Soccer

Feb 16, 2024, 07:28 PM ET Open Extended Reactions Jurgen Klopp has lauded Xabi Alonso, one of the frontrunners to replace him at Liverpool, as the “standout” manager of the new generation of coaches. From the moment Klopp announced last month that he would step down as Liverpool boss at the end of this season,

Open Extended Reactions Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has insisted he will not block any member of his backroom staff from taking a managerial job amid interest from Norwich City in Carlos Cuesta becoming their next boss. Sources have told ESPN that Norwich have identified Arsenal coach Cuesta as a possible replacement for manager David Wagner,

Charlotte Gibson, ESPNFeb 16, 2024, 12:55 PM ET Open Extended Reactions Nike has signed 13-year-old soccer phenom McKenna “Mak” Whitham to a name, image and likeness deal. Whitham becomes the youngest women’s soccer player and youngest athlete in any sport to sign an NIL deal with Nike. “It means everything to me,” Whitham told ESPN.

Open Extended Reactions Mikel Arteta has said he believes Arsenal should be targeting the world’s best players including Kylian Mbappé, but admitted the France international appears destined to join Real Madrid. ESPN reported on Thursday that Mbappé has informed Paris Saint-Germain of his intention to leave the club when his contract expires at the end

Julien Laurens, CorrespondentFeb 15, 2024, 11:55 AM ET Open Extended Reactions Kylian Mbappé has told Paris Saint-Germain he intends to leave the club when his contract expires this summer, sources told ESPN, paving the way for a move to Real Madrid. ESPN reported on Feb. 3 that Mbappé decided to join Madrid this summer —

Jon Arnold Feb 15, 2024, 11:57 AM ET Open Extended Reactions Compared to the summer of 2023, which saw Lionel Messi don the pink jersey of Inter Miami — and what may be coming this summer as MLS continues to be a player in the international transfer market — the 2024 winter transfer window in

Open Extended Reactions Dan Ashworth will be given the responsibility of rebuilding Manchester United‘s scouting department when he becomes the club’s director of football, with Brighton‘s head of recruitment, Sam Jewell, identified as the leading candidate to head up the new structure, sources have told ESPN. United are in talks with Newcastle United in an

Megan Swanick Feb 14, 2024, 09:00 AM ET Open Extended Reactions The 29th season of MLS kicks off in little more than a week with a Feb. 21 meeting between Real Salt Lake and Inter Miami CF. As a new soccer season dawns, the 29 teams open the new year with a clean slate, but

Julien Laurens, CorrespondentFeb 14, 2024, 11:26 AM ET Open Extended Reactions Karim Benzema has been left out of Al Ittihad‘s squad for their AFC Champions League game with Uzbekistani outfit Navbahor on Thursday amid a difficult relationship with his coach Marcelo Gallardo, a source confirmed to ESPN. Gallardo doesn’t consider Benzema fit enough for the

Open Extended Reactions When will Manchester City regret allowing Cole Palmer to join Chelsea: now, in the future or never? It is 192 days since City appeared to have unearthed a gem from their academy, as Palmer came off the bench to curl in an equaliser against Arsenal in August’s Community Shield at Wembley. City

Rob Dawson, CorrespondentFeb 13, 2024, 06:21 PM ET Open Extended Reactions COPENHAGEN, Denmark — It’s possible to have good moments against Manchester City. They can even be beaten over 90 minutes as Wolves, Arsenal, and Aston Villa have already proved this season. But beating Pep Guardiola’s team over two games — with one at the

Feb 13, 2024, 11:00 AM ET Open Extended Reactions Less than two weeks after signing Nigeria‘s Asisat Oshoala, NWSL expansion side Bay FC have completed the transfer of another leading African striker, Zambia‘s Racheal Kundananji. Kundananji, 23, joins on a contract until 2027 with an option to extend through to 2028, from Madrid CFF, where

Graham Hunter, Spain writerFeb 13, 2024, 04:00 AM ET Close Graham Hunter is a Barcelona-based freelance writer for ESPN.com who specializes in La Liga and the Spanish national team. Open Extended Reactions The past few days have added significantly to the overwhelming sense of shock and awe that must have Real Madrid‘s rivals quaking in

Tom Hamilton, Senior WriterFeb 12, 2024, 05:55 PM 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 Enzo Fernandez scored the game-winner as Chelsea overcame an abysmal first half to beat Crystal

Open Extended Reactions Pep Guardiola is a difficult man to read. The Manchester City manager can often betray a sense of false modesty, suggesting that incredible achievements are beyond his team before watching his players do what he had initially said would be impossible. Last season’s treble success was a prime example of that. Perhaps

Lars Sivertsen Feb 12, 2024, 04:00 AM ET Open Extended Reactions Man City’s Champions League opponents FC Copenhagen know how to handle Europe’s biggest clubs, including Man United and Barcelona. How do they do it? Sebastian Widmann – UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images A little over four months ago, a dejected and disgruntled Manchester United team trudged

Ed Dove & Colin Udoh Feb 11, 2024, 07:59 PM ET Open Extended Reactions Ivory Coast have won the Africa Cup of Nations after a 2-1 victory over Nigeria at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, on Sunday. Sébastien Haller scored the winning goal for the hosts in the 81st minute with an

Open Extended Reactions LONDON — Redemption is rarely more emphatic than this. It is a familiar trope of Mikel Arteta’s tenure as Arsenal manager to use past disappointments to fuel future successes, and Sunday’s stunning 6-0 win at West Ham United in the Premier League was a devastating statement of how effective that tool can