FNews

Inter Milan’s pursuit of a sweep of the Italian league and Cup titles is still alive.

After a few months in which it was heard only sporadically at local tournaments across Mexico, a homophobic chant has resurfaced strongly in recent weeks in what could be a prelude to what will happen at the 2026 World Cup.

BERLIN — Not that Bayern Munich needed any help, but the Bavarian powerhouse can clinch another Bundesliga title this weekend after Hoffenheim’s 2-1 win over second-place Borussia Dortmund. Hoffenheim forward Andrej Kramarić scored two penalties on Saturday – the second one in stoppage time – to deal Dortmund a second consecutive defeat that opens the way for Bayern to seal the title at home against Stuttgart on Sunday. Bayern, which has five games remaining compared to Dortmund’s four, leads by 12 points and needs just one more point to be sure of finishing top. “It would certainly round off this week nicely,” Bayern’s board member for sport Max Eberl said after Bayern’s Champions League quarterfinal win on Wednesday. It would be Bayern’s 13th German championship in 14 years, and the first step in a potential treble of trophies this season. Bayern faces Bayer Leverkusen away in the German Cup semifinals on Wednesday, before it can turn attention to Paris Saint-Germain in the Cham...

Brentford failed to boost its unlikely Champions League qualification hopes by drawing a fifth straight game in the Premier League, this time 0-0 at home to Fulham on Saturday. Brentford could have climbed above Chelsea, which plays Manchester United later, and into sixth place with a win but missed a slew of chances. Top scorer Igor Thiago hit the goal frame, Keane Lewis-Potter blazed a glorious chance over and Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno made a stunning last-minute save from Dango Ouattara. Seventh-placed Brentford still remains in outside contention for a finish in the Champions League positions, as the top five will qualify for the Champions League. Former Brentford manager Thomas Frank was in the stands. It was his first visit to his old club since being fired by Tottenham in February. Later Saturday, Tottenham has a chance to climb out of the relegation zone by beating Brighton at home, while Newcastle hosts Bournemouth and Leeds hosts last-placed Wolverhampto...

Barry Walker has spent every Vancouver Whitecaps game this season leading fan chants and holding up signs that read “STAY CAPS STAY.” The 75-year-old superfan said the posters replace the ones he previously carried that said “Go Caps Go.” He swapped them out as rumours around the future of the Major League Soccer club grew in recent months. “Of course we want our Whitecaps to stay. We don’t want them to go to another city, so that’s the intention of the signs,” he said in an interview Friday. Walker, who said he has not missed a Whitecaps home match in 12 years, has made it his mission to increase fanfare at the games.  “The crowds are getting more educated. They’re loving the team more and every year is getting a little better,” he said. “The last couple of years have been fantastic.” Similar calls were made earlier this week by midfielder Thomas Muller, who encouraged fans to fill the lower bowl during games at BC Place. The Whitecaps faced Sporting Kansas City at BC Place ...

Sue Bird and Megan Rapinoe are splitting up. The sports power couple announced Friday that they are ending their 10-year relationship and phasing out their popular podcast, “A Touch More.” They dropped the news together on the podcast. “I hope you all know we put a lot of thought and care into this,” said Rapinoe, who rose to fame as a member of the Women’s World Cup team in 2011, 2015 and 2019. “It’s a decision that we made together. We’re still going to be there for all of you and for each other. It’s just going to look and feel a little bit different. “We truly are evolving into something new to each other, to ourselves and to all of you, and we just wanted to say thank you for sharing this space with us and giving us this space for us to find ourselves in a different way through this podcast.” Bird is considered one of the greatest women’s basketball players in history. She won four WNBA championships and was a 13-time all-star over a 20-y...

When the New York Red Bulls waived him in February after one season at the club, Raheem Edwards had no hesitation about where he wanted to go to continue his MLS career.  “My immediate thought was Toronto FC and how do I come back. I reached out to them, and it happened pretty quickly,” Edwards told Sportsnet.  Edwards was almost immediately picked up off waivers by Toronto, a move that reunited the fullback with his hometown club after nine years.   Edwards, 30, first signed with Toronto in 2017, becoming the 14th player in club history to graduate to the first team from the TFC youth academy. The speedy fullback had one goal and six assists in 21 regular-season appearances that year, while also winning an MLS Cup, Supporters’ Shield and the Canadian Championship.    He looked to have a bright future ahead of him with Toronto, but just days after winning the MLS Cup, he was selected in the 2017 Expansion Draft by LAFC, who turned around and traded...

