Herc Gomez questions whether USMNT head coach Maurico Pochettino is the right man to take over at Real Madrid (0:55) Mauricio Pochettino refused to rule out a move to Real Madrid on Tuesday, after ESPN reported that the United States men's national team coach was on the club's shortlist to take charge this summer. Pochettino, 54, is preparing to lead the USMNT into the 2026 World Cup, having been appointed in August 2024, after a career which has seen him manage Tottenham Hotspur, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea. Pochettino will reportedly attend Atlético Madrid's Champions League round-of-16 first leg with Tottenham on Tuesday where he will potentially get a chance to see U.S. midfielder Johnny Cardoso in action. His contract with the USMNT is due to expire after this summer's World Cup. ESPN reported on Monday that Madrid are looking at coaching options, after Arbeloa -- who took over from predecessor Xabi Alonso in January -- failed to spark the hoped-for turnaround in the team. Arbeloa had been in charge of Madrid's reserve team, Castilla, and some sources told ESPN that he was not viewed as a long-term option as first-team coach, with one source suggesting he could remain at the club in a different role. Pochettino is highly regarded by president Florentino Pérez, sources said, having been previously mentioned as a candidate in 2019, after he took Spurs to the Champions League final. Pochettino also worked with Madrid star Kylian Mbappé for two seasons at Paris Saint-Germain, winning three trophies. Jürgen Klopp, Unai Emery and Massimiliano Allegri have also been linked with Madrid in the Spanish media in recent weeks, as well as former coach Zinedine Zidane.

Members of Play Fair ATL, a coalition of labor, housing, immigration, and criminal justice groups, say the city's newly released ATL26 Human Rights Action Plan lacks meaningful protections for residents and workers as Atlanta prepares to host the global soccer tournament. "We repeatedly submitted detailed feedback and recommendations, and it was never meaningfully addressed," said Michael Collins, director of Play Fair ATL. City leaders say the framework is designed to ensure the event reflects Atlanta's values of inclusion, fairness and human dignity. "Atlanta is honored to welcome the world," Dickens said. "Hosting an event of this global scale brings both opportunity and responsibility." City officials say the plan focuses on four key areas: inclusion and safeguarding, workers' rights, accountability and access to remedies for those who believe their rights were violated. The framework also includes initiatives such as career training programs, accessibility improvements, human trafficking prevention efforts, and a $17.50 hourly baseline wage for FIFA-related employment coordinated by the city. Officials say the plan was developed through more than 75 hours of community engagement involving more than 25 organizations and will be tracked through quarterly public reports. But Collins disputes that, saying his coalition, which represents about 30 community organizations, was not meaningfully included in the process. "Groups were ignored and not properly consulted, even though FIFA requires host cities to work with community stakeholders when developing these plans." Play Fair ATL formed to push for policies aimed at protecting residents as Atlanta prepares to host World Cup matches. The group's platform calls for stronger housing protections, worker rights safeguards, criminal justice reforms, and immigrant protections tied to the event. Collins said advocates are particularly concerned about issues such as housing displacement, labor protections, and policing during the tournament. He pointed to concerns that past mega-events, including the 1996 Summer Olympics, led to the displacement of unhoused residents and increased policing in Atlanta. "We don't want the World Cup to repeat those mistakes," Collins said. Collins also criticized what he described as a lack of enforcement mechanisms in the current plan. There are no accountability mechanisms on issues such as housing. It's a completely vacuous document that doesn't actually do anything, and again, it represents a missed opportunity, because we put out this policy platform in December," Collins said. We offered, you know, countless opportunities to sit down with the city. We did sit down with the city and talk to them about these issues, but they've just come back with a plan that, you know, feels like we might as well not have engaged with them at all." He said some council members have shown interest in advancing legislation aimed at protecting workers, renters and immigrants ahead of the tournament. And you know, it's just embarrassing that Atlanta is lagging behind ... Atlanta is one of several U.S. cities selected to host matches during the 2026 World Cup, which will take place across the United States, Canada and Mexico. Collins said advocates want to ensure the benefits reach residents, not just corporations or event organizers. They want Atlanta to be a model for how to host a global event the right way, which, to them, means making sure the people who live here actually benefit from it.

