Soccer

Former US players Lalas and Holden think USSF should contact Guardiola about becoming American coach

Ronald Blum, The Associated Press 3 minute read Yesterday at 3:13 PM CDT

NEW YORK (AP) — Former players Alexi Lalas and Stu Holden along with fellow Fox broadcasters Rebecca Lowe and Rob Stone all think the U.S. Soccer Federation should contact Pep Guardiola about taking over as the American national team's coach after the World Cup.

“Pep would be a wonderful hire. He’s a visionary. He’s one of the best coaches that’s ever coached in this game,” Holden said Thursday at an event to promote Fox’s World Cup coverage.

Guardiola is expected to leave Manchester City after Sunday’s finale of his 10th season as manager.

Mauricio Pochettino, the former Tottenham manager who took over the U.S. team from Gregg Berhalter in late 2024, has a contract through the World Cup and has said he isn’t sure whether he would be interested in a new U.S. deal.

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Soccer

Mexico launches a last-minute World Cup campaign to stop a homophobic chant

Carlos Rodriguez, The Associated Press 3 minute read Preview

Mexico launches a last-minute World Cup campaign to stop a homophobic chant

Carlos Rodriguez, The Associated Press 3 minute read Yesterday at 6:28 PM CDT

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Less than a month before the start of the 2026 World Cup, the Mexican Football Federation announced on Thursday a new advertising campaign that seeks to prevent its fans from using a chant considered homophobic during the tournament.

The chant, that has been an unwelcome feature at matches involving Mexico and its fervent fans for two decades, has resurfaced strongly in recent weeks, including the Liga MX playoffs matches held just last weekend.

The name of the advertising campaign launched by the Mexican Federation is “The Wave Yes, The Chant No” and it features former Mexican national team players from the 1986 World Cup.

Mexican Wave dates to 1986

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Yesterday at 6:28 PM CDT

Arts & Entertainment

Fox Sports hosts, from left, Rob Stone and Rebecca Lowe, and former player/analysts Alexi Lalas, Stu Holden and Javier Hernandez listen as Fox Sports' vice president of production Zac Kenworthy speaks during a World Cup soccer new conference, Thursday, May 21, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Ronald Blum)

Alexi Lalas says US players citing World Cup pressure are a ‘bunch of whiners’

Ronald Blum, The Associated Press 5 minute read Preview

Alexi Lalas says US players citing World Cup pressure are a ‘bunch of whiners’

Ronald Blum, The Associated Press 5 minute read Updated: Yesterday at 5:49 PM CDT

NEW YORK (AP) — Alexi Lalas doesn't want to hear U.S. players citing pressure ahead of playing in a World Cup at home and says Christian Pulisic, the top American, is “never going to be the leader.”

“Cry me a river, OK, when it comes to the pressure. Bunch of whiners, that they’re whining about the pressure,” Lalas said Thursday at a Fox event to promote its World Cup coverage.

Lalas, 55, played for the U.S. when it hosted the 1994 World Cup and has been Fox's top soccer analyst since late 2014.

American players, hoping to reach the quarterfinals for the first time since 2002, haven't complained about pressure but have said it exists.

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Updated: Yesterday at 5:49 PM CDT

Soccer

Towering statue of Pelé unveiled in Guadalajara ahead of the World Cup

The Associated Press 2 minute read Preview

Towering statue of Pelé unveiled in Guadalajara ahead of the World Cup

The Associated Press 2 minute read Yesterday at 5:19 PM CDT

GUADALAJARA, México (AP) — A large statue of soccer great Pelé was unveiled Thursday in the Mexican city of Guadalajara to commemorate his achievements with the Brazilian national team.

Pelé, who died at age 82 in 2022, won one of his three World Cup titles in Mexico at the 1970 edition of the tournament.

"This monumental figure of this great player, who played here and scored a great goal, is a great gift to the people of Jalisco and to all visitors,” Jalisco Gov. Pablo Lemus said. “Pelé loved Guadalajara, and the Brazilian national team fell in love with it because the Mexican public gave them everything in 1970.”

