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Meg McLaughlin/The San Diego Union-Tribune/TNS

Tom Krasovic: Hard to find fault in split between SDFC, Milan Iloski

Sports / Soccer /

SAN DIEGO — Unless you want to blame folks for a job well done, there’s likely no one to fault for the financial impasse between San Diego FC and high-scoring forward Milan Iloski that will now send Iloski back to Denmark.

Everyone did their jobs well, creating a price of success.

San Diego FC provided Iloski an ideal chance to succeed in ...Read more

Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images North America/TNS

How sports gambling and NC's 'soccer city' delivered Charlotte the MLS All-Star Game

Sports / Soccer /

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — As Johnny Harris wrapped up his remarks on Wednesday morning — thanking all the key dignitaries in the room for helping deliver the city of Charlotte the Major League Soccer All-Star Game next year — he stopped and seemed to go off-script.

“I also want to say one more thing,” said Harris, who serves on the board of ...Read more

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Inter Miami winning streak, Messi scoring streak snapped emphatically by Cincinnati

Sports / Soccer /

Lionel Messi was on a historic scoring streak, which had helped Inter Miami become the hottest team in Major League Soccer.

They were made to look anything but that on Wednesday night against a fellow MLS Cup contender in FC Cincinnati.

Messi, who had become the first MLS player to score multiple goals in five consecutive league games, was ...Read more

Javier Torres/AFP/Getty Images North America/TNS

Done Deal: Rodrigo De Paul to reunite with Lionel Messi at Inter Miami

Sports / Soccer /

MIAMI — Rodrigo De Paul is one of Lionel Messi’s closest friends and his teammate on Argentina’s national team.

A charismatic central midfielder with a fashion flair, De Paul also happens to be a big fan of David Beckham’s, so much so that he emulated the English star’s hairdos, from the braids to the pulled-back half-ponytail to the ...Read more

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Kevin Baxter: 2026 FIFA World Cup dress rehearsal exposes the big problem of extreme heat

Sports / Soccer /

LOS ANGELES — Six weeks ago in Munich, Paris Saint-Germain overwhelmed one of Europe’s top teams in the UEFA Champions League final, earning a trophy and recognition as the world’s best club team.

On Sunday in East Rutherford, N.J., PSG handed that mantle to Chelsea, which routed the exhausted Parisians 3-0 in the FIFA Club World Cup ...Read more

Joseph Prezioso/AFP/Getty Images North America/TNS

Messi aims to keep scoring streak alive as Inter Miami faces Cincinnati on the road

Sports / Soccer /

Lionel Messi is on a roll entering the Inter Miami game at FC Cincinnati Wednesday, with two goals in each of his past five MLS matches. An obscure statistic could serve as extra motivation for him to keep the streak alive.

The Argentine legend, who has scored 872 goals over his illustrious career, has never scored against Cincinnati, unless ...Read more

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Cole Palmer leads Chelsea to the Club World Cup title with a 3-0 rout of Paris Saint-Germain

Sports / Soccer /

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The stage seemed set for Paris Saint-Germain’s coronation, adding the Club World Cup title to the Champions League crown they finally claimed in May.

Instead, the team that has complained more than any other about the heat at this World Cup froze the reigning kings of Europe out.

Led by two brilliant goals and an ...Read more

Messi scores twice, Inter Miami beats Nashville 2-1 in high-stakes MLS clash

Sports / Soccer /

MIAMI — Lionel Messi rest? Not a chance. Not when Inter Miami was on a roll and playing a home game against one of the hottest teams in Major League Soccer.

Messi, who played 90-plus minutes in the previous 14 games, was in the starting lineup against Nashville SC on Saturday night at Chase Stadium and delivered big time. He scored both goals...Read more

Joseph Prezioso/AFP/Getty Images North America/TNS

Magnificent Messi scores twice as Inter Miami beats New England, 2-1, on the road

Sports / Soccer /

Lionel Messi is 38 years old. Inter Miami’s schedule is jam-packed. People have been wondering if he is going to take a break.

So far, the answer is no.

The Argentine captain was back in the starting lineup against the New England Revolution Wednesday night, played the full 95 minutes and made a huge impact, scoring twice in the first 37 ...Read more

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Analysis: US lost the Gold Cup final to Mexico, but Mauricio Pochettino still earned a win

Sports / Soccer /

LOS ANGELES — The U.S. was thoroughly outplayed by Mexico in Sunday's CONCACAF Gold Cup final. It was outshot, outpassed, outpossessed and arguably out of its league.

