Soccer

3:29 PM ET It exists on what can seem like a mythical plane, with an aberrational combination of history, decibels and lack of oxygen leaving the Estadio Azteca peerless in North America. As just one of two stadiums to host the World Cup final twice, along with Rio’s fabled Maracana, few soccer venues can even

4:30 AM ET Ian DarkeESPN.com writer Close Darke, who called games for the network during the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, is ESPN lead soccer voice in the United States. He has covered the Barclays Premier League and the Champions League since 1982, and has one of the world’s most recognizable soccer voices.

11:57 AM ET Jeff Carlisle Close U.S. soccer correspondent Jeff Carlisle covers MLS and the U.S. national team for ESPN FC. Dan Hajducky Close ESPN Hajducky is a reporter/researcher for ESPN. He has an MFA in creative writing from Fairfield University and played on the men’s soccer teams at Fordham and Southern Connecticut State universities.

11:35 AM ET No matter what you read or hear elsewhere, it’s a fact that Real Madrid did not lose this Clasico, in which they were utterly thrashed, “because Karim Benzema was out.” Don’t accept that: It’s glib, it hides some key truths and it is a little typical of the modern obsession with one-phrase

7:52 PM ET Alex Kirkland Rodrigo Faez Manager Carlo Ancelotti took responsibility for Real Madrid‘s 4-0 El Clasico thrashing by Barcelona on Sunday, saying the defeat was “my fault.” Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored twice and Ronald Araujo and Ferran Torres were also on the scoresheet as Barca recorded their biggest Clasico win at the Bernabeu since

6:14 PM ET Barcelona earned a first win over Real Madrid since 2019, dismantling the LaLiga leaders 4-0 at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, with goals from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (two), Ronald Araujo and Ferran Torres. Here are three thoughts on El Clasico: 1. Xavi has turned Barcelona around Xavi’s first game in charge at Barcelona was

4:00 PM ET Liverpool eased past Nottingham Forest 1-0 in their FA Cup quarterfinal clash at the City Ground on Sunday evening, setting up a trip to Wembley next month. The Reds controlled possession for the majority of the first half but the only chance that fell to Roberto Firmino was wasted as the Brazil

12:55 PM ET Alex Kirkland Sam Marsden Sunday’s Clasico between Real Madrid and Barcelona at the Bernabeu — stream LIVE, 4 p.m. ET, ESPN+ — might not be decisive in terms of LaLiga’s title race, but it’s still a fiery rivalry with plenty on the line. (The lines, from Caesars: +110 for Real Madrid, +225

6:34 PM ET Trailing by two goals and down a man, Atlanta United FC‘s Thiago Almada and Brooks Lennon each scored late to help the home side rally for a stunning 3-3 draw with CF Montreal on Saturday. Montreal (0-3-1, 1 point) looked to be headed to its first win of the season, but Atlanta

7:33 AM ET Alex Kirkland Rodrigo Faez Karim Benzema will miss Real Madrid‘s El Clasico clash with Barcelona on Sunday (stream LIVE at 4 p.m. ET on ESPN+ in the U.S.) with a calf injury. The forward — who was hurt after scoring twice in Madrid’s 3-0 win at Mallorca on Monday — was unable

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12:59 PM ET Sergino Dest has been ruled out of the U.S. men’s national team‘s final three CONCACAF World Cup qualifiers, with left-back George Bello called up in his place by head coach Gregg Berhalter on Friday. Bello, 20, has made six appearances for the United States. After signing as a homegrown player with Atlanta

9:05 AM ET The path to the Champions League final in Paris on May 28 is now clear following the draw for the last eight and semifinals of the competition and the prospect of a heavyweight clash at the Stade de France remains alive with favourites Liverpool and Manchester City, and Real Madrid and Bayern

7:16 AM ET ESPN Facebook Twitter Facebook Messenger Pinterest Email Chelsea have been drawn to face Real Madrid in the Champions League quarterfinals. In the other ties Manchester City take on Atletico Madrid, Villarreal come up against Bayern Munich and Benfica face Liverpool. – ESPN+ viewers’ guide: LaLiga, Bundesliga, MLS, FA Cup, more (U.S.)– UCL

6:35 PM ET Christian Pulisic, Tyler Adams and Giovanni Reyna headline the 27-player roster for the United States men ahead of three critical World Cup qualifiers that will determine whether the team heads to Qatar later this year. The USMNT is scheduled to play Mexico at the famed Estadio Azteca on March 24, followed by

3:54 PM ET The annual marathon that is the European soccer season will soon hit its home stretch. After this weekend comes one final international break, and then it’s time to decide some titles. While plenty of key races have been over for a while — it feels like Paris Saint-Germain all but clinched the

2:31 PM ET For the first time since he joined the club last August, Lionel Messi got to know properly the Paris Saint-Germain ultras. On Sunday, against Bordeaux at the Parc des Princes, he was booed throughout the game. It didn’t matter that PSG won 3-0; Messi would have rather avoided their wrath, but it

7:08 PM ET Momentum is a vital ingredient for any team chasing a league title and Liverpool are over-flowing with it right now. Manchester City don’t have it and that’s why, after Liverpool’s 2-0 victory at Arsenal, Pep Guardiola’s Premier League champions will be worrying that they may be about to finish second in what