The 9.5-meter-tall (31-foot) statue is located in a public square called Plaza Brazil outside the Jalisco Stadium, which hosted matches in the 1970 and 1986 World Cups. For its 1970 title run, Brazil played its first-round, quarterfinal, and semifinal matches at the stadium before beating Italy in the final at Azteca Stadium in Mexico City.

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Yesterday at 5:19 PM CDT

Soccer

FILE - Al Nassr's Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates after scoring at the King Saud University Stadium, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Jan. 19, 2023. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla, file)

Ronaldo ends Saudi trophy drought with 2 goals in Al-Nassr’s win to clinch league title

The Associated Press 2 minute read Preview

Ronaldo ends Saudi trophy drought with 2 goals in Al-Nassr’s win to clinch league title

The Associated Press 2 minute read Updated: Yesterday at 8:30 PM CDT

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Cristiano Ronaldo has finally won a major trophy with Al-Nassr.

The 41-year-old Portugal star scored twice in a 4-1 win over Damac to help Al-Nassr clinch the Saudi Pro League title Thursday. It's the team's first major trophy since Ronaldo joined more than three years ago.

After the trophy presentations, Ronaldo posted a social media video of himself and the team with the notation: “It means so much to us.” It also included the words “Yalla Nassr,” which when translated from Arabic means “Come on, Al Nassr!” and is a popular cheer used by the team's fans.

Ronaldo lifted the trophy just two days after being named in Portugal’s roster for the World Cup, which would mark a record sixth appearance at the tournament.

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Updated: Yesterday at 8:30 PM CDT

Soccer

Eriksen on verge of relegation with Wolfsburg after 0-0 playoff draw with second-division Paderborn

The Associated Press 3 minute read Preview

Eriksen on verge of relegation with Wolfsburg after 0-0 playoff draw with second-division Paderborn

The Associated Press 3 minute read Yesterday at 3:56 PM CDT

WOLFSBURG, Germany (AP) — Christian Eriksen is one game away from Bundesliga relegation with Wolfsburg after a scoreless draw with second-division Paderborn in the first leg of their playoff on Thursday.

Eriksen, who signed a two-year deal when he joined Wolfsburg in September, likely didn’t imagine he’d find himself on the verge of demotion to Germany’s second division at the end of his first season.

But if Paderborn wins the second leg of their promotion/relegation playoff at home on Monday, Wolfsburg — the 2009 Bundesliga champion — would drop a division for the first time since it was promoted to the top tier in 1997.

Paderborn is bidding to return to the Bundesliga after it was relegated in 2020 after one season in the top flight.

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Yesterday at 3:56 PM CDT

Soccer

US defender Chris Richards has ankle ligament damage ahead of World Cup

The Associated Press 2 minute read Preview

US defender Chris Richards has ankle ligament damage ahead of World Cup

The Associated Press 2 minute read Yesterday at 3:47 PM CDT

LONDON (AP) — United States center back Chris Richards tore ligaments in his ankle, Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner said Thursday, three weeks before the start of the World Cup.

The 26-year-old Richards went down in the second half of Palace’s 2-2 draw with Brentford on Sunday in the Premier League. He could return for the UEFA Conference League final next Wednesday against Rayo Vallecano in Leipzig.

“He tore, I think, two ligaments in his ankle,” Glasner said Thursday after confirming that Richards would sit out Sunday’s season finale against Arsenal. “It’s now 50-50 for him, for us that he can play the (Conference League) final.”

The injury will be a concern for US coach Mauricio Pochettino, who is days away from announcing his World Cup squad.

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Yesterday at 3:47 PM CDT

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Soccer

Harry Maguire ‘shocked and gutted’ to be left out of England’s World Cup squad

James Robson, The Associated Press 2 minute read Yesterday at 11:56 AM CDT

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Manchester United defender Harry Maguire has been left out of England's squad for this year's World Cup.

The 33-year-old center back confirmed in a social media post Thursday that he is not part of Thomas Tuchel's roster for the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico, saying he was “shocked and gutted” by the decision.

Tuchel is set to confirm his squad on Friday.

Maguire helped England reach the World Cup semifinals in 2018 and the final of the 2020 European Championship. He was also in the England team that reached the quarterfinals of the last World Cup in Qatar. Injury ruled him out of Euro 2024.

