Football

Rob Dawson, CorrespondentJul 1, 2024, 06:39 AM ET Open Extended Reactions Manchester United have stepped up their interest in Bayern Munich defender Matthijs de Ligt, sources have told ESPN. United have made contact with De Ligt’s representatives and an official approach to Bayern is expected soon. Editor’s Picks 2 Related The club have turned their

Open Extended Reactions GLENDALE, Ariz. — Mexico‘s vessel has sunk. Navigating through the choppy waters of the Copa América, El Tri and manager Jaime “Jimmy” Lozano failed to reach the safety of the tournament’s knockout round after a dismal group stage exit. With four points in hand after Sunday’s 0-0 draw with Ecuador, the Concacaf

Open Extended Reactions GELSENKIRCHEN, Germany — Maybe it is better to be lucky than good. Make no mistake, England got out of jail against Slovakia after winning 2-1, saved by a moment of individual brilliance rather than any coherent game plan. The obituaries were written, the formal announcement of Gareth Southgate’s departure as head coach

Julien Laurens, CorrespondentJun 30, 2024, 07:00 AM ET Open Extended Reactions PADERBORN, Germany — In the games room of France‘s team hotel, near Paderborn, defenders William Saliba and Ibrahima Konaté can’t stop laughing. You can hear their screams of delight echo through the corridors. The reason? They caught teammate N’Golo Kanté cheating at UNO again.

Gabriele Marcotti, Senior Writer, ESPN FCJun 29, 2024, 04:21 PM ET Open Extended Reactions BERLIN — They may have been the defending champions, but nobody thought Italy were particularly good heading into Euro 2024. Fewer still thought they could be this bad. While the 2-0 round-of-16 loss at the hands of Switzerland on Saturday could

ESPN News Services Jun 29, 2024, 03:33 PM ET Open Extended Reactions Italy coach Luciano Spalletti said he took full responsibility for his team’s exit from the European Championship in the first knockout round after an insipid 2-0 loss against Switzerland. However, the 65-year-old former Napoli boss also complained he had not had enough matches

ESPN News Services Jun 29, 2024, 12:59 AM ET Open Extended Reactions Brazil coach Dorival Júnior hailed the display of Vinícius Júnior after the forward scored twice to help the Seleção get back on track at the Copa América with a 4-1 win over Paraguay in Las Vegas Friday. Brazil and Vinícius struggled in the

Tim Vickery, South America correspondentJun 29, 2024, 12:09 AM ET Open Extended Reactions Tournament football can be a little like a social media voice message played three times faster than normal. Time speeds up. Teams suddenly come together, or just as quickly collapse under the intense pressure of the competition. Brazil were subjected to the

Gabriele Marcotti, Senior Writer, ESPN FCJun 28, 2024, 12:51 PM ET Open Extended Reactions BERLIN — Here’s a stat for you: Of the 24 teams competing at Euro 2024, just one, Spain, won all three group games. And here’s another: Not a single team lost all three. There’s a level of parity and possibility at

Associated Press Jun 27, 2024, 11:10 PM ET Open Extended Reactions Tim Weah and other members of the U.S. national team were targeted with racist abuse on social media after the Americans were beaten 2-1 by Panama in the Copa América on Thursday night. U.S. Soccer Federation issued a statement saying it was “deeply disturbed

Jeff Carlisle, U.S. soccer correspondentJun 27, 2024, 11:44 PM ET Close Jeff Carlisle covers MLS and the U.S. national team for ESPN FC. Open Extended Reactions ATLANTA — Coming into the 2024 Copa América, the U.S. men’s national team was supposed to show growth following its solid showing at the 2022 World Cup. It was

Lizzy Becherano Jun 26, 2024, 08:00 AM ET Open Extended Reactions A summer of soccer continues, where the world’s best come together to compete in the Copa América, European Championship and Paris Olympics. For many players, these tournaments are career highlights as they look forward to the feeling of representing their country in some of

Jun 27, 2024, 04:00 AM ET Open Extended Reactions After 13 breathless days of football, Euro 2024 shrinks from 24 teams to 16. There was plenty of drama to savour as the groups concluded, with Croatia bowing out, France and Belgium finishing second in their groups, and Georgia making yet more international football history. Ahead

Sam Marsden, Barcelona correspondentJun 26, 2024, 06:47 PM ET Open Extended Reactions GELSENKIRCHEN, Germany — Fans came to Gelsenkirchen to see the Portugal No.7 Cristiano Ronaldo make more history, but left the Arena AufSchalke having seen Georgia‘s No.7 Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, spurred on by over 15,000 of his fellow countrymen, lead his nation into the knockout

Jeff Kassouf Jun 26, 2024, 11:02 AM ET Open Extended Reactions Alex Morgan has been left off the United States women’s national team’s 2024 Olympic roster, marking the team’s first major tournament without the star forward since the 2008 Olympics, before she debuted for the team. USWNT head coach Emma Hayes named her 18-player roster

Lizzy Becherano Jun 26, 2024, 07:00 AM ET Open Extended Reactions EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey — Argentina triumphed 1-0 over Chile at MetLife Stadium in the Copa América on Tuesday, with Lautaro Martínez‘s lone goal in the 88th minute sending spectators into a frenzy and helping the Albiceleste to banish the ghosts of the 2015

Alex Kirkland, ESPN FCJun 25, 2024, 11:27 PM ET Open Extended Reactions EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey — Substitute Lautaro Martínez scored late on as Argentina beat Chile 1-0 at MetLife Stadium in Copa América Group A action on Tuesday night, easily qualifying the reigning champions for the quarterfinals in the process. Argentina dominated much of

A Kylian Mbappé penalty was cancelled out by Robert Lewandowski‘s spot kick as already-eliminated Poland held France to a 1-1 draw in Dortmund on Tuesday, meaning the French finish second in Group D. Mbappé broke the deadlock in the 56th minute with his first European Championship goal — and the first scored by a French