Category: Football

Lionel Messi won his second consecutive Major League Soccer Most Valuable Player award on Tuesday after propelling Inter Miami to the MLS title and leading the league in goals.

Messi became the first player to win back-to-back MLS MVP awards and only the second player in the league to capture two MVP awards after Preki in 1997 and 2003.

“I’m happy to receive this award and be the first in the history of this league to win it in two consecutive years,” Messi said. “I’m very thankful.”

The 38-year-old forward, who led Argentina to the 2022 World Cup crown, scored 29 goals in the regular season — the fourth-most in any MLS campaign — and set up 19 others to claim the MLS Golden Boot.

“I’m thankful for this recognition,” Messi said. “It’s always nice to receive individual awards, but I want to share it with my teammates. I was also fortunate to win the MLS Golden Boot thanks to the help of my teammates.”

Messi, who signed a three-year contract extension with Miami in October, also became only the second player to lead the league in regular-season goals and assists, joining Toronto’s Sebastian Giovinco in 2015.

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Messi also netted six goals and created nine others in this year’s MLS playoffs, which concluded last weekend with Inter Miami beating Vancouver 3-1 for its first MLS Cup title, Messi delivering two key assists in the triumph to claim MLS Cup MVP honors.

It’s the latest award in a trophy haul for the South American maestro that includes a record eight Ballon d’Or titles, three FIFA Men’s Best Player awards and two FIFA World Cup Golden Balls.

Messi was a runaway season MVP award winner with 70.43 per cent of total voting compared to 11.15 per cent for runner-up Anders Dreyer of San Diego FC. Messi took 83.05 per cent of media votes, 73.08 per cent of club votes and 55.17 per cent of player votes.

He became the first MLS player with 10 multi-goal games in a season, breaking the old mark of eight shared by Stern John in 1998, Mamadou Diallo in 2000, and Zlatan Ibrahimovic in 2019.

In 2024, Messi won the MLS MVP award with 20 goals and 16 assists over 19 matches.

Messi joined Inter Miami in July 2023 and helped the Herons hoist the Leagues Cup, a tournament for MLS and Mexican League clubs, that year and take the 2024 MLS Supporters’ Shield with a league-best 74 points in the regular season.

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Mohamed Salah reported for Liverpool training on Tuesday as doubts continued to grow about the star striker’s future at the Premier League champions.

The Egypt forward was left out of Liverpool’s squad for their Champions League tie at Inter Milan on Tuesday following his extraordinary public criticism of Reds manager Arne Slot after he was left on the bench for the third consecutive game.

Salah drove himself to Liverpool’s training base in Kirkby on Tuesday and posted an Instagram picture of himself in the facility’s gym.

 

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The 33-year-old said after the 3-3 draw with Leeds on Sunday that he felt like he had been “thrown under the bus” by Liverpool and no longer had a relationship with Slot, sparking reports the Egyptian could be on his way out of Anfield in January despite signing a new contract in April.

Saudi clubs are reportedly preparing to make offers for Salah.

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Asked at a pre-match press conference in Milan on Monday, whether Salah, who has scored 250 times for Liverpool since signing from Roma in 2017, had played his last game for the Reds, Slot replied: “I have no clue.

“I cannot answer that question at this point in time.

“He has every right to feel what he feels, but he doesn’t have the right to share it with the media.”

Salah, who was not even used as a substitute at Elland Road, is set to depart for the Africa Cup of Nations after next weekend’s home match against Brighton in the Premier League.

He said he was “very, very disappointed” to have again been named among the substitutes at Leeds, adding: “I got a lot of promises in the summer and so far I am on the bench for three games, so I can’t say they keep the promise.

“I said many times before that, I had a good relationship with the manager and all of a sudden we don’t have any relationship.

“I don’t know why, but it seems to me, how I see it, that someone doesn’t want me in the club.”

Salah made his explosive comments in the midst of a dismal season for both him and Liverpool.

The Reds have won just four times in 15 matches in all competitions and sit 13th in the Champions League with nine points after being thumped 4-1 at home by PSV Eindhoven in their most recent European outing.

Salah has played a key role in Liverpool’s two Premier League titles and one Champions League triumph during his iconic spell on Merseyside.

But he has been a shadow of his former self during Liverpool’s struggles this season — the title-holders are 10th in the table — with just four goals in 13 top-flight appearances.

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Liverpool head coach Arne Slot insisted that his relationship with Mohamed Salah has not broken down, even after dropping the star attacker from their trip to face Inter Milan in the Champions League.

“That’s not the way I feel, but he has the right to feel how he feels things. I haven’t felt that at all,” said Liverpool coach Slot to supporters.

