Soccer

Gabriele Marcotti, Senior Writer, ESPN FCDec 9, 2024, 09:49 AM ET Open Extended Reactions We’re inching closer to Christmas, and that makes sense, as the European soccer weekend gave us plenty this weekend. We got another Manchester United home defeat — this time to Nottingham Forest — and the exit of sporting director Dan Ashworth

Dec 8, 2024, 04:32 PM ET Open Extended Reactions For the fourth time in five LaLiga matches, Barcelona have dropped points. All the while, Real Madrid are racking up wins to close up the title race in Spain. In the Premier League, it was another defeat for Manchester United, and another defeat for Tottenham Hotspur,

Alex Kirkland Rodrigo Faez Dec 8, 2024, 04:15 PM ET Open Extended Reactions Kylian Mbappé blamed his early season struggles at Real Madrid on being “too hungry” and “impatient” on Sunday, in his first sit-down interview since joining the club. Mbappé has scored 11 goals in 21 appearances for Madrid in all competitions so far,

Open Extended Reactions Every top head coach is only as good as the sporting director charged with building the squad from which they select their team. So Manchester United‘s decision to part company with Dan Ashworth, just five months after hiring him from Newcastle United in the first place, highlights how much of a hurry

Jeff Carlisle, U.S. soccer correspondentDec 7, 2024, 10:21 PM ET Close Jeff Carlisle covers MLS and the U.S. national team for ESPN FC. Open Extended Reactions CARSON, Calif. — As the LA Galaxy players waited to hoist their sixth MLS Cup trophy, midfielders Gastón Brugman, Edwin Cerrillo and Mark Delgado met on the field and

Rob Dawson, CorrespondentDec 7, 2024, 04:04 PM ET Open Extended Reactions Ruben Amorim said Manchester United are facing a “long journey” back to the top after Nottingham Forest recorded their first win at Old Trafford for 30 years. Forest won 3-2 on Saturday to condemn Amorim to back-to-back top-flight defeats for the first time since

Jeff Carlisle, U.S. soccer correspondentDec 6, 2024, 10:00 AM ET Close Jeff Carlisle covers MLS and the U.S. national team for ESPN FC. Open Extended Reactions On Wednesday afternoon, Andrew Alesana, the president of the LA Galaxy supporters group, the LA Riot Squad, had an urgent message he wanted delivered to the team’s GM, Will

Jeff Carlisle, U.S. soccer correspondentDec 6, 2024, 07:18 PM ET Close Jeff Carlisle covers MLS and the U.S. national team for ESPN FC. Open Extended Reactions CARSON, California – MLS commissioner Don Garber said that the league is dealing with an increasingly crowded calendar, even as MLS ponders aligning the league calendar to match that

Dec 6, 2024, 05:30 PM ET Open Extended Reactions Christian Pulisic hobbled off the field after receiving treatment in the 38th minute of Friday’s match. Claudio Villa/AC Milan via Getty Images United States national team captain Christian Pulisic was forced off the field with an injury in the first half of AC Milan‘s 2-1 loss to

Gabriele Marcotti, Senior Writer, ESPN FCDec 5, 2024, 02:37 PM ET Open Extended Reactions The Orlando Pride were superb in 2024, winning the NWSL regular season and capping it with a successful run to a first-ever title. But are they the best in the world? Why don’t we have a means of putting that claim

Associated Press Dec 5, 2024, 02:30 PM ET Open Extended Reactions Lionel Messi and Inter Miami CF will open the Club World Cup against Egyptian club Al Ahly, with Palmeiras and FC Porto also part of that group for the tournament that will take place in the U.S. next year. The draw was held Thursday

Multiple contributors Dec 5, 2024, 03:30 PM ET Open Extended Reactions The draw for the newly formatted 2025 FIFA Club World Cup is complete ahead of the competition taking place between June 15 and July 13 in the United States. Now let’s answer the big questions. Which teams are strongest in their confederation? Are Lionel

Alex Kirkland Rodrigo Faez Dec 4, 2024, 06:05 PM ET Open Extended Reactions Carlo Ancelotti insisted that Kylian Mbappé “can do better” after missing his second penalty in a week in Real Madrid‘s 2-1 LaLiga defeat to Athletic Club on Wednesday. Álex Berenguer put Athletic ahead in the 53rd minute at San Mamés, and Mbappé

Dec 4, 2024, 05:49 PM ET Open Extended Reactions LONDON — Arsenal stepped up their pursuit of Premier League leaders Liverpool by sealing a 2-0 win against Manchester United at the Emirates on Wednesday, once again highlighting their peerless ability to score from set pieces. Second-half goals from Jurriën Timber and William Saliba, both from

Dec 4, 2024, 01:04 PM ET Open Extended Reactions Vinícius Júnior has asked Javier Tebas to retract an allegation of piracy, sources have told ESPN, after the LaLiga president claimed the Real Madrid star watched the club’s Champions League game at Liverpool illegally. The Brazil international missed the game with a hamstring injury and published

Tom Hamilton, Senior WriterDec 4, 2024, 04:56 AM ET Close • Joined ESPN in 2011• Covered two Olympics, a pair of Rugby World Cups and two British & Irish Lions tours• Previously rugby editor, and became senior writer in 2018 Open Extended Reactions Lily Yohannes is keen to put any controversy of her decision to pick playing for

Multiple contributors Dec 3, 2024, 05:15 PM ET Open Extended Reactions THE HAGUE — Alyssa Naeher‘s final match for the United States women’s national team ended in a 2-1 victory against the Netherlands in The Hague on Tuesday evening. The victory means Emma Hayes extends her unbeaten run as USWNT coach, as they handed Naeher

Dec 3, 2024, 03:02 PM ET Marc Guéhi captained Crystal Palace against Ipswich Town in the Premier League on Tuesday. Zac Goodwin/PA via AP Crystal Palace defender Marc Guéhi wrote “Jesus loves you” on his rainbow-coloured captain’s armband against Ipswich Town on Tuesday despite a reminder from England’s Football Association (FA) over religious messages. The rainbow-coloured