Soccer

Nov 19, 2022 DOHA, Qatar — Eight years ago, Jurgen Klinsmann famously said it was impossible for his U.S. men’s national team to win the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. He said it to me in an extended interview for The New York Times Magazine a few months before the tournament, then doubled down on

11:14 AM ET For the U.S. men’s national team, the past World Cup cycle in 2018 was disastrous and disappointing. After failing to qualify (their first absence in more than three decades), they finally return to the big stage in 2022. The excitement across the fan base is evident, and with all this optimism brewing,

11:56 AM ET We’re analysing every VAR decision made throughout all 64 games at the 2022 World Cup After each game we take a look at the major incidents to examine and explain the process both in terms of VAR protocol and the Laws of the Game. VAR overturn: Valencia goal ruled out for offside

5:32 PM ET France striker Karim Benzema has been ruled out of the World Cup after suffering an injury to his left thigh during training on Saturday in Doha, the French federation have confirmed. The 2022 Ballon d’Or winner felt a strong pain in his thigh during a sprint toward the end of the training

12:48 PM ET AL-RAYYAN, Qatar — United States men’s national team duo Weston McKennie and Sergiño Dest pronounced themselves ready to go for Monday’s World Cup opener against Wales. McKennie had been nursing a quad injury over the past few weeks, but with club side Juventus and the U.S. working together to monitor the midfielder’s

10:00 AM ET The World Series is just barely in the rearview. The NBA season is rolling and dramatic, while American football is as intense as ever. The European club soccer season hit pause only about two minutes ago. Thanksgiving is approaching quickly, and you have to make plans. The election was a lot. And

4:00 AM ET The FIFA World Cup is the biggest stage for any player to showcase their skills. The most prestigious tournament in football is the place to shine if you harbour hopes of a transfer, are keen to prove something to your current club, or even just want to end your career on a

9:47 AM ET It was a very long and somber plane ride home for the United States men’s national team after losing 2-1 to Trinidad and Tobago on Oct. 10, 2017 in their final World Cup qualifier for Russia 2018. It was a result that meant the U.S. would miss its first World Cup since

7:00 AM ET Rob DawsonCorrespondent As the world’s best players travel to Qatar for the World Cup starting on Sunday, the Premier League is preparing for a step into the unknown. For the first time, the tournament is taking place in the middle of the domestic season, and for a period of time which will

9:38 AM ET It’s not a “Last Dance.” Neither Cristiano Ronaldo nor Lionel Messi has announced their retirement, and neither man has already won the biggest prize in football, the World Cup, which is what the next five weeks are all about. It’s not a “Changing of the Guard,” either. Sure, they have heirs apparent,

10:52 AM ET Adam Snavely There’s plenty to be excited about for this World Cup, from up-and-coming stars and rivalry matchups to records under threat and air-conditioned stadiums. Illustration by ESPN The biggest sporting event in the world, the FIFA World Cup, is upon us, with play set to kick off in Qatar on Nov. 20

12:02 PM ET AL-RAYYAN, Qatar — As he dealt with a series of injury setbacks over the past year that significantly limited his availability for the United States men’s national team and his club, Borussia Dortmund, Giovanni Reyna insists his World Cup availability was never in doubt. “I always knew I was going to be

1:09 PM ET Adriana Garcia Cristiano Ronaldo will miss Thursday’s warm-up game against Nigeria because he has a stomach bug. The Manchester United forward sat out Portugal‘s training session on Wednesday, having trained the previous two days with the national team. “Ronaldo has a gastritis and did not train today in order to recover and

7:00 AM ET The World Cup kicks off next week in Qatar at a time when international soccer is under attack from match-fixing syndicates. Sportradar, a prominent international firm that monitors the betting markets, says it identified approximately 600 potentially manipulated soccer matches in the first nine months of 2022. Most of the suspicious activity

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