Ollie Watkins scored again as Aston Villa knocked out Bologna out of the Europa League in a 4-0 rout Thursday to set up an all-English semifinal against Nottingham Forest. Unai Emery’s team reached its second European semifinal in three seasons with a 7-1 aggregate victory. Watkins had netted twice in last week’s 3-1 win in the first leg of the quarterfinal in Italy, and the striker set the pace at Villa Park. He tapped in a low cross from the left provided by Morgan Rogers for a 1-0 lead after 16 minutes for his 100th goal for Villa. Rogers had a golden opportunity to increase the lead but Bologna goalkeeper Federico Ravaglia saved his penalty kick. Only a minute later, though, Villa doubled its lead when Emiliano Buendía scored from a tight angle. Rogers made it 3-0 with another angled shot in the 39th, and Ezri Konsa finished the scoring seconds before the final whistle. Villa reached the Champions League quarterfinals last season and is on course to secure a spot in the lucr...

Thomas Müller wants Vancouver Whitecaps fans to show their support by showing up at B.C. Place.  “If I have a wish, I don’t know how we can get it done, but it would be nice if the lower bowl is in every home game full full, not only almost full,” the German soccer legend said after training Wednesday. “I want to have the feeling that it’s packed.” Muller’s comments come as rumours continue to swirl around the future of the Major League Soccer club.  The team’s current ownership group — including Greg Kerfoot, Steve Luczo, Jeff Mallett and former NBA star Steve Nash — announced the Whitecaps were up for sale in December 2024.  Chief executive officer Axel Schuster has repeatedly said the priority is to find a new owner who will keep the ‘Caps in Vancouver, though speculation around relocation continues. Muller said he doesn’t know what will happen in the club’s future or what’s “going on in the background.” “It’s not in our control, but I feel that we can provide so...

LIVERPOOL, England — Hugo Ekitike was ruled out of the World Cup for France after sustaining a leg injury in Liverpool’s Champions League quarterfinal loss to Paris Saint-Germain, France coach Didier Deschamps confirmed Wednesday. The French forward’s suspected Achilles tendon injury occurred in the 27th minute of Tuesday’s second-leg match at Anfield. He was taken off the field on a stretcher. Ekitike has been one of Liverpool’s top players this season and has scored 19 goals for club and country. He scored for France in its 2-1 win against Brazil last month. Liverpool coach Arne Slot initially said after the 2-0 defeat, which sealed a 4-0 aggregate victory for PSG, that “It looks really bad.”

MADRID — Barcelona forward Raphinha criticized the refereeing after Barcelona’s elimination against Atletico Madrid in the quarterfinals of the Champions League on Tuesday. Raphinha, who didn’t play because of a hamstring injury, also gestured toward Atletico fans after the game, apparently indicating that the team will be eliminated in the next round. He also made a “robbed” sign with his hands toward the crowd at the Metropolitano stadium. Barcelona won 2-1 on Tuesday but it wasn’t enough to overcome a 2-0 loss at home last week. “To me, it was robbed,” he told reporters. “Not only this match, but the other one as well. The refereeing was very bad. Incredible the decisions that they made. Atletico made a lot of fouls and the referee didn’t show a single yellow card.” Barcelona had Pau Cubarsí sent off in the first half of the opening game, and Eric García was shown a red card on Tuesday in the 79th minute. Barcelona also complained of other refereeing dec...

MADRID — Long after the game against Barcelona ended, Atletico Madrid players were back on the field at the Metropolitano stadium to celebrate. They chanted along with the fans, and jumped and danced among themselves. It was a big night for Atletico. Diego Simeone’s team held on after an early charge by Barcelona to make it back to the semifinals of the Champions League for the first time in nearly a decade. Atletico lost 2-1 but advanced 3-2 on aggregate after having won the first leg 2-0 in Barcelona last week. It will be the team’s first last-four appearance in the European competition since 2017. “Extremely happy to eliminate a Barcelona team that has a lot of quality,” Atletico midfielder Koke said. “We struggled in the beginning but we found a way to recover. It was a great effort by the entire team.” Barcelona, trying to return to the last four for the second season in a row, scored twice in the first 24 minutes to even the series, with Lamine Yamal and Ferran Torres findi...

