Two former U.S. Men's National Team stars have warned Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney not to sign an American player for the sake of it in order to capitalize on Wrexham's growing popularity Stateside. Following Hollywood stars Reynolds and McElhenney's journey as owners of the Welsh soccer team, fans around the globe have tuned in across three series' as Wrexham have gone from National League minnows to Premier League dreamers. “If the good people of Wrexham, who understand TV and understand marketing and understand how to promote things, didn't see it fit to have - at any level - an American, I don't think it's necessary that they have an American now,” Gomez suggested on ESPN FC's Futbol Americas. As for Keller, he added, “To me, it's not about the token American. If that right player happens to be American, fine, no problem. I want to see Wrexham, clearly they have had success - there is no issue of thinking: ‘Hey, would this sell a couple more jerseys in California?' Having recently confirmed their third straight promotion, this time to the Championship via a 3-0 win against Charlton Athletic, Wrexham will soon likely look to add to their already experienced roster ahead of their first season in the second division since 1982. Yet to be linked with any USMNT stars, they have been suggested as a potential landing spot for several other international stars, including Leicester City's Jamie Vardy, Arsenal's Raheem Sterling, Belgium's Kevin De Bruyne, Manchester United's Jonny Evans, and Rangers' Tom Lawrence, according to the Daily Mail. That being said, whoever is ultimately brought in to bolster their team ahead of what will undoubtedly be a tough season, Parkinson has made it crystal clear that they have a “no superstar” policy in place. “I think that a lot of tough decisions will be made this summer, in terms of who we bring in and how we add to this fantastic squad of lads we've got, but let's see if we can build a squad to compete at that level,” he explained, via ESPN. “I think it's interesting because the jump in salaries is incredible, mind-blowing. Even coming up to this level [League One], the jump to get players of Championship quality is expensive but obviously with the next level, I don't think people outside football quite realise. “They think players in League One must be multi-millionaires, but the drop-off from what people read about Premier League players when they come down, is huge. “That is a challenge, but what we've always tried to do is make sure the culture in the club is right and I think that's key - no superstars, no egos in the dressing room and we've got to try and get that balance right again.”
Real Madrid has been left with little to play for this season. They were knocked out of their favorite competition, looking very inferior to Mikel Arteta's side, who won 5-1 on aggregate. There is one Clásico left between the two sides on Sunday 11 May at Montjuic, which looks vital in deciding the champion. This is a new title that the Whites want to add to their trophy cabinet and, as with LaLiga, it has been complicated by the many injuries that the team has suffered. Throughout the season, Real Madrid's infirmary has always had many occupants. Since the start of the season, Dani Carvajal has been out of action with a torn anterior cruciate ligament, torn lateral collateral ligament, and torn popliteal tendon in his right leg, and Eder Militao has suffered a complete tear of the anterior cruciate ligament, affecting both menisci in his right leg. Both players have worked very hard and are nearing the end of their recovery in order to be fit for the World Cup. In the last 48 hours, Rüdiger, Alaba, and Mendy have all undergone surgery. However, it remains to be seen in what condition he will be and whether the excruciating pain he was suffering has improved. On the other hand, Alaba's operation went well and he is expected to be out for 6-8 weeks. The same cannot be said for Ferland Mendy, who has also undergone surgery. Mendy will be out for between 10 and 12 weeks. He will not make it to the Club World Cup. In addition to the injuries, it remains to be seen what will happen with two players whose contracts are expiring, Lucas Vázquez and Luka Modric. There is talk that both have had their contracts extended so that they can play in the Club World Cup regardless of what happens with their contracts afterwards. With a depleted defense ahead of the Club World Cup, Real Madrid has to make decisions. José Félix Díaz has told Marca which players will be promoted to the first team to help out during this competition.
