Soccer

12:29 PM ET Caitlin Murray There have been underdog teams in the 2021 MLS Cup playoffs, and then there is Real Salt Lake. You’d be forgiven if you didn’t predict they’d get this far — please forgive us, Utahans. To call RSL’s path to the MLS Western Conference final on Saturday a bumpy one would

5:32 PM ET Rob DawsonCorrespondent Interim Manchester United manager Michael Carrick has left the club with immediate effect, it was announced on Thursday. Matthew Peters/Manchester United via Getty Images MANCHESTER, England — Michael Carrick has decided to leave Manchester United following his stint as caretaker manager, the club have announced. United released a statement within minutes

6:15 PM ET Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal for Manchester United. Martin Rickett/PA Images via Getty Images There’s a new boss at Manchester United, but Ralf Rangnick already knows that Cristiano Ronaldo is still the main man. Who knows how Rangnick’s six-month stint as interim manager at Old Trafford will ultimately turn

4:00 AM ET Alex KirklandESPN FC MADRID — On a wet November afternoon at Atletico Madrid‘s training ground, Jan Oblak wants to set the record straight about some goalkeeping stereotypes. “We’re not crazy,” he tells ESPN, moments after learning that he has been voted No. 1 male goalkeeper in this year’s FC 100. “We’re normal

6:53 PM ET LIVERPOOL, England — It was brutal in the end, on the pitch and off it in the 239th Merseyside derby, as Liverpool’s incredible goal-scoring machine broke another record with a ruthless display of finishing in a 4-1 victory at Everton — their biggest win at Goodison Park since 1986. Two Mohamed Salah

6:15 PM ET Liam Wheeler Chelsea stayed top of the Premier League with a hard-fought 2-1 win at Vicarage Road, but they were taken all the way by a stubborn Watford side on a challenging night for Thomas Tuchel’s team. The much-changed Blues looked disjointed in the opening exchanges, before play was temporarily suspended due

11:14 PM ET Leeds United CEO Angus Kinnear has compared calls for a transfer levy and an independent regulator to Maoism and the Great Chinese Famine, adding that the recommendations would not make English football any fairer. A transfer levy on top-flight clubs and appointment of an independent regulator for the English game were among

10:55 PM ET Alexander Callens capped a perfect 5-for-5 shootout for fourth-seeded New York City FC en route to a 5-3 win on penalty kicks over the top-seeded New England Revolution in an MLS Eastern Conference semifinal matchup on Tuesday night in Foxborough, Mass. The teams played to a 2-2 draw after 90 minutes plus

5:16 PM ET Caitlin Murray It finally feels like the new era of the U.S. women’s national team has begun. With the retirement of legend Carli Lloyd out of the way with last month’s games, U.S. coach Vlatko Andonovski brought a young squad to Australia for a two-game series that finished up Tuesday, including five

For the sixth consecutive year, ESPN presents its annual ranking of the best men’s players and coaches in world soccer! Welcome to FC 100. As always, rankings are broken down into Top 10 lists for positions, plus a countdown of managers, in order to present the most meaningful look at talent on the pitch and

4:25 PM ET Kathleen McNamee Alexia Putellas won the prize in 2021 as the anchor of a brilliant Barcelona team. But the ceremony again showed how far the sport has to go to give women’s players the respect they deserve. FRANCK FIFE/AFP via Getty Images The addition of the Ballon d’Or Feminin in 2018 was a

3:54 PM ET Lionel Messi now has seven Ballon d’Or awards, two more than Manchester United’s Cristiano Ronaldo. Alex Livesey – Danehouse/Getty Images Paris Saint-Germain forward Lionel Messi was awarded the prestigious Ballon d’Or for a record-extending seventh time in a ceremony at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris on Monday. Messi, who led Argentina the

4:00 AM ET Cristiano Ronaldo headed straight down the tunnel at the end of Manchester United‘s 1-1 draw at Chelsea on Sunday without even a glance over his shoulder to his teammates or the supporters who so readily chant his name. The former Real Madrid and Juventus forward doesn’t tend to hang around on the

3:39 PM ET LONDON — Chelsea spent last season searching for a clinical goal scorer to help sustain a Premier League title challenge. Sunday’s 1-1 draw against Manchester United will raise fears they are still looking. The answer appeared to be Romelu Lukaku, signed in the summer from Inter Milan for €115 million — a

3:27 PM ET Manchester United caretaker manager Michael Carrick said he was leaving Stamford Bridge disappointed after his side were pegged back by Chelsea in a 1-1 draw for his first and perhaps last Premier League game in charge. “At the moment we’re feeling a little bit frustrated and disappointed really,” Carrick told reporters. “Being

8:58 AM ET Lionel Messi inspired Paris Saint-Germain to a 3-1 comeback victory at Saint-Etienne with a hat-trick of assists as Sergio Ramos made his long-awaited debut for the club. Ramos was making his first appearance for PSG since joining them on a free transfer from Real Madrid this summer. – ESPN’s Notebook: The inside

8:09 PM ET Referee Manuel Mota ends the game after Belenenses could not meet the minimum requirement of seven players on the pitch. PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA/AFP Benfica‘s Primeira Liga match at Belenenses on Saturday was abandoned amid extraordinary scenes after their COVID-hit opponents were forced to name a team of nine players, including two goalkeepers.

11:35 AM ET Borussia Dortmund‘s top striker Erling Haaland scored on his comeback with a second-half volley as his team came from a goal down to beat VfL Wolfsburg 3-1 on Saturday and go provisionally top of the Bundesliga. Dortmund are on 30 points, two ahead of second-placed Bayern Munich, in action later on Saturday