LIVERPOOL, England — Paris Saint-Germain advanced to the Champions League semifinals with a 2-0 win over Liverpool at Anfield on Tuesday. Ousmane Dembele’s two second-half goals sealed a 4-0 aggregate victory and kept PSG on course to defend European club soccer’s biggest prize. Dembele’s first goal killed off Liverpool’s fight as the Premier League club went in search of another famous Champions League comeback. The Ballon d’Or swept a low left-footed shot from the edge of the area past goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili to quieten the home crowd and ease PSG tension. His second came at the end of a sweeping move in added time. Dembele had been guilty of wasting chances in the first leg to effectively put the tie to bed and he failed to take two more first half opportunities to put the French champion further ahead at Anfield. But his winner was dispatched with precision — nestling in the bottom corner. PSG will play the winner Bayern Munich and Real Madrid in the semifinal.

MIAMI — Javier Mascherano is out as Inter Miami’s coach, a stunning move that comes only four months after leading Lionel Messi’s club to the MLS Cup title. Mascherano, a former teammate of Messi at Barcelona and with Argentina’s national team before reuniting with him as coach, is leaving for personal reasons, the team said. Mascherano’s entire coaching staff has also left the club, though the team did not reveal any specifics as to why. In Mascherano’s place as coach, at least in the short term, will be Guillermo Hoyos, who is credited, at least on some level, with discovering Messi at Barcelona’s academy and predicting that he could become an all-time great. Messi was 16 at the time, in the very earliest days of a career that would see him win eight Ballon d’Or trophies, the World Cup and four Champions League titles. Messi has referred to Hoyos in interviews over the years as his “futbol dad.” Hoyos is Messi’s coach now, though how long that’ll be the case remains a bit unclear...

BOURNEMOUTH, England — Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola is leaving the Premier League club at the end of the season after failing to agree on a new contract. “I feel this is the right moment for me to step away, but I will always carry fantastic memories of this club,” Iraola said in a statement on the club website on Tuesday. “I am proud of what we have achieved together.” The Spanish coach, who previously enjoyed success with Rayo Vallecano including promotion to La Liga in 2021, took over at Bournemouth in 2023. He improved the Cherries three places in the table to 12th and received a new contract to 2026. They were then ninth with a club-record points total last season. They are currently 11th and in the race for European competition — only three points behind sixth-placed Chelsea. Bournemouth enjoyed a memorable 2-1 win at league leader Arsenal on Saturday. The 43-year-old Andoni has, through 108 games, been the most successful Cherries manager in the Premier League, with the...

MANCHESTER, England — Noah Okafor scored twice in the first half hour as Leeds United beat Manchester United 2-1 at Old Trafford to climb six points clear of the Premier League relegation zone on Monday. It was the first time Leeds has won a league match at Old Trafford since 1981 and the Yorkshire club moved up to 16th place in the 20-team table. “I feel tired and relieved but also proud of the boys,” Leeds coach Daniel Farke said. “It was a fantastic performance. We are into the crunch time of the season and you have to keep your nerve and stick to your plan.” Manchester remained in third but missed a chance to move clear of Aston Villa, with which it is tied on points. Leeds started on the front foot and almost scored in the second minute but Senne Lammers made an excellent point-blank save from Dominic Calvert-Lewin. However, its pressure paid off two minutes later when Okafor side-footed home with style after everyone missed Jayden Bogle’s deep cross from the right. Leeds wa...

MADRID — Vedat Muriqi moved closer to Kylian Mbappé at the top of La Liga’s scoring charts this season with a brace on Sunday as relegation-threatened Mallorca beat Rayo Vallecano 3-0. The Kosovo striker scored four minutes apart near the end of the first half for his 20th and 21st goals of the season in the league, and within two of Mbappé’s 23 goals. The Real Madrid forward was held scoreless in the team’s 1-1 draw against Girona on Friday and hasn’t scored in the competition since February. Muriqi has scored three goals in his last two matches with Mallorca. He also scored in the team’s 2-1 win over Madrid last weekend. Jan Virgili was the other scorer Sunday for Mallorca, which has won three of its last four matches to move to 15th place, two points from the drop zone. Rayo, which has one win in five matches, stayed a point ahead in 13th place. Betis held at Osasuna Fifth-placed Real Betis missed a chance to close the gap to the top four after a 1-1 draw at midtable ...