New York City FC Academy phenom Loradana Paletta made the United States U-17 roster for this month's U-17 Women's World Cup qualifying tournament for the Concacaf region. Whitham is the only active professional player called up by United States U-17 coach Ciara Crinion as part of her 21-player squad, which you can see in full below. This final stage of Concacaf qualifying takes place in Costa Rica and will be exclusively held at the Costa Rican Football Federation's headquarters in San Rafael, Alajuela. The United States plays Bermuda, Haiti and Puerto Rico while competing in Group B, and will need to finish at minimum 2nd Place in their group if they want to reach the U-17 Women's World Cup scheduled for set for this October and November in Morocco. Paletta and Whitham are two of the three most-experienced U-17 players on this United States roster. They were both involved in U-17 matches held last year, with Paletta earning eight caps and scoring three goals, while Whitham has five caps and two goals. Whitham also played in the 2024 U-17 Women's World Cup and scored a goal there against Norway. The United States U-17s will travel to Houston for a four-day training camp before heading to Costa Rica for the final round of qualifying. Their match schedule begins when they face Bermuda on March 17 at 2:30 pm ET. They then play Haiti on March 19 at 5:00 pm ET, then close out their group games by facing Puerto Rico at 2:06 pm ET on March 22. She has drawn lots and lots of headlines during her time developing inside the NYCFC Academy, notable for being the only girl on the NYCFC U-15 boys' team, and for being signed to a name, image, and likeness deal by soccer brand LOTTO. Perhaps the combined powers of these two teen New York soccer phenoms will be enough to propel the United States to another U-17 World Cup. The 16-year-old central midfielder signed to NYCFC II is one of 21 players trying to help the United States qualify for this November's U-17 World Cup in Qatar. Welcome to the first Hudson River Blue Gallery, featuring photographs by Oscar Gamez of New York City FC's decisive 5-0 win over Orlando City at Yankee Stadium. Maxi Moralez is your Player of the Match for his one goal, two-assist performance. The USWNT won their record eighth SheBelieves Cup with a massive strike from 21-year-old Alyssa Thompson, who is proving to be one of the squad's most consistently dangerous players.

England defender Kyle Walker has announced his retirement from international football ahead of this summer's World Cup. Walker represented his country at the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, as well as in three consecutive European Championships, in 2016, 2021 and 2024. Walker made his senior debut in November 2011 against Spain at Wembley during the reign of Fabio Capello, and also won caps under Roy Hodgson, Southgate, Lee Carsley, and current head coach Thomas Tuchel. His final game was the 3-1 friendly defeat to Senegal in June 2025. The former Manchester City, Milan, Tottenham Hotspur and Sheffield United defender said he was "sad to be making this decision, but ... also very proud of what I've achieved with England", and believes Southgate's groundbreaking squad helped to shift perceptions of the national team. “We've tried to change the way that people look at English football, we've tried to change the way that the media looks at football and we've tried to take a little bit of the pressure off that you feel playing for England," he told England's official website. Tuchel, who did not name Walker in any of his three squads over Autumn 2025, described him as an "England great". The German coach said: "I know all England fans will join me in congratulating Kyle on an incredible international career. Although I only worked with him for a short period of time, I was always aware that he was one of England's greats who fully embraced the highest honour of representing his country. “An international career spanning 14 years and five major tournament is testament to Kyle's dedication. Walker featured as both a right-back and centre-half for England, and retires having scored one international goal, the equaliser in a 1-1 European Championship qualifying draw with Ukraine in 2023. The FA said a tribute to Walker's international career will be made at an England fixture after the summer.

