Soccer, the world’s most popular sport, involves two teams competing to score goals by kicking a ball into the opponent’s net. It’s a thrilling game of skill, strategy, and teamwork.
MARIETTA, Ga. — As he settled into his podium seat for Monday’s packed pre-match press conference inside Atlanta United’s sprawling and pristine training facility, U.S. men’s national team coach Mauricio Pochettino cut a businesslike figure. (Photo by Omar Vega/Getty Images) The Argentine answered the first dozen or so questions matter-of-factly, displaying little sign of the…
Italy are World Cup royalty. Only five-time winners Brazil have been crowned champions on more occasions than the Azzurri (four). And yet it’s now 20 years since Italy last lifted the trophy. Worse still, they’ve failed to qualify for the past two tournaments, meaning there’s an entire generation that have never seen their country even…
MARIETTA, Georgia — Chris Richards knew the question was coming. And when he heard it, he smiled. “Tell us about your knee — what’s going on there?” a reporter asked Monday ahead of the U.S. men’s national team’s training session. The Crystal Palace center back missed Saturday’s 5-2 defeat to Belgium because of a knee…
Deniz Undav turned up the pressure on Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann to select him for the World Cup after he scored the 2-1 winner against Ghana on Monday to back up strong club form. Undav hadn’t played for Germany since June but seven goals in his last six Bundesliga games helped him earn a recall….
Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta) — Walking the streets of Georgia’s stately capital on Saturday, shortly before the United States men’s national team’s World Cup warm-up against Belgium, the excitement among the home team’s fans was palpable. Under a cloudless sky, supporters of all ages wore those swanky new USA jerseys and ear-to-ear smiles. Inside “The Benz,”…
Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta) — The final score of the U.S. men’s national team game on Saturday, a 5-2 defeat to Belgium, wasn’t the only thing everyone was talking about. You couldn’t tell which team was which on the pitch because of similar jersey colors between the two sides. It made following the game a challenge…
Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta) — Christian Pulisic wants this responsibility. The one that requires him to carry the pressure weighing on the U.S. men’s national team as it embarks on what is expected to be a historic World Cup on home soil this summer. Pulisic, 27, has been in the senior national team for 10 years….
Igor Tudor has been sacked by Tottenham after just seven games across 44 days at the helm, with his forgettable spell as interim boss being brought to a close. The former Juventus and Marseille manager was appointed by Spurs on February 13 as successor to Thomas Frank, but has been moved on with the threat…
Alexi Lalas doesn’t want the United States men’s national team to brush aside goalkeeper Matt Turner’s performance in its 5-2 loss to Belgium in Saturday’s friendly. With the World Cup just over two months away, Lalas believes Turner’s outing on Saturday was devastating enough that it should cost him the opportunity to compete for the…
Senegal’s national team stars have made a defiant statement by parading the Africa Cup of Nations trophy in front of a sold-out crowd at the Stade de France. Despite a recent ruling that officially stripped them of their continental crown, the Lions of Teranga clearly still consider themselves the rightful champions of Africa. Defiant scenes…