MILAN — After falling out of the Serie A title race, AC Milan is looking nervously at the teams behind it following a shock 3-0 loss at home to Udinese on Saturday. The Rossoneri were not only nine points below league leader Inter Milan but just three points above fourth-placed Juventus, which won at Atalanta 1-0. Fifth-placed Como was two points further back and hosts Inter Milan on Sunday. AC Milan was loudly jeered off the field after its third defeat in four matches. “It’s part of the game: When you win, you’re good, when you lose, you’re not. Tonight the whistles are right, even if the team worked hard,” Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri said. “Now we have to look at the (next) match, and this defeat must represent the opportunity to do better in the next one. “The team must react. … This defeat must make us understand that the Champions League place is at risk.” Nicolò Zaniolo starred for Udinese at San Siro. He counterattacked from deep inside his own half and rode a couple ...

Down a man late in the match, a scrappy FC Cincinnati side scored a spectacular goal in added time to record a 1-1 draw against Toronto FC at BMO Field on Saturday afternoon. Kenji Mboma Dem scored with a left-footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. With Cincinnati striker Kevin Denkey sent off for picking up two yellow cards. The goal was assisted by Ayoub Jabbari, with the second assist by Samuel Gidi, after a quick counterattack up the field. The draw extended TFC’s unbeaten streak to five games (3-0-2). The run started with a 1-0 win at Cincinnati on Match 8. Cincinnati fell behind 1-0 in the 83rd minute on an own goal when centre back Gilbert Flores directed the ball over the line, giving Toronto a 1-0 lead. The ball was directed towards the goal by TFC’s Josh Sargent before Flores accidentally put it past his goalkeeper, Roman Celentano. Possession in the match was just about even with both squads managing four shots on target. TFC goalkeeper Lula ...

ROME — Donyell Malen scored a hat trick as Roma beat Pisa 3-0 and inflicted a seventh defeat in eight games on Serie A’s bottom club on Friday. A marauding Malen cut a swathe through the Pisa defense after only three minutes to drive home the opener and he doubled Roma’s lead with a second from point-blank range two minutes before the break. His third, seven minutes into the second half, came courtesy of a lovely through ball from Matias Soule that Malen dispatched with aplomb. The Dutch striker has been a standout performer since joining Roma on loan from Aston Villa in January. Friday’s goals took his tally for the half season to 10 in 12 league games. The result was nevertheless just the second win in eight games for Roma which, during that poor spell, was knocked out of the Europa League and beaten 5-2 by Serie A leader Inter Milan. Roma has risen to sixth, equal on points with Juventus, which has a game in hand against Atalanta on Saturday. Roma was also a point behind Como, ...

When all is considered and we remove all the noise around professional sports, only one thing at the heart of it all: the fans. Without the people emblazoned in their club or country’s colours paying to watch the protagonists at play, none of it would exist. It is something that is forgotten too easily.   For Canada Soccer, ahead of the most important summer in its history, that fact is not lost.   “We appreciate them. There are people who’ve followed the national teams for years,” Canada Soccer CEO Kevin Blue told Sportsnet. “I’m coming in after a lot of groundwork was laid by others. We see ourselves as stewards of Canada Soccer during our time. We understand what it means to long-time fans, and we’re eager to bring in more new ones, especially this summer.” The hunger for new fans was the origin of last week’s marketing campaign that went viral on social media, aimed at Italian Canadians following the crushing disappointment of Italy losing to Bosnia and Herzeg...

The glittering prize of soccer’s biggest showcase has made a stop in Vancouver.  The FIFA World Cup trophy was on display in the city on Friday, kicking off a cross-Canada tour ahead of this summer’s tournament. Former Italy captain Fabio Cannavaro, who hoisted the 18-karat gold statue in 2006, unveiled a glass case containing the hardware in a ceremony at the Vancouver Art Gallery. The trophy — usually kept at the FIFA Museum in Zurich — will also make stops in Calgary, Winnipeg, Montreal, Halifax, Ottawa and Toronto before May 26. The tour gives soccer fans a chance to see the 6.175-kilogram statue up close before the World Cup kicks off in Mexico City and Guadalajara. Vancouver is among the 16 cities across Canada, the United States and Mexico that will host a combined 104 games during the expanded 48-team tournament, running June 11 through July 19.  B.C. is no stranger to hosting international events, from the Commonwealth Games to the 2010 Olympics, premier David E...