Manchester City cannot get ahead of themselves and need to stay on their toes when they travel to the United States to participate in the Club World Cup between June and July, Pep Guardiola has said. Goals from Rico Lewis and Josko Gvardiol helped Manchester City to a 2-0 win over Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup semi-final as the 2023 treble winners edge closer to an eighth FA Cup title in the club's history. After failing to challenge for the Premier League title for only the second time since Guardiola was appointed manager in 2016, Manchester City can do with every bit of competitive football to earn their spark back ahead of the new campaign. Normally whenever I start a competition for example like the Premier League, never do I start thinking ‘Oh, we are going to win etc',” Guardiola said in an in-house club interview. “So, one step at a time, try to play better than we played in the league, arrive in better conditions everyone and after we see. What's happening today in football, even in domestic leagues, there are different managers, different cultures, different styles and ways to play and of course you play teams from Oceania, Asia, South America.” City take on Wolves in the Premier League this weekend and Guardiola will know the importance of taking one game at a time as his side look to continue their rich vein of form and take one step towards qualification for next season's UEFA Champions League. Guardiola added: “It (Club World Cup) is a new one and that's why its football, right? It's not always the same style, it's different visions, different types of players, that's culture so that's nice.” Manchester City have a big summer ahead and have been allowed by the Premier League to register new signings for a 10-day period between 1-10 June – before they begin their Club World Cup campaign – when they will come up against Wydad AC, Al Ain and Juventus to begin with.
A 5-1 aggregate defeat in the Concacaf Champions Cup semi-final comes after a shock failure to win main domestic title A dejected-looking Lionel Messi walked off the pitch in defeat on Wednesday after his Inter Miami team were exposed in emphatic fashion by a young Vancouver Whitecaps. The 3-1 loss in the second leg of their Concacaf Champions Cup semi-final meant a 5-1 aggregate defeat to the Canadian side and no one who watched the games would question whether the scoreline was a fair reflection of the games. A Miami team built around Messi and ageing former teammates from his Barcelona heyday – Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba – backed up mainly by journeymen players from South America, showed their age against a Whitecaps team that was faster and sharper in all areas. Last year Miami won the Supporters Shield – for the best regular season record in Major League Soccer, with a record-breaking campaign but were surprisingly beaten by Atlanta United in the first round of the MLS Cup play-offs. The 38-year-old Suarez, who like Messi scored 20 goals in MLS last year, now appears totally spent, his legs no longer able to get him in the positions his experience tells him he needs to be. Busquets is a sorry shadow of the outstanding midfielder he once was and Alba, while still an attacking threat, appears to have been given permission to ignore his defensive duties.
Rodri's season-ending injury means he won't be defending the trophy he won in 2024 - so who are the main contenders to succeed the Spaniard? If you thought the days of the Ballon d'Or generating headlines were over after Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo's era of dominance came to an end, then think again. After one of the most closely-fought races for a number of years, Rodri came out on top in 2024, beating Vinicius Jr into second place as Real Madrid dramatically boycotted the ceremony in Paris in protest at their star player missing out. Unfortunately for Rodri, he will be unable to defend his crown in 2025, with the Manchester City midfielder having suffered a season-ending knee injury in September. The door, then, is open for a whole host of players to succeed the Spain star, and the race for the Golden Ball is heating up as we enter the final weeks of the European campaign. The 2024-25 season doesn't have the same international tournaments as its two predecessors, and so the destination of the Ballon d'Or will be decided solely by club performances. That opens it up to all sorts of individuals who might not share the same success with their countries as others, while there is also the prospect of the new-look Club World Cup to consider. So, who are the favourites for the most prestigious individual prize in world football? As always, GOAL is here every step of the way to track the contenders and the pretenders with our Ballon d'Or Power Rankings - check out who is in contention... Players dropped out: Virgil van Dijk, Alexander Isak & Michael Olise.