Soccer

Canada’s women’s soccer squad to visit Costa Rica for friendly in June

The Canadian Press 2 minute read Preview

Canada’s women’s soccer squad to visit Costa Rica for friendly in June

The Canadian Press 2 minute read Yesterday at 11:56 AM CDT

Canada's women's soccer team will face Costa Rica in a friendly game next month.

The ninth-ranked Canadians will head to San Jose, Costa Rica, for a training camp on May 31, then take on the host nation in Cartago on June 9.

Head coach Casey Stoney says in a release that the window will give the group an "opportunity to spend valuable time together on the pitch and continue building on the work we've done to date."

The game will mark the 19th meeting between the national squads, and Canada holds an 18-0- 0 record across the previous matchups.

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Yesterday at 11:56 AM CDT

Soccer

New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, alongside NYC World Cup Czar Maya Handa, NYC World Cup Czar, left, and New York council member Yusef Salaam, makes a World Cup soccer tournament announcement at Harlem Tavern, Thursday, May 21, 2026 in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Gray)

New York City residents will get a chance to purchase $50 World Cup tickets

Philip Marcelo, The Associated Press 3 minute read Preview

New York City residents will get a chance to purchase $50 World Cup tickets

Philip Marcelo, The Associated Press 3 minute read Updated: Yesterday at 11:41 AM CDT

NEW YORK (AP) — Some lucky New York City residents will soon get a chance to snag cheap seats to this summer’s high-priced World Cup.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced Thursday that 1,000 tickets costing $50 will be made available to residents of the city of more than 8 million for the most watched sporting event in the world.

“To put that into perspective, that is five lattes in New York City,” Mamdani quipped from a bar in Harlem’s Little Senegal neighborhood alongside U.S. men’s national team forward Timothy Weah.

About 150 tickets per game will be made available for seven of the eight matches played at the roughly 82,000-seat MetLife Stadium, located across the river from Manhattan in New Jersey. The lone exception is the high demand July 19 final, where some seats now cost nearly $33,000.

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Updated: Yesterday at 11:41 AM CDT

Soccer

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta smiles during a press conference in London, Thursday May 21, 2026. (Gareth Fuller/PA via AP)

Arteta chose to barbecue rather than watch the game that sealed the Premier League title for Arsenal

Steve Douglas, The Associated Press 3 minute read Preview

Arteta chose to barbecue rather than watch the game that sealed the Premier League title for Arsenal

Steve Douglas, The Associated Press 3 minute read Yesterday at 10:29 AM CDT

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta decided to make a barbecue rather than watch the match that clinched his team the Premier League title.

Arteta was due to watch the Bournemouth-Manchester City game with Arsenal's players and coaching staff at the club's London Colney training base on Tuesday evening, but he left before kickoff because “I couldn’t bring the energy that I wanted.”

Instead, he went home and started to grill in his yard, only “hearing some noises in the background” as second-place City could only draw 1-1 to leave Arsenal as English champion for the first time since 2004.

“My oldest son opened the garden door,” Arteta said, describing the moment he discovered Arsenal had won the title. "He started to run towards me, he started to cry, he gave me a hug and said, ‘We are champions, daddy.’

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Yesterday at 10:29 AM CDT

Soccer

Union Berlin appoints Lustrinelli as coach after his success with Swiss team Thun

Ciarán Fahey, The Associated Press 3 minute read Preview

Union Berlin appoints Lustrinelli as coach after his success with Swiss team Thun

Ciarán Fahey, The Associated Press 3 minute read Yesterday at 10:03 AM CDT

BERLIN (AP) — Union Berlin has appointed Mauro Lustrinelli — a man — as the successor to Marie-Louise Eta, the Bundesliga’s first female head coach.

Lustrinelli, who led unheralded Thun to the Swiss championship a year after leading it to promotion, agreed to take over at Union for next season, the club announced on Thursday without divulging the length of his contract.

“The 50-year-old Swiss brings international experience as well as a clear, development-oriented playing philosophy with him,” Union said in a statement.