While just 19 years of age, the Hawaiian born defender has earned a regular starting spot in the Bundesliga and even received a call-up to the U.S. Men's National Team last September, an indication that he had placed himself on Mauricio Pochettino's radar for a potential spot on the World Cup roster. However, in a recent interview with Sky Sports Germany, Banks threw some cold water on that notion declaring himself to be “very torn” regarding his nationality. Despite being born in the United States and playing for the U.S. at various youth levels, Banks is still eligible to play for German National Team should they want him (Banks' father is American and his mother is German). “Noahkai Banks is an interesting one because he was born in America, but he grew up in Germany,” noted Landon Donovan on the most recent episode of Unfiltered Soccer, a podcast which he co-hosts alongside former U.S. teammate, Tim Howard. “So, my guess is – and again, I'm just guessing – that he feels more connected to Germany, right? Donovan himself has firsthand experience with the decision-making dilemma of being a dual-national player. Except for him, there was no dilemma to the decision at all. For Donovan, the decision may have been an easy one due in part to the fact that U.S. Soccer was seen as the stronger footballing nation and that he grew up in California. But as Howard pointed out, in the past, other dual nationals have chosen the U.S not necessarily based on “feeling American” but because it was their only pathway to international soccer. The global contest to land commitments from dual-national soccer players has created international recruitment battles similar to that of which we see here in American college sports. In an appearance on Unfiltered Soccer, he recalled other nations making promises to players that they may not have been prepared to keep and thus influencing that player's decision-making process. “We've ran into a few different times that the other national team is promising something to these kids. “Provide the pathway and then help them answer any questions but never guarantee a player anything.” “I swear on my life, I would have cut off my hand to play for our national team and most people would. But really, you need to dig deep and say ‘okay who do I really want to play for? New episodes of “Unfiltered Soccer” drop every Tuesday. Follow the show @UnfilteredSoccer on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and Facebook for bonus content.

Chelsea travel to PSG on Wednesday for a mouthwatering first leg of their UEFA Champions League last 16 tie. Liam Rosenior's young side will be up against it when they face the reigning European champs but Chelsea do have the advantage of knowing they can beat PSG, as they did it in the FIFA Club World Cup final in New Jersey back in July. Cole Palmer inspired that win and after injury he's almost back to his best as Chelsea aim to finish the season with a flourish in two cup competitions and seal their spot in the top four of the Premier League. PSG once again sit top of the table in Ligue 1 but it has been far from smooth sailing for Luis Enrique's side this season. They are just one point ahead of second place Lens in the French top-light and are in a real scrap for the title. They have also been sluggish in the Champions League and had to go through the playoff round, where they just edged past Monaco 5-4 on aggregate. Ousmane Dembele's injury issues have hit them hard, but there is still so much quality in this PSG side. Kick off time: 4pm ET (March 11)Venue: Parc des Princes — Paris, FranceTV Channel/Streaming: Paramount+ Fabian Ruiz is out with an injury and he is the driving force of their midfield, while Joao Neves has been struggling with injury but should be back. It is hoped that star forward Ousmane Dembele could be fit to return for this game too and that would be a massive boost. Defensively PSG have struggled this season as goalkeeper Matvey Safonov has come in for Lucas Chevalier. The Blues have become a bit more pragmatic under Rosenior and they will need to dig in and defend extremely well to keep this tie alive after the first leg. Palmer, Pedro Neto and Joao Pedro have been excellent in attack and Chelsea know that if PSG make similar defensive mistakes like they have recently, they will take advantage of it. Rosenior will look to keep it tight and give Chelsea a chance in the second leg at Stamford Bridge. Andrey Santos and Moises Caicedo will be extremely important to shield this Chelsea defense. This is a really tough one to call because both teams are capable of the sublime but have made big mistakes.