Spokane is also slated to serve as one of nine fan zone sites across the state, featuring large screens to watch matches streamed live and acting as a local hub for the FIFA World Cup. The organization's CEO Ashley Blake says via email that Spokane has always been a sports town, and the FIFA fan zone will be a great chance to curate lasting memories. "Our organization has a rich history in event execution, and we're looking forward to building an electric atmosphere." Bob Ferguson's desk is House Bill 1515, which will allow local governments to ask the Liquor and Cannabis Board to approve expanded outdoor alcohol service on civic campuses, such as parks, for liquor licensees within their jurisdiction. For Mayor Lisa Brown, it's a natural evolution of what can be done in Spokane, with places like Brick West already offering a large outdoor area for families to enjoy live music, drinks and food. "I go to Brick West every year when my son plays music on the stage. In Olympia, despite a tough biennial budget cycle, legislators also included $100,000 in the state capital budget to make improvements at Gonzaga University's practice field so it can host the team base camp. Alexander Scott, city administrator for Spokane, says all the qualifying national teams need to make their base camp selections by March 2026. He says that national teams may already be scouting without the city knowing. Other qualifying countries are expected to be determined by the fall. For Scott, a dream scenario would be to host one of the nations with a Spokane sister city, such as Japan, South Korea, Italy or Ireland. The international soccer organization has strict requirements for their pitches to have natural grass with a synthetic stitched base. "FIFA technical crews were out here looking at the Gonzaga pitch and signing off on that," Scott says. Looking at past World Cups, Scott believes that there would be some collaboration for event planning between the national team that opts to stay here and the city. "The public would possibly be invited to attend an open practice, or they might put on clinics for youth," Scott says. She says that even with the current issues around immigration, Spokane can be a connector of different cultures and languages united through soccer. "Soccer — there's just something about it as an international sport that I think connects us to the world in a positive way, and I think we need that right now," Brown says. The Seattle FIFA World Cup organizing committee is excited to have Spokane on board. "Spokane's fan zone is an incredible opportunity to bring the energy of the FIFA World Cup to Eastern Washington," says Hana Tadesse, vice president of communications for Seattle's FIFA World Cup committee. The original print version of this article was headlined "International Invite" More on the Spokesman-Review's plans to go nonprofit, including maintaining subscriptions and ads while asking for donors Drones help with everything from real estate photography to protecting crops and tracking pygmy rabbits across the Inland Northwest Nonpartisan and historically quiet races in Idaho's May election are contested this year Drones help with everything from real estate photography to protecting crops and tracking pygmy rabbits across the Inland Northwest Spokane's mayor proposes using traffic camera ticket funds to pay for police It's not just humans — dogs in Spokane are also overdosing on drugs Drones help with everything from real estate photography to protecting crops and tracking pygmy rabbits across the Inland Northwest Idaho doctor says the measles vaccine's success may strangely be contributing to a U.S. comeback As political polarization deepens, the North Idaho Kindness Project promotes positive connections
Bayern Munich have one hand on the league title with three games left to play. One more win, and the trophy is guaranteed to be in the possession of Die Roten. Apart from the current squad, Bayern Munich will also showcase some young talents from the academy. Jonah Kusi-Asare, Wisdom Mike, and Lennart Karl are all expected to have minutes in the tournament. Bayern fans are also looking forward to the highly anticipated debut of another young star in the summer transfer, Tom Bischof from TSG Hoffenheim. However, Bayern Munich are in negotiations with Hoffenheim to release Bischof ahead of schedule. While talking to Sky Sports (via iMiaSanMia), Hoffenheim director Andreas Schicker has shown great willingness to let Tom Bischof join Bayern early. Tom Bischof has enjoyed a breakout campaign this year. He tallied six goals and three assists across all competitions. Bayern have managed to scoop up Germany's top midfield talent for a price of $0 (€0 for our European readers). And, hopefully, his legacy in red and white will all start at the FIFA Club World Cup in the coming months. According to TyC Sports, Bayern Munich are having links with Independiente's midfielder Filipe Loyola. The expected fee for this deal might fall around €15-20 million. Bayern are considered to be serious about the move and are in the advanced phase. The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER.
