Soccer

Chris Wright, Toe Poke writerAug 21, 2024, 08:55 AM ET Open Extended Reactions Alongside all the standard array of playing jerseys (home, away, third alternates for outfield players and a whole other set for goalkeepers), clubs also kit out their players and staff in a whole range of pre-match apparel. Whereas most match-worn shirts are

Jeff Kassouf Aug 21, 2024, 07:30 AM ET Open Extended Reactions The U.S. women’s national team is back on top of the world after winning the gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Now, head coach Emma Hayes has three full years to refine the squad so the Americans can make a run at a

Open Extended Reactions Giorgi Mamardashvili is close to agreeing a deal with Liverpool. Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images Liverpool are closing in on their first signing of the Arne Slot era after stepping up talks with Valencia for goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili, a source has told ESPN. Valencia and Liverpool are discussing a fee in the region of €40

Luis Miguel Echegaray, ESPNAug 20, 2024, 09:16 AM ET Open Extended Reactions The domestic European soccer seasons are back, so it’s the ideal opportunity to provide a list of up-and-comers from the top leagues. From somewhat familiar names who have waited patiently for their big moments to young players ready to make their mark in

Rob Dawson, CorrespondentAug 20, 2024, 04:39 AM ET Open Extended Reactions Manchester City are among the clubs exploring the possibility of signing Ilkay Gündogan amid doubts over his Barcelona future, sources have told ESPN. Clubs in Saudi Arabia, including Cristiano Ronaldo‘s Al Nassr, are also interested in the midfielder, who could leave Barcelona after just

Tom Hamilton, Senior WriterAug 20, 2024, 03:29 AM ET Close • Joined ESPN in 2011• Covered two Olympics, a pair of Rugby World Cups and two British & Irish Lions tours• Previously rugby editor, and became senior writer in 2018 Open Extended Reactions Jamie Vardy completed his return to the Premier League with a goal to secure a

Open Extended Reactions Video Assistant Referee causes controversy every week in the Premier League, but how are decisions made, and are they correct? After each weekend 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. In this week’s

Open Extended Reactions The 2024-25 Premier League is underway. Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool underlined their status as favourites to challenge for the title with opening weekend wins. Manchester United made a winning start after last season’s eighth-place finish, but Chelsea already have a loss in their column after losing their first game under new

Alex Kirkland, ESPN FCAug 18, 2024, 07:31 PM ET Open Extended Reactions MALLORCA, Spain — It’s the 36th minute at the Son Moix Stadium, and Real Madrid — already 1-0 up, away from home, on their LaLiga debut for the 2024-25 season — were enjoying themselves. Camped inside the Mallorca box, the Spanish champions, one

Pep Guardiola said Erling Haaland‘s goalscoring record is reaching the levels of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, but believes the striker is capable of getting even better in the years ahead. Haaland scored the opening goal on 18 minutes as City started their quest for a fifth consecutive Premier League title with a 2-0 win

Aug 18, 2024, 08:55 AM ET Open Extended Reactions Lille midfielder Angel Gomes took to social media to reassure fans that he is okay after being hospitalised following a head injury during Saturday’s Ligue 1 match against Stade de Reims. Gomes, 23, was treated on the pitch for over 30 minutes after colliding with Reims

Jeff Carlisle, U.S. soccer correspondentAug 17, 2024, 04:10 PM ET Close Jeff Carlisle covers MLS and the U.S. national team for ESPN FC. Open Extended Reactions Former United States under-20 coach Mikey Varas will lead the U.S. men’s national team on an interim basis during the upcoming September international window, a source confirmed to ESPN.

Aug 17, 2024, 06:44 PM ET Open Extended Reactions We are so back. It’s been a long summer of sticky, sweaty days chock full of international football and preseason tours, but finally, the European club game has returned. The Premier League, LaLiga, Serie A and Ligue 1 all kicked off their campaigns on Saturday. In

Second-half goals from Diogo Jota and Mohamed Salah allowed new Liverpool coach Arne Slot to get off to a 2-0 winning start at newly promoted Ipswich Town in the Premier League on Saturday. Ipswich, cheered on by new minority shareholder and singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran from the Portman Road stands, went toe-to-toe with Liverpool in the

Rob Dawson, CorrespondentAug 16, 2024, 06:31 PM ET Open Extended Reactions MANCHESTER, England — There’s nothing like a late winner from a new striker to fuel early-season optimism, and Joshua Zirkzee delivered it for Manchester United and manager Erik ten Hag. Just when it looked like the Red Devils’ campaign would get off to a

Rob Dawson, CorrespondentAug 16, 2024, 05:47 PM ET Open Extended Reactions Joshua Zirkzee hailed a “perfect” Manchester United debut after he came off the bench to score a late winner against Fulham. United won their Premier League opener 1-0 at Old Trafford after the Dutchman came off the bench to score in the 87th minute.

Open Extended Reactions How do Arsenal improve on a record-breaking year this time around? In the 2023-24 campaign, they posted their most wins (28), most goals (91) and best-ever goal difference (plus-62) in a Premier League season, yet still missed out on a first title since 2004. Some connected to the club could be forgiven

ESPN News Services Aug 15, 2024, 04:15 PM ET Open Extended Reactions If Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique thought the theme of his conferences would change without Kylian Mbappé, he was mistaken. The long-running saga of Mbappé’s transfer to Real Madrid from PSG finally ended at the beginning of June when the French forward joined