The Canadian men’s national soccer team has arguably never been more flush with talent than it is right now. From players like Alphonso Davies, Jonathan David, Tajon Buchanan, Stephen Eustáquio, Ismaël Koné, Moïse Bombito and Derek Cornelius, the country has plenty of quality all over the pitch. At least, that’s the belief of national team manager Jesse Marsch, who is feeling very confident in his team ahead of the 2026 World Cup. “We are truly a stacked squad now,” Marsch said Friday on Sportsnet’s The FAN Morning Show . “One of the biggest challenges is who to play week in and week out, but making sure that all the players are ready, (be it that) they’re from the bench or if they’re unused or if they start, that they’re all ready to perform and commit to everything we do at the highest level. “ … We’re all uber excited about the potential of what we can do this summer.” Leading the way for Canada at the World Cup will be Davies, Team Canada’s captain and all-around best player. ...

After six consecutive road games, CF Montréal limps back to Stade Saputo for its home opener on Saturday against the Philadelphia Union with just three points in tow. A single win from their first six matches is the worst start in the Major League Soccer club’s history, following what was their worst-ever season in 2025.  Despite improved performances towards the end of the road trip, a similar script has emerged: promising play does not translate into corresponding results. “I think at home, we’ll have a bit more energy and be clinical in decisive moments. Small things can change the game … there have been very balanced games with one or two small moments,” said head coach Marco Donadel.  “I think a lot of the players have brought in a new energy. I might feel a bit (of pressure to win at home), but I don’t think the players feel that way.” Home-field advantage in MLS remains potent and accounts for the majority of teams’ points, though this disparity has gradually decre...

Could Neymar be the next international star to make his way to MLS? FC Cincinnati is at least exploring the possibility. The club has engaged in preliminary talks with the Brazilian’s camp, The Athletic reported Thursday. Neymar, 34, is under contract with Brazil’s Santos through the end of the year. He was not selected to Brazil’s roster for the March friendly window. Neymar previously played for Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Al-Hilal (Saudi Arabia). Cincinnati does not currently have an open designated-player spot, which complicates any potential move. MLS teams have made a big push to woo international stars in recent years, most notably Lionel Messi with Miami. Cincinnati entered MLS in 2021 and has been a top-five team in the regular season the past three years. This year, Cincinnati has two wins and four losses.

Calgary referee Drew Fischer will work the FIFA World Cup after being named Thursday to the tournament’s list of match officials. FIFA selected 52 referees, 88 assistant referees and 30 video match officials from 50 member associations for the expanded event. Assistant referees Michael Barwegen of Coaldale, Alta., and Lyes Arfa of Laval, Que., were also named, giving Canada three officials at the tournament. The appointments, drawn from all six confederations, include 41 more officials than the 2022 tournament in Qatar and follow a three-year evaluation process based on performance at domestic and international levels. Six women match officials were also selected, matching the 2022 total. Fischer, 45, is a two-time Major League Soccer referee of the year and has worked more than 200 MLS matches since his debut in 2012. He served as a video assistant referee at the World Cup in Qatar, including the semifinal, and has also worked as a VAR at the women’s World Cup and Club World Cup,...

MEXICO CITY — Midfielder Ozziel Herrera scored a first-half goal and the UANL Tigres defeated the Seattle Sounders 2-0 on Thursday in the first leg of their Concacar Champions Cup quarterfinal series. Herrera put the home side ahead in the 51st minute before center back Jackson Ragen scored an own goal in the 76th minute. The second leg will be played next Wednesday in Seattle. The winner will face either Nashville or Club America in one of the semifinals. Tigres advanced after staging a comeback victory, winning 5-4 on aggregate against FC Cincinnati in the Round of 16. The Sounders progressed to the quarterfinals with a 5-1 aggregate victory over the Vancouver Whitecaps FC, the runner-up in 2025. Tigres could have taken the lead toward the end of the first half, but former Atletico Madrid player Angel Correa missed a penalty, sending it over the crossbar.

BARCELONA, Spain — Atletico Madrid scored twice after Barcelona was reduced to 10 men to earn a valuable 2-0 road win and take the advantage in their Champions League quarterfinal on Wednesday. Barcelona had hemmed Atletico into its box when the hosts received a double blow that left Hansi Flick’s team down a man and behind a goal just before halftime. The game-changing sequence started when Atletico’s Giuliano Simeone broke free to latch onto a rare long ball and Barcelona defender Pau Cubarsí knocked him down on the edge of the area with only goalkeeper Joan García to beat. After initially showing Cubarsí a yellow card, the referee changed it to a red following a video review. It got worse for Barcelona seconds later when Julián Álvarez curled the resulting free kick around the defensive barrier and past a flying García for the 45th-minute lead. Álvarez’s goal was his 15th in his last 18 matches in Europe’s elite club competition. Lamine Yamal and Marcus Rashford tried to rally B...