To make sure you never miss out on your favourite NEW stories, we're happy to send you some reminders An abandoned World Cup stadium that cost $55 million to build was sold for 'less than a house' and slammed by a former England manager. Five stadiums across America hosted games, including the Pontiac Silverdome in Detroit, Michigan. The Silverdome, an 80,300-seat stadium, cost $55 million to build in 1975 and when it opened, it featured a fiberglass fabric roof held up by air pressure - the first use of the architectural technique in a major athletic facility. Germany beat England 2-1 in a fixture that was contested indoors and had no uncertainties. "The beauty of football is its uncertainties," he explained. Weather and climate play a part in our game. I wonder, when I look at a stadium like this: Is it taking away some of the uncertainties and beauty of the game?" Both teams practiced on the 14,000 square feet of hybrid grass that hosted four games at the 1994 World Cup. Roger Faulkner, president of the Michigan World Cup Host Committee, said: "People are going to be out there looking for divots with microscopes. But if you look at Soldier Field (where USA and Germany played) after the game, I'm sure there were hundreds of them." He graduated from Bath Spa University with a BA in Media Communications. Nasir has covered some of the biggest fights, while interviewing the likes of Conor McGregor, Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury and Darren Till. He's also an avid Bristol City fan.
The 13th edition of the popular tournament will kick off on May 1 with high expectations, as this promises to be a delightful dish mixed with skill, spirit, and hot drama on sand. WATCH:2025 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup LIVE on Fubo WATCH:2025 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup LIVE on Fubo This edition's tournament has 16 participating nations from all over, South America, Europe, and the recently high repute of Africa, bringing mesmerizing entertainment. Brazil is the defending champion, as they have won six titles more than any other team, and they will once again start as the team to beat. However, they will be challenged by European giants like Portugal and Italy, who are also hungry to upend the status quo and steal the limelight in Seychelles. The Sporting News has everything to know to tune in, including the schedule, bracket and TV channels for every match. In the U.S., fans can catch the tournament action in English on Fox's family of networks and streaming services, while Spanish-language coverage will be handled by NBC Universo. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Neeraj Sharma is a content producer at The Sporting News, driven by a passion for crafting engaging and informative articles. Before landing at TSN, he sharpened his craft as a preview, opinion, and analysis writer for an online fan blog and served as a sports reporter for his college magazine.
A new format and building familiarity before the FIFA world cup are major motivating factors says Kane. Bayern Munich and England striker Harry Kane is pumped for the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup. The month long tournament will be taking place in the USA from mid June to mid July. Yes, the fixture loaded tournament will be taking place in the break season. It however does bring its benefits, namely, to build familiarity with the conditions and crowds for the international World Cup set to happen in 2026. Who doesn't love more football? Striker Harry Kane shares the excitement of the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup. A World cup style tournament but for clubs from all over the world is as global as club football can get. Also, there is the factor that the actual 2026 FIFA World Cup( in which the countries play) will take place in USA. He said “ I think it's going to be great. The Club World Cup is going to be unique, playing this type of major tournament with your club is different to what's been done in the past, but I think it's going to be a good experience. Going out to the U.S., as well, a year before the World Cup itself will be a great chance to get to know some of the stadiums and get to know the fans out there. I'm very much looking forward to it.” While it is great to have more football, the welfare of the players is not to be taken lightly. Check your inbox for a welcome email. Please enter a valid email and try again. 21+ (18+ D.C.) and present in select states (for KS, in affiliation with Kansas Star Casino).
A new format and building familiarity before the FIFA world cup are major motivating factors says Kane. Bayern Munich and England striker Harry Kane is pumped for the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup. The month long tournament will be taking place in the USA from mid June to mid July. Yes, the fixture loaded tournament will be taking place in the break season. It however does bring its benefits, namely, to build familiarity with the conditions and crowds for the international World Cup set to happen in 2026. Who doesn't love more football? Striker Harry Kane shares the excitement of the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup. A World cup style tournament but for clubs from all over the world is as global as club football can get. Also, there is the factor that the actual 2026 FIFA World Cup( in which the countries play) will take place in USA. He said “ I think it's going to be great. The Club World Cup is going to be unique, playing this type of major tournament with your club is different to what's been done in the past, but I think it's going to be a good experience. Going out to the U.S., as well, a year before the World Cup itself will be a great chance to get to know some of the stadiums and get to know the fans out there. I'm very much looking forward to it.” While it is great to have more football, the welfare of the players is not to be taken lightly. Check your inbox for a welcome email. Please enter a valid email and try again. 21+ (18+ D.C.) and present in select states (for KS, in affiliation with Kansas Star Casino).