Which, surprisingly, was partly the way coach Mauricio Pochettino wanted it. Because the monthlong tournament was never really about results for the U.S. It was about finding ...Read more

Javier Torres/AFP/Getty Images North America/TNS

De Paul to Inter Miami talks heat up as team heads to New England for game Wednesday

Sports / Soccer /

Inter Miami hit the road on Tuesday ahead of Wednesday’s game against the New England Revolution, determined to make up ground in the MLS standings and build upon its 4-1 win in Montreal over the weekend.

Meanwhile, negotiations heated up between Miami owners and Atletico Madrid for the transfer of midfielder Rodrigo De Paul, one of Lionel ...Read more

Meg McLaughlin/The San Diego Union-Tribune/TNS

Tom Krasovic: San Diego FC fans have bought into wacky, wild MLS -- and so have I

Sports / Soccer /

SAN DIEGO — For now I’m done talking here about Major League Soccer’s flaws.

MLS’ version of the world’s game is growing on me. And I’m far from alone, as Saturday night’s local match further affirmed.

In a midseason temperature check of the league’s suitability to San Diego, while SDFC’s game unfolded in Mission Valley, the ...Read more

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Messi notches two goals and an assist to lead Inter Miami to 4-1 win in return to MLS

Sports / Soccer /

The night started off miserably for Lionel Messi and Inter Miami as the Argentine captain made a rare mistake that proved costly, leading to an early lead by CF Montreal.

But he more than redeemed himself with two brilliant goals and an assist as Miami won, 4-1, on the road Saturday in the team’s return to MLS action after its exit from the ...Read more

Paris Saint-Germain tops Bayern Munich in Club World Cup

Sports / Soccer /

ATLANTA — Paris Saint-Germain and Atlanta go together like a crepe and sauce.

The French powerhouse won its second consecutive match at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, edging Bayern Munich, 2-0, Saturday on a goal by Desire Doué and another by Ousmane Dembélé late in the second half in the quarterfinals of the Club World Cup.

Not that it needed ...Read more

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Mexico, Honduras fans bring typical passion to Gold Cup semifinal at Levi's Stadium despite ICE worries

Sports / Soccer /

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Sports bring fans together from all different parts of the world. But what happens when those fans fear attending matches?

That’s the reality some of the 70,975 fans attending Mexico’s 1-0 win over Honduras in the CONCACAF Gold Cup semifinal had to face on Wednesday at Levi’s Stadium. Amid a festive tailgate and ...Read more

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Diego Luna scores twice as US beats Guatemala in Gold Cup semifinal in St. Louis

Sports / Soccer /

ST. LOUIS — Guatemala’s fans may have outnumbered American fans at Energizer Park on Wednesday night, but that was no problem for the United States: Diego Luna outnumbered Guatemala.

The young midfielder, making just his 10th appearance for the U.S. men’s national team, scored twice in the first 15 minutes — his second and third ...Read more

Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times/TNS

Analysis: What's wrong with the Galaxy, who went from a championship to the cellar in one season?

Sports / Soccer /

LOS ANGELES — The Galaxy continued to stumble through their terrible, horrible, no good, very bad season last week, taking just a point from two games against teams on the fringe of the playoff race.

That left the reigning MLS champions with just one win and nine points from 20 games. If they continue at this pace, they'll set modern-era ...Read more

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A year since the Olympics, the USWNT's next era is fully underway

Sports / Soccer /

WASHINGTON — There are days when it feels like there’s almost too much soccer going on this summer. Even the sport’s diehards can struggle to keep pace with the Club World Cup, the Gold Cup, MLS, the NWSL and the USL’s lower leagues all at once — and the women’s European Championship joins the party on Wednesday.

Amid all this, the ...Read more

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Kylian Mbappe makes Club World Cup debut as Real Madrid beats Juventus, 1-0

Sports / Soccer /

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — A day after a pair of European giants were slain by underdog teams in the Club World Cup Round of 16, it was time for another pair to face off at Hard Rock Stadium: Real Madrid played Juventus in a much anticipated mid-afternoon matchup with a spot in the quarterfinals on the line.

The “Madrid!” chants began less ...Read more

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Tom Krasovic: What can Major League Soccer do to catch up after Club World Cup?

Sports / Soccer /

What happened Sunday to Major League Soccer is what happened to foreign basketball teams that long ago went against American hoops gods such as Michael Jordan and Larry Bird, Magic Johnson and Charles Barkley.

The MLS got Dream-Teamed.

Paris Saint-Germain dunked repeatedly on MLS’ glamour franchise — Lionel Messi-led Inter Miami — in ...Read more