Lustrinelli takes over from Eta, who succeeded in ensuring Union’s Bundesliga survival after she took over the team from the fired Steffan Baumgart in April. Eta was appointed on an interim basis for Union’s last five games of the season. After starting with two defeats, her team earned a draw and finished with two wins and ultimately placed 11th in the 18-team Bundesliga.

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Yesterday at 10:03 AM CDT

Soccer

Midfielder Hložek returns from injury in Czech Republic’s preliminary World Cup squad

The Associated Press 3 minute read Preview

Midfielder Hložek returns from injury in Czech Republic’s preliminary World Cup squad

The Associated Press 3 minute read Yesterday at 7:17 AM CDT

PRAGUE (AP) — Attacking midfielder Adam Hložek of Hoffenheim has recovered from a long-term injury to be included in the preliminary Czech Republic squad for the World Cup on Thursday.

Hložek missed most of the season due to calf and foot injuries but has been fit, said coach Miroslav Koubek, who wants to test him in warmup games.

Hložek last played for the national team last June in World Cup qualifying. The 23-year-old has played 41 international games, scoring four times.

Koubek named three newcomers in the 29-man squad, including 17-year-old Sparta Prague midfielder Huga Sochůrek, Viktoria Plzeň midfielder Alexandr Sojka and Mladá Boleslav forward Christophe Kabongo.

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Yesterday at 7:17 AM CDT

Soccer

La Liga finishes with relegation and European berths in play

Joseph Wilson, The Associated Press 4 minute read Preview

La Liga finishes with relegation and European berths in play

Joseph Wilson, The Associated Press 4 minute read Yesterday at 6:58 AM CDT

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — The final day of La Liga promises drama with more than half the teams either eyeing the prize of playing in Europe or locked in a desperate fight to avoid relegation.

After 37 rounds, a tightly packed table has five teams still with a chance of classifying for the Europa League or Conference League, as well as six clubs in danger of going down on the final day.

Celta Vigo is Europe-bound but can end up either in the second-tier Europa League or the third-tier Conference League.

Getafe is likewise in the running for either competition, but it could just as easily be left empty-handed with Rayo Vallecano, Valencia and Espanyol each with a shot at snatching the Conference League berth.

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Yesterday at 6:58 AM CDT

Soccer

Masked man: Milan’s Champions League push gets unexpected boost from Modric in Serie A finale

Daniella Matar, The Associated Press 4 minute read Preview

Masked man: Milan’s Champions League push gets unexpected boost from Modric in Serie A finale

Daniella Matar, The Associated Press 4 minute read Yesterday at 6:32 AM CDT

MILAN (AP) — AC Milan will be looking to a masked superhero as the battle for the Champions League spots goes down to the last day in Serie A.

Four teams still have hopes of snatching the last two qualifying places among Europe’s elite.

Milan and Roma are in pole position as they occupy the third and fourth spots. They are level on points, two above Como and Juventus.

Milan hosts Cagliari, which has little to play for but pride, and Luka Modric could make a surprise return less than a month after undergoing surgery on a broken cheekbone.

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Yesterday at 6:32 AM CDT

Soccer

Germany recalls veteran goalie Manuel Neuer out of retirement for World Cup

Ciarán Fahey, The Associated Press 5 minute read Preview

Germany recalls veteran goalie Manuel Neuer out of retirement for World Cup

Ciarán Fahey, The Associated Press 5 minute read Updated: Yesterday at 7:20 AM CDT

BERLIN (AP) — Veteran goalkeeper Manuel Neuer has been coaxed out of retirement for the World Cup by Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann.

The 40-year-old Neuer retired after the 2024 European Championship but was included in Nagelsmann’s 26-man squad on Thursday for the upcoming tournament in Canada, Mexico and the United States.

His inclusion means a demotion for Hoffenheim goalkeeper Oliver Baumann, who was assured he was the No. 1 until reports emerged in recent weeks that Nagelsmann was thinking about a Neuer recall. Up to last week, Baumann was saying his “current understanding” was that he’d be the starting goalkeeper at the World Cup.

“We told Oli in March that we had a meeting with Manu,” said Nagelsmann, who acknowledged Neuer's return was “a blow” for the 35-year-old Baumann.

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Updated: Yesterday at 7:20 AM CDT

May 22, 2026

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