and play again,
After Real Madrid’s 4-0 win at Eibar, Shaka Hislop believes they are working their way back to their best. The Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) has received a letter from Real Madrid stating their opposition for a regular season La Liga game to be staged overseas, a source from the federation told ESPN FC. La
Megan Rapinoe says she takes pride in seeing the Matildas’ equal pay deal with the FFA, and uses it to encourage the same for the USWNT. The first-ever strike in Spanish women’s top-flight football went ahead on Saturday after failed negotiations for a first collective agreement. The players’ union (AFE) and clubs’ associations (ACFF) were
David Villa lifted the World Cup with Spain in 2010. Former Barcelona and Spain striker David Villa has announced he will retire at the end of the year. Vissel Kobe striker Villa will hang up his boots after the end of the J-League season in January, bringing an end to a glittering 19-year career.
Cesc Fabregas debuted for Spain in 2006 at age 18, despite having never played a first-team game in Spain to that point. “When he joined the club, the first time he came and trained with us, we all thought: ‘who is this little Spanish kid?'” They would find out fast. Soon, he’d be leading the
Shaka Hislop rates the latest transfer rumours surrounding Ruben Neves, Kylian Mbappe, Luka Modric and more. Julien Laurens thinks Kylian Mbappe’s value will only go up and Real Madrid cannot afford to wait to sign him. After Real Madrid’s 4-0 win at Eibar, Shaka Hislop believes they are working their way back to their best.
Players from Spain’s top division have said they will go on strike in November. The football players in the Spanish women’s first division have announced they will go on strike indefinitely, starting on Nov. 16, after failed mediation between their union and the clubs. Players are demanding improved rights, such as a guaranteed minimum €16,000
Spain women line up for their World Cup round-of-16 clash with USA. The football players in the Spanish women’s first division have announced they will go on strike indefinitely because of a deadlock in negotiations regarding the improvement of their rights. A total of 188 female players from the 16 clubs of the Primera Iberdrola,
Ale Moreno feels international duty will bring a huge deal of confidence for Antoine Griezmann. Alejandro Moreno breaks down Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo’s impact on El Clasico. Alejandro Moreno examines the players Barcelona may have to sell to get their books in order. Barcelona teenager Ansu Fati has been added to Spain’s under-21 squad
LAS ROZAS DE MADRID, Spain — The handle turns, the door opens and Saul Niguez bursts into the room. There’s just enough space to slip quietly past, out towards the training pitch and up to the players’ residence for lunch, but he’s not about to do that. He’s been listening in from a small office