New Jersey will be well represented when the National Women's Soccer League's 2026 season begins on March 13. Of the 15 players with ties to New Jersey, three are in Seattle: Brittany Ratcliffe from Williamstown, Rutgers grad Emily Mason of Flemington, and Princeton alumna Madison Curry. Defending NWSL champion Gotham FC, however, whose front office is on the Jersey City waterfront and shares the Red Bulls' training facility in Hanover, doesn't have any players who grew up in the Garden State. Meet the 15 NWSL players with New Jersey roots: ▪ A Brazilian international, Angelina helped Orlando win the 2024 title. She had appeared in 28 matches over three seasons with OL Reign. She was loaned to Adelaide United and Sydney FC in Australia for three total seasons. She had started her last 10 regular-season matches and two playoff games in 2024. Cook signed with Paris-St. Germain out of college, transferring to OL Reign in June 2021. ▪ Cook has a goal and two assists in 30 caps with the United States women's national team since her debut in November 2019. ▪ A former All-Daily Record Soccer Player of the Year at Roxbury, Monaghan, 29, had two goals and an assist in 22 regular-season matches. ▪ Curry signed with Seattle as a free agent in December 2024. ▪ A 2016 California Interscholastic Federation champion in high school, Curry was also three-time first-team All-Ivy at Princeton. ▪ Elgin spent last season on loan to Tampa Bay in the Super League. She had six goals and seven assists in 82 appearances at Rutgers, helping win the program's first Big Ten title in 2021. She was a Big Ten first-team honoree in 2022 and 2024. She helped Hunterdon Central win the 2019 Group IV title. ▪ Mason was named to the 2022 Concacaf U-20 Championship Best XI as the United States earned seven straight shutouts en route to gold. ▪ McNabb, 31, has appeared in 100 matches with the Wave over four seasons. She was selected by the Reign in the 2017 draft out of Virginia, and had two goals and two assists in 76 matches. ▪ Murphy, 29, moves to the expansion Legacy after making 108 appearances for North Carolina – including playing every minute of the 2024 regular season. She has 44 shutouts in 118 appearances, and is the team's all-time wins leader. She was the 13th overall pick after that season, but signed with Montpellier in France instead of Sky Blue. Named the league's top goalkeeper, Murphy returned home and signed with Reign in May 2019. After transferring to North Carolina for a graduate season, she started all 27 matches, recording three goals and three assists en route to the 2024 NCAA championship. ▪ The youngest player to sign with Angel City, Phair, now 18, played 85 minutes last season before being loaned to Djurgarden in Sweden. Phair had 25 goals and seven assists in 18 matches as a Pingry freshman. ▪ Ratcliffe signed a two-year deal with Seattle on Jan. 20, her sixth NWSL club. Known for wearing a bright orange hair bow, Ratcliffe has 10 goals and three assists in 114 regular-season NWSL matches (39 starts), totaling 4,025. The 32-year-old appeared in her 100th career NWSL match on Nov. 2, 2024 against Carolina ▪ Ratcliffe played at Paul VI, then at the University of Virginia where she set a record with 11 goals scored as a sub during her sophomore season. ▪ A three-time All-Big Ten honoree, Sears had 25 goals and 15 assists in 83 matches over five seasons at Ohio State. ▪ Tiernan earned a contract extension through 2028 after being nominated for NWSL Rookie of the Year and U.S. Soccer's Young Player of the Year. She had eight goals and an assist, starting all 28 league matches. Her older sister, Madison, had five goals in 42 appearances for Gotham from 2017-20. ▪ Riley Tiernan is Rutgers' all-time record holder with 34 career assists, and also scored 19 goals. She is a four-time All Big Ten honoree. She helped Eastern win the 2018 Group IV title. She was named NWSL Rookie of the Month in June and August. However, she was still named Ivy League Offensive Player of the Year and a third-team All-American. She totaled 30 goals and 11 assists in 45 matches, leaving Princeton after her junior year.