Canada Soccer is projecting a $6.55 million surplus in 2026, marking a turnaround after years of deficits as it prepares to co-host the FIFA World Cup. The governing body said in a financial update released Wednesday that its 2025 deficit was $1.44 million, down from $3.99 million in 2024 and nearly $1 million below its budgeted deficit. The improved outlook comes with Canada co-hosting the World Cup. Canada Soccer is set to stage matches in Toronto and Vancouver and benefit from related sponsorship, broadcast and matchday revenue. A reworked commercial agreement with Canadian Soccer Media & Entertainment, formerly Canadian Soccer Business, is expected to deliver more than $100 million in additional net revenue over its 12-year term. Canada Soccer projects revenue to approach $62 million in 2026, with expenses forecast at $55.4 million. The surplus is expected to help rebuild reserves after years of deficits while maintaining investment in national team programs, coaching and d...

Kai Havertz scored in stoppage time to give Arsenal a 1-0 win in the first leg of its Champions League quarterfinal against Sporting Lisbon on Tuesday. The substitute fired past goalkeeper Rui Silva from close range at Estadio Jose Alvalade to give Mikel Arteta’s team the advantage ahead of next week’s second leg at the Emirates. In Tuesday’s other quarterfinal, Bayern Munich beat Real Madrid 2-1 at the Bernabeu. Havertz settled a tight game of few chances in Lisbon by combining with fellow substitute Gabriel Martinelli. The German controlled the ball in the box and then side-footed into the net to hand Sporting its first loss at home since August. “To score a late goal is always nice,” Havertz told Amazon Prime. “We will take that result. There is still a lot of work to do next week.” Victory saw Arsenal bounce back from successive defeats which cut its quadruple trophy hunt in half in recent weeks. Losses in the League Cup final and FA Cup quarterfinals had sh...

PARIS — Alexander Isak was included in Liverpool’s squad to face Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of their Champions League quarterfinal on Wednesday. The Swedish striker travelled with the team to Paris after taking part in training on Tuesday. Isak is set to make his return after having surgery in late December on a broken ankle and fibula. Liverpool manager Arne Slot said Isak is fit enough to play but not to start at Parc des Princes. “He finished close to a week of team training sessions, he can play a part otherwise, I wouldn’t take him,” Slot said Tuesday at a pre-game news conference. “We think we can get a performance out of him now, but not to start.” Isak joined Liverpool in the offseason from Newcastle for a British record fee of 125 million pounds ($170 million). Before the injury, however, he made a slow start, scoring three goals in 16 games overall after netting 62 in 109 matches for Newcastle. His return is also good news for Sweden, which hopes to pair him al...

CARDIFF, Wales — Former Wales and Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey announced his retirement from soccer on Tuesday. The 35-year-old Ramsey has been without a club since leaving Mexican team Pumas last year after a brief, injury-hampered stint in which he missed league matches and several training sessions while looking for his lost dog. “This has not been an easy decision to make. After a lot of consideration, I have decided to retire from football,” Ramsey said in a statement as he also thanked the supporters of Wales and the clubs he represented in his career. Ramsey is regarded as one of Wales’ greatest players, scoring 21 goals in 86 appearances and representing his country at three major tournaments. He helped Wales reach the European Championship semifinals in 2016, where it lost to eventual champion Portugal. His last cap came in 2024. Ramsey was overlooked for the recent World Cup play-off against Bosnia and Herzegovina. Defeat in that game ended his hopes of a grand finale...

It took a little bit of time, but Josh Sargent finally finds himself in a good place. Sargent opened his MLS goal scoring account by netting the winner in Toronto FC’s come-from-behind 3-2 victory over the Colorado Rapids on Saturday at BMO Field. The American forward decided the game in TFC’s favour when he scored via a header in the 85th minute off a corner kick after earning his first MLS assist on Richie Laryea’s opening goal for Toronto earlier in the second half. Sargent’s man-of-the-match performance, highlighted by his two goal contributions, came after he failed to score or collect an assist through his first two appearances for the club last month. The native of Missouri, who has 29 caps for the U.S. national team, could hardly wipe the smile off his face when speaking to reporters after the game. “Big relief. It’s been a while since I’ve scored. After I missed that first [scoring chance] in the first half, I was pretty frustrated. So, I would’ve been upset...