Soccer

2:59 PM ET In a press conference on Friday, Barcelona president Joan Laporta reiterated what the club had announced on their website Thursday: after 21 years, Lionel Messi would not be returning to the club. You can read about the background here, but Laporta doubled down on blaming LaLiga’s financial restrictions and the disastrous finances

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7:40 PM ET Ninety-nine words to wipe out 21 years walking hand in hand… not to mention 810 professional games, 683 goals, 10 Liga titles, seven Copas del Rey, four Champions League crowns and three FIFA Club World Cups. Barcelona‘s terse statement on Thursday appears to leave no doubt, right down to the headline on

1:13 PM ET Negotiations to renew Lionel Messi‘s contract with Barcelona hit a stumbling block on Thursday, but the club are still hopeful of tying him down to a new deal, multiple sources told ESPN. Messi, 34, has been a free agent since his previous terms expired on June 30, but ESPN reported last month

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5:30 AM ET The transfer window has been open since the start of July and ends on Aug. 31, with Europe’s top clubs already busy spending money to enhance their squads. Man United splashed over €120m on Jadon Sancho and Raphael Varane, Arsenal handed over £50m to sign Brighton defender Ben White, Liverpool picked up

3:56 PM ET Jeff Carlisle Close U.S. soccer correspondent Jeff Carlisle covers MLS and the U.S. national team for ESPN FC. Kyle Bonagura Close ESPN Staff Writer Covers the Pac-12. Joined ESPN in 2014. Attended Washington State University. Another week of Major League Soccer fun is in the books, which means it’s time to break

7:13 AM ET Manchester City are attempting to seal the £100m signing of Aston Villa midfielder Jack Grealish ahead of Saturday’s Community Shield clash against Leicester City at Wembley, sources have told ESPN. As reported by ESPN on June 7, City manager Pep Guardiola had identified Grealish as a key summer target on a par

11:26 AM ET Sam Marsden Moises Llorens It’s been another summer of drama at Barcelona. There’s still uncertainty over the coach’s future, their star player left (and still hasn’t technically returned), LaLiga further reduced their spending limit for the upcoming season and they’ve been unable to move on a handful of unwanted big-earning players inherited

5:00 AM ET The Gold Cup is complete, and after a topsy-turvy, 120-minute battle in Las Vegas on Sunday night, Gregg Berhalter’s U.S. team walked away deserving winners over rivals Mexico and made it two trophies out of two attempts over their neighbors this summer, having won the CONCACAF Nations League at the beginning of

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1:58 AM ET LAS VEGAS — Prior to the start of the Gold Cup, United States manager Gregg Berhalter made clear that his team’s goal was to win the tournament. It was the kind of statement that was easy to dismiss, a bit of coach-speak for a youthful group of players in which winning the

8:30 AM ET Caitlin Murray Coming into the Olympics semifinal against Canada, no one knew which U.S. women’s national team was going to show up. Was it going to be the one that showed exuberance and tenacity against Netherlands to win a penalty shootout after a 2-2 draw? Or was it going to be the

5:57 AM ET The United States women’s national team were knocked out of the Olympic Games after losing 1-0 to Canada in the semifinals on Monday. Jessie Fleming’s second half penalty was enough to see Canada dump the reigning world champions out of the gold medal match. – Women’s Olympics soccer bracket and fixtures The

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12:00 PM ET Caitlin Murray After the U.S. women’s national team eked past the Netherlands, the reigning champions of Europe, following a grueling 120-minute slug-fest and penalty shootout, it would be tempting to see Monday’s semifinal against Canada (4 a.m. ET) as a chance to take things easier. After getting clobbered by Sweden and landing

6:05 PM ET Luke Thrower Euro 2020 and the Copa America are over and the summer transfer window is open, leaving Europe’s biggest clubs clear to make a splash in the market. Check out the latest gossip below, and see all official deals here. TOP STORY: Saul set to leave Atletico amid Prem interest Representatives

4:05 PM ET LAS VEGAS — United States men’s national team manager Gregg Berhalter called out Mexico‘s players for overly physical play in the past, and asked that the referee be “fair” ahead of Sunday’s Gold Cup final between the two sides. Speaking to reporters ahead of the game, Berhalter referenced previous matches against Mexico