This is read by an automated voice. Please report any issues or inconsistencies here. With the tournament scheduled to kick off in three months, those events have soccer scholar Jonathan Wilson questioning whether it's wise for the World Cup to go on at all. “It seems to me, for each passing day, it's less and less likely that the World Cup can happen,” he said. That take seems unduly alarmist said David Goldblatt, a British sportswriter and sociologist who is a visiting professor at Pitzer College in Claremont. In the aftermath of not singing the Iranian national anthem before a soccer match in Australia, five members of Iran's women's national team were granted asylum. “I mean, it's not a good look,” Goldblatt conceded. “And certainly when set against FIFA's official pronouncements on its role in encouraging world peace and cosmopolitan celebrations of a universal humanity, none of that sits terribly easily. “But in terms of actually running the World Cup, I don't think it's going to make very much difference at all.” However, with the Trump administration open to engaging in more international conflicts, there's little doubt this World Cup, the largest and most complex in history, will also be the most political in history as well. Iranian missiles have hit both Qatar and Saudi Arabia, among other countries, and Jordan has fired on U.S. assets. Those three countries are World Cup qualifiers as well. FIFA needs President Trump to support the 2026 World Cup, but many view FIFA President Gianni Infantino's wooing of Trump as excessive. When French soccer administrator Jules Rimet founded the tournament 96 years ago, he believed soccer could be a tool for international peace. FIFA President Gianni Infantino has taken a far different approach, courting President Donald Trump's support despite his growing number of global conflicts. A week before bombs began falling on Iran, Infantino appeared at the inaugural meeting of Trump's Board of Peace wearing a red cap with ‘USA' on the front and the numbers ‘45-47' — a reference to Trump's non-consecutive presidencies. That act was so blatantly partisan, IOC president Kirsty Coventry said her organization would investigate whether Infantino, an IOC member, breached the terms of the group's charter, which requires members to act independent of political interests. And I can't see how the future will look kindly on Infantino. I think Infantino has to some extent legitimized Trump.” This is hardly new behavior from Infantino, who had close relationships with Vladimir Putin ahead of the 2018 tournament played in Russia and Qatar's leaders ahead of the 2022 tournament despite their well-known human rights violations. Consider that Denmark, which administers Greenland, an autonomous territory Trump has also threatened to invade, can qualify for the tournament in a European playoff that will take place later this month. Then there's World Cup qualifiers Haiti, Ivory Coast and Senegal, who aren't at war with the U.S. but whose citizens have been banned from entering the country to cheer for their teams. That completely contradicts a promise from Infantino, who said “everybody will be welcome” at the 2026 World Cup. “If I had a crystal ball I could tell you now what is going to happen,” Heimo Schirgi, the World Cup chief operating officer for FIFA, said Monday. [But] the World Cup will go on right? Goldblatt, the Pitzer professor, said Infantino's action are understandable since he has few cards to play against Trump. What levers can you pull?” he asked. “You can threaten to take it away. Who's going to take that from FIFA? It is a farcical idea that anybody thinks that the president of FIFA has any kind of collective moral authority or any role as a spokesperson for the progressive part of the world. “They may fantasize that this is the case. But it is morally and politically absurd that any of us should expect that of these people. So of course he's gone down that path.” The games, Goldblatt said, will go on even if bombs are still falling. And that may not be an entirely bad thing. That's partly why it's so popular,” he said. “It will be virtually impossible, if the war continues, for that not to be a central element of like, the meaning and the purpose of what we're all doing here. “How we'll feel and what it will look like, I don't know. ⚽ You have read the latest installment of On Soccer with Kevin Baxter. Kevin Baxter writes about soccer and hockey for the Los Angeles Times. He has covered seven World Cups, five Olympic Games, six World Series and a Super Bowl and has contributed to three Pulitzer Prize-winning series at The Times and Miami Herald.

The Council will bring together leading medical and health experts, researchers, innovators and elite athletes to guide the league's holistic approach to player care. “The health and wellbeing of our players is foundational to the strength and sustainability of our sport,” said NWSL VP of Sporting Sarah Gregorius. “The NWSL Health Advisory Council brings together leading expertise from across medicine, research and elite sport to help inform how we support players across every stage of their careers. Our goal is to continue building an environment where players and performance staffs have access to the best possible resources, knowledge and support to perform at their highest level.” As part of its composition, CVS Health, who recently joined the NWSL as an Official Health and Wellness Partner of the league, will hold a dedicated seat. Represented by its Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Amy Compton-Phillips, MD, CVS Health will collaborate with other Council members and league leadership to advise, plan and help shape strategy around overall wellness initiatives, reinforcing a shared commitment to accessible, research-driven health resources for players. Areas of focus for the Council's inaugural year include advancing the league's injury prevention and performance initiatives, implementing key research partnerships and further developing a comprehensive, holistic framework for women's health and overall player wellbeing. Inaugural NWSL Health Advisory Council members include: Council members will meet consistently throughout the year. In addition to formal meetings, members will serve as champions for women's health in sport through educational opportunities, thought leadership and strategic collaborations.

