Soccer

10:08 AM ET Here we are: Preparing for a World Cup in November and December. Who would’ve ever imagined that soccer’s showpiece summer event would become a winter wonderland? The game of football has changed a lot throughout the years: the way it’s played, who plays it, how we watch games being played. Slowly but

12:50 PM ET DOHA, Qatar — Midfielder Kellyn Acosta said he and his United States teammates will need to get physical to stop his LAFC colleague Gareth Bale when they open their 2022 World Cup campaign against Wales next week. Acosta has been besieged with questions about Bale since the Welsh superstar’s dramatic header saved

8:26 AM ET SherShah Atif Coaches, players, fans and migrant workers tell us about their experiences in Qatar. Illustration by ESPN With the European leagues now on break until Christmas, all eyes are naturally on Qatar, where the World Cup will kick off on Sunday. Over a decade since it won the bid to host the

10:17 AM ET Mark Ogden Kyle Bonagura Close ESPN Staff Writer Covers the Pac-12. Joined ESPN in 2014. Attended Washington State University. Nearly 12 years later, it stands as a moment that defies logic. Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter stood at a podium in Zurich, Switzerland, and prepped the convened dignitaries for the second World

2:32 AM ET Rob DawsonCorrespondent Erik ten Hag has told Manchester United bosses that Cristiano Ronaldo should not play for the club again, sources have told ESPN. Ten Hag held a meeting with co-chairman Joel Glazer, chief executive Richard Arnold and football director John Murtough on Monday to discuss the fallout from Ronaldo’s explosive interview

6:38 AM ET Rob DawsonCorrespondent Manchester United have been left furious at Cristiano Ronaldo‘s explosive attack on the club and manager Erik ten Hag, sources have told ESPN. United are particularly angry at the timing of Ronaldo’s interview with Piers Morgan, during which he said he “doesn’t respect” Ten Hag, coming just hours after the

9:36 AM ET DOHA, Qatar — United States men’s national team coach Gregg Berhalter said that he and his team will continue to push the team’s “Be the Change” message while in Qatar, even as FIFA has told participants not to raise awareness about the host country’s treatment of migrant workers and the LGBTQIA+ community.

5:18 PM ET Rob DawsonCorrespondent Cristiano Ronaldo says he “doesn’t respect” Erik ten Hag and claims the Manchester United manager tried to force him out in the summer. In an interview with broadcaster Piers Morgan, Ronaldo criticised Ten Hag, the club and former interim boss Ralf Rangnick. The 37-year-old was suspended by Ten Hag after

2:39 PM ET LONDON — Manchester United eked out a stoppage-time win over Fulham in the Premier League on Sunday, with Alejandro Garnacho scoring in the 93rd minute to ensure the Red Devils left southwest London with all three points. – Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, MLS, more (U.S.) Christian Eriksen scored his first goal

9:00 AM ET Adriana Garcia Barcelona president Joan Laporta said the club are set to receive an initial bonus of €1 billion if the breakaway European Super League goes ahead. Barca, Real Madrid and Juventus, among the 12 founding clubs, are still involved in the project, and Laporta said it would solve the club’s financial

4:38 PM ET Arsenal will take a five-point lead at the top of the Premier League table into the World Cup break after a Martin Odegaard brace secured a 2-0 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux on Saturday. Odegaard broke the deadlock 10 minutes into the second half before the Arsenal captain added a second

4:00 PM ET Carlos Queiroz had a pretty good idea what he was signing up for in September when he agreed to return to his previous role as coach of the Iran national team, three years after ending his initial eight-year stint in charge, on a $50,000 contract for three months’ work culminating at the

7:44 AM ET Adriana Garcia Brazil forward Neymar has hinted the World Cup in Qatar could be the last in his career. Neymar, 30, played in the past two World Cups but has yet to win a major title with the national team. – Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) “I’ll play like it’s

7:33 PM ET Paris Saint-Germain have made a €45 million offer for Palmeiras teenager Endrick, but the Brazilian team swiftly dismissed the proposal for the 16-year-old forward on Friday, sources told ESPN Brazil. In a meeting with the player’s agents, the Ligue 1 champions said they were willing to extend the negotiations and meet the

1:26 PM ET Two-hundred and seven: That’s the number of players who have just one solitary cap with the U.S. men’s national team. Only once did they play in a senior team game. Some of the 207 you have heard of, like former USMNT coach Bruce Arena (1973 vs. Israel), and some you haven’t, like

5:00 AM ET ESPN’s lead Bundesliga commentator Derek Rae breaks down how the domestic league has built the foundation for Germany‘s World Cup squad, and he looks ahead to the round of fixtures that will close out the club calendar year. – Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) We had known for a while

9:53 PM ET Sophie Lawson The United States women’s national team lost 2-1 to Germany on Thursday night for their first three-game skid since 1993 and first home defeat in more than five years. Paula Krumbiegel scored the decisive goal in the 89th minute for third-ranked Germany in the exhibition at DRV PNK Stadium in

5:42 AM ET Sophie Lawson Alex Morgan and the USWNT face a stern test this international break with two stateside friendlies against powerhouse Germany, who over the summer finished as runner-up at the 2022 Euro. AP Photo/Roberto Martinez Eight months out from the start of the 2023 Women’s World Cup, national teams will be using the