Football

Mar 2, 2024, 08:42 AM ET Open Extended Reactions Juventus manager Max Allegri has said he is sorry on a human and footballing level for Paul Pogba after the France midfielder received a four-year ban for doping on Thursday from Italian authorities. Allegri told a news conference before Juventus’ trip to Napoli on Sunday that

ESPN News Services Mar 1, 2024, 06:12 PM ET Open Extended Reactions Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique said it was “my decision” to substitute Kylian Mbappé at half-time during his team’s 0-0 draw at Monaco on Friday. It was the second game in a row that Mbappé has been withdrawn early by Enrique, after being

Jeff Carlisle, U.S. soccer correspondentMar 1, 2024, 12:29 PM ET Close Jeff Carlisle covers MLS and the U.S. national team for ESPN FC. Open Extended Reactions The U.S. Soccer Federation announced the format for the 2023-2024 U.S. Open Cup on Friday, confirming that only eight out of a possible 26 MLS teams will have their

Tor-Kristian Karlsen, ESPNMar 1, 2024, 04:00 AM ET Open Extended Reactions Barcelona are great at bringing through young players and the new sensation is Pau Cubarsi. Cristian Trujillo/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images Welcome back to the ESPN FC Hot List, which each month highlights some of the most in-form talent aged 23 or under across Europe. Generally, young

Julien Laurens, CorrespondentFeb 29, 2024, 07:21 AM ET France and Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba has been banned for four years for a doping offence, sources have told ESPN and the Associated Press. Pogba was provisionally suspended by Italy’s national anti-doping (NADO Italia) tribunal in September after testing positive for testosterone — a banned substance. Italian

Connor O’Halloran Feb 29, 2024, 12:04 PM ET Open Extended Reactions NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman said she expects the United States to see an “explosive” growth in interest in soccer ahead of the 2026 World Cup. The United States will co-host the men’s World Cup in 2026 with Mexico and Canada and is bidding to

Alex Kirkland, ESPN FCFeb 29, 2024, 08:54 AM ET Open Extended Reactions Jude Bellingham‘s debut season in LaLiga couldn’t have gone much better. He’s been the standout player in Spain’s best team, a Real Madrid side who now find themselves six points clear at the top of the LaLiga table and among the favourites to

Feb 28, 2024, 02:22 PM ET Open Extended Reactions Great rivals Manchester United and Liverpool could be set for blockbuster FA Cup quarterfinal clash, if they can make it through their fifth-round matchups on Wednesday. The two heavyweights were paired with each other in Wednesday’s draw, but first Manchester United will have to beat Nottingham

Rob Dawson, CorrespondentFeb 28, 2024, 06:05 PM ET Open Extended Reactions NOTTINGHAM, England — Mark Robins is etched in Manchester United history as the player who saved Sir Alex Ferguson’s managerial job with an FA Cup winner at Nottingham Forest nearly 35 years ago. Erik ten Hag can only hope that Casemiro is famous for

Gabriele Marcotti, Senior Writer, ESPN FCFeb 28, 2024, 09:33 AM ET Open Extended Reactions Salah is one of a handful of bonafide stars in the Premier League, but it’s not stopped it being an absolute juggernaut of a league. John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images You hear it again and again. Sports is entertainment, entertainment is

ESPN News Services Feb 27, 2024, 06:54 PM ET Open Extended Reactions Erling Haaland sent a warning to Manchester City‘s rivals after scoring five goals in their 6-2 FA Cup rout of Luton Town on Tuesday, saying he was back to his best and that “we’re ready to attack.” Haaland had scored only three goals

Erling Haaland roared back to his best form with a five-goal salvo as Manchester City thumped Luton Town 6-2 at Kenilworth Road to reach the quarterfinals of the FA Cup on Tuesday. Luton had no answer to the marauding Norwegian who bagged his eighth City hat trick before half-time and then scored twice more after

Open Extended Reactions Erik ten Hag is fighting to save his job as Manchester United manager. The 54-year-old has yet to be given the unequivocal backing of the club’s new football leadership regime, led by new minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, and the team are outsiders to secure Champions League qualification — eight points adrift

Mexico beat the United States for the second time ever, getting goals from Lizbeth Ovalle and Mayra Pelayo for a 2-0 victory Monday night in the CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup. The U.S. entered the game 40-1-1 against its rival, with its only previous loss a 2-1 decision during Women’s World Cup qualifying in 2010. It

Open Extended Reactions LONDON — Chelsea‘s £1 billion project has focused on acquiring the world’s best young talent, yet they were beaten at Wembley by a Liverpool team packed full of academy graduates. Sunday’s Carabao Cup final defeat leaves co-owners Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital facing the real prospect of reaching their second anniversary in

Cesar Hernandez Feb 26, 2024, 09:00 AM ET Open Extended Reactions CARSON, California — Crowded into an unceremonious corner at Dignity Health Sports Park’s press box on Sunday, MLS commissioner Don Garber held an impromptu media availability minutes before the start of LA Galaxy‘s first home game of the season against Inter Miami. The topics

On Sunday night, the LA Galaxy pulled off a feat few teams in MLS have been able to: They kept Lionel Messi largely quiet for most of the night. With the Galaxy looking to be on the way to a season-opening win over Inter Miami CF at Dignity Health Park in Carson, California, Messi popped

Open Extended Reactions LONDON — Jurgen Klopp is still on course for a magical farewell tour as Liverpool manager and he can thank the club’s next generation for getting his injury-hit side over the line in Sunday’s 1-0 Carabao Cup final win against Chelsea. Virgil van Dijk‘s 118th-minute goal — a header from a Kostas