Faye Carruthers is joined by Suzy Wrack, Tom Garry and Anton Toloui as England beat Iceland 2-0 to maintain their 100% start to their World Cup qualifying campaign On today's pod: the Lionesses are two from two in their World Cup qualifiers, a goal and an assist from Lucy Bronze putting England top of the table before their intriguing clash with Spain in April. Elsewhere, there are wins for Scotland and Wales, while Northern Ireland finally name their new permanent manager. We discuss the Asian Cup in Australia and fears for the safety of the Iranian national team, plus the panel take your questions. Sign up for our women's football newsletter – all you need to do is search “Moving the Goalposts sign up” or follow this link. Support the Guardian here.

Brazilian prodigy Endrick has been warned that he must curb his individualistic tendencies after a drop in form at Lyon. Despite a scintillating start to life in Ligue 1, the Real Madrid loanee is currently enduring a goal drought that has drawn scrutiny from fans and pundits alike, including French World Cup winner Samuel Umtiti. After arriving in France with significant fanfare during the January window, Endrick's temporary switch from Real Madrid initially looked like a masterstroke. The Brazilian has failed to find the net since early February, with his recent performances in a Coupe de France exit to Lens and a frustrating 1-1 draw against Paris FC in Ligue 1 highlighting a growing disconnect. Previously hailed for his ability to link play, the teenager now appears isolated within Paulo Fonseca's tactical system as Lyon endure a four-match winless streak. Speaking on RMC's After Foot programme, 2018 World Cup winner Umtiti offered a blunt assessment of the 19-year-old's current struggles. "Lately, I've noticed he's struggling a bit to find his place on the pitch," Umtiti observed. What he's doing isn't going to help him." He will hope to be called into the squad for upcoming friendlies against France and Croatia. Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting Endrick's opportunity for redemption arrives quickly as Lyon transitions from domestic disappointment to the Europa League. This Thursday, Paulo Fonseca's team will travel to Spain for a crucial round-of-16 first leg against Celta Vigo, providing a direct opportunity for the young attacker. Following the trip to Galicia, a demanding league clash against Le Havre awaits. With Lyon's season teetering on the edge of a slump, Endrick must demonstrate a more mature, collective approach if he is to silence his critics and prove that he has truly learned from his time in Madrid.

U.S. men's national team manager Mauricio Pochettino will name his squad for the upcoming friendlies with Belgium and Portugal in two weeks time—with the race for a place on his World Cup roster reaching a critical juncture. One particular area of uncertainty is who will play up front for the Stars and Stripes this summer. Goals win games as the old saying goes, but whoever Pochettino goes with will also need to suit the USMNT's style of play and bring out the best in Christian Pulisic, whose confidence is dipping after a ten-game streak without a goal or assist for club side AC Milan. The current frontrunner to play up front, Folarin Balogun, loves playing against Paris Saint-Germain. Not only did Balogun help Monaco up to seventh in the table, he also put a whacking great dent in PSG's hopes of retaining their domestic title—Lens now just sit a point behind after their weekend win over Metz. Pochettino will have made note of that fact, with USMNT's troubles with scoring from distance evident in all of the games they played in 2025, and the 24-year-old's approach play and involvement in transitions ensured Monaco were constantly a threat on the counter-attack. Haji Wright already has a World Cup goal under his belt—he scored in the USMNT's round of 16 defeat to the Netherlands in the 2022 editions—and has every chance of adding to that tally if he continues firing Coventry City towards promotion. Things have picked up again since, coinciding with a good run of goalscoring form for Wright. He scored number 16 for the season, keeping him just one behind Golden Boot leader, Swansea City's Žan Vipotnik, and now has six goals in his last five appearances. His effort helped Coventry pick up a vital 2–0 win at Bristol City, maintaining the five-point advantage over ‘Boro and nine-point lead over Millwall in third. Belgium and Portugal will mark a significant step in quality from second tier English soccer, that goes without saying, but Wright's confidence is sky high right now. The battle to be USMNT's number one goalkeeper appears to be between the New England Revolution's Matt Turner and New York City FC's Matt Freese. But a third spot is available on Pochettino's roster—a valuable role when you consider injuries and suspensions could come into play—and 22-year-old Chicago Fire goalkeeper Chris Brady is staking his claim. He made five saves in a scoreless draw with Columbus Crew this past weekend, earning Player of the Game honors in the process. Auston Trusty's had an up and down season with Celtic and is on the fringes of the USMNT setup. With just five caps to his name following his debut in 2019, it would be a surprise for Pochettino to lean on him for the World Cup. But his dream of participating in the tournament will live on if he stands out like he did against Old Firm rivals Rangers. The most-anticipated game in Scottish football failed to deliver a goal in 120 minutes but delivered drama galore when penalties got underway. Trusty, who was solid as a rock to help Celtic keep a clean sheet, kept his nerve from 12 yards and eventually saw his side prevail 4-2 to reach the Scottish Cup semifinals. We keep moving forward...I bet you didn't expect me to take a pen Vamosss!! Ben Steiner is an American-Canadian journalist who brings in-depth experience, having covered the North American national teams, MLS, CPL, NWSL, NSL and Liga MX for prominent outlets, including MLSsoccer.com, CBC Sports, and OneSoccer. 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.

Events leading up to the Los Angeles Football Club's participation in last summer's FIFA Club World Cup began with a protest by the winningest team in Costa Rican soccer, Liga Deportiva Alajuelense. Black & Gold supporters can offer their kind regards to Alajuelense in person on Tuesday night, when the 31-time top flight Costa Rican winners visit BMO Stadium for the first leg of a CONCACAF Champions Cup Round of 16 match. It was that recent and long-term success that prompted Alajuelense to lodge a complaint about the makeup of the four CONCACAF teams that qualified through the continental competition into last year's expanded Club World Cup. Liga MX's Club León had defeated LAFC to win the 2023 CONCACAF Champions Cup. Those results ran afoul of the Club World Cup's multi-ownership rule, Alajuelense argued. Less than a year later, LAFC and Alajuelense will cross paths in a more direct way when they clash for the second time in CONCACAF play. Denis Bouanga's second-half hat trick in 2023 at the nearly 19,000-seat Estadio Alejandro Morera Soto delivered an opening leg Round of 16 win in Costa Rica. Three years later, LAFC's first round CONCACAF dominance (7-1 aggregate versus Honduran team Real España) brings the two sides together again. Eleven games into its league schedule, Alajuelense (4-4-3) sits sixth in the Costa Rican table after winning its last two contests. “Obviously it's a Champions Cup game,” said LAFC goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, who has allowed one goal in four starts this year. “It doesn't matter who you are facing. Let's put us in a good position for the second leg. On the heels of its 31st national title to cap Liga FPD's Apertura 2025 tournament. Alajuelense, the current (and three-time) Central American Cup champions, qualified directly into the Round of 16 to reach this stage of CONCACAF four years running (and seven overall). After exiting against LAFC in '23, Alajuelense fell to the New England Revolution in '24 and Mexico's Pumas UNAM last season. Ending that three-year skid to make the quarterfinals for the first time since 2003 would require snapping LAFC's three-tournament run of getting that far themselves. Off to a stellar start in 2026, LAFC (5-0-0 in all competitions) must quickly regroup following Saturday's hard-fought 1-0 MLS win at home against FC Dallas. What: CONCACAF Champions Cup, Round of 16, first leg The use of any content on this website for the purpose of training artificial intelligence systems, algorithms, machine learning models, text and data mining, or similar use is strictly prohibited without explicit written consent.