The Egyptian forward was not taken to Italy despite training earlier in the day with the first team, after saying he felt like he had been “thrown under the bus” by the club and no longer had a relationship with Slot.

Salah made those comments after he was left on the bench for the third consecutive game in a 3-3 draw against Leeds.

Asked whether Salah, who has scored 250 times for Liverpool since signing from Roma in 2017, had played his last game for the Reds, Slot said: “I have no clue.”

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“I cannot answer that question at this moment in time,” added Arne Slot. “He has every right to feel what he feels, but he doesn’t have the right to share it with the media.”

Liverpool are struggling in ninth place in the Premier League and are in a crisis of form, which has only been made worse by Salah’s criticism of Slot.

Liverpool have won just four times in 15 matches in all competitions and sit 13th in the Champions League with nine points after being thumped 4-1 at home by PSV Eindhoven in their most recent European outing.

Mohamed Salah is the club’s highest-paid player in history, having signed a new contract in April, and played a key role in Liverpool’s two Premier League titles and one Champions League triumph during his iconic spell on Merseyside.

But Salah has been a shadow of his former self during Liverpool’s struggles this season; the Premier League champions are now ninth in the table, with just four goals in 13 top-flight appearances.

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Mohamed Salah has been dropped from Liverpool squad for their Champions League tie away to Inter Milan following incendiary remarks about his relationship with manager Arne Slot and his treatment by the Premier League club.

The Egyptian forward was not included in the squad announced by Liverpool on Monday, despite training earlier in the day with the first team.

Salah said on Saturday he felt like he had been “thrown under the bus” by Liverpool and that he no longer had a relationship with Slot after he was left on the bench for the third consecutive game in a 3-3 draw at Leeds and not even introduced as a substitute.

But several British media reports said Salah’s omission for Tuesday’s game in Italy was not for disciplinary reasons but rather a selection decision.

The BBC said his removal from the squad was taken with the full support of Slot.

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It said that it is in the best interest of all parties involved for Salah to have a brief period away from selection, given the nature and timing of the player’s public comments.

The BBC added “it is understood this is a decision which relates solely to squad selection and there will be no formal disciplinary action taken by the club”.

After next weekend’s home match against Brighton, Salah is set to depart for the Africa Cup of Nations.

The 33-year-old is Liverpool’s third-highest goalscorer of all time with 250 goals in 420 appearances for the club.

But Salah has been a shadow of his former self during Liverpool’s struggles this season — the Premier League champions are now ninth in the table — with a mere four goals in 13 top-flight appearances.

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Barcelona coach Hansi Flick claimed Monday his team’s defending is now on “another level” after a run of good results.

The Catalans have won three matches in a row after a 3-0 defeat by Chelsea in the Champions League near the end of November.

Barca face Eintracht Frankfurt on Tuesday in Europe as they fight for a top-eight finish in the league phase.

With several players back from injury last week, Barca beat Atletico Madrid 3-1 and Real Betis 5-3.

“Everyone knows what happened in the last three months, a lot of injuries, very important players out, the last weeks we have to manage the minutes, the load of every player,” Flick told a news conference.

The coach said although his team shipped three against Betis, the use of his high defensive line system was good and the players were tired in the final stages, when two of those goals were scored.

“The last 10 minutes, they were exhausted,” reasoned Flick, whose side also let in three at Club Brugge in a 3-3 draw earlier in November.

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“I said this morning to them, the (back) line is doing really good, we’re getting pressure on the ball, we are connected. This is what we need.

“And the (high) line, they play it on another level than maybe one month, five weeks ago.”

The win over Betis left Barca four points clear at the top of La Liga, with attention turning to the clash against Frankfurt.

In 2022, Barcelona suffered a humiliating Europa League elimination at the hands of the German side, whose fans filled the stands at Camp Nou.

Barcelona restricted access to tickets as a result this year, anxious to avoid similar scenes at their reopened stadium.

That defeat was arguably the club’s lowest ebb, but in the years since, they have risen sharply, reaching the semi-finals of the Champions League last season.

The Frankfurt match will be the club’s first game in the competition at Camp Nou since October 2022.

“For everyone it was a dream to come back and play in Camp Nou,” said Flick.

“It’s also important for the Champions League. It’s a really important match for us tomorrow.

“We have to win, we want to win three points. We want to show our best level.”

The coach said goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen may return to the squad after injury, but made clear Joan Garcia “is number one”.

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SANTOS: Brazil forward Neymar Jr. is set to undergo knee surgery, putting his participation in the FIFA World Cup 2026 in doubt.

The 33-year-old played full 90 minutes through pain on Sunday as Santos secured a vital 3-0 win over Cruzeiro at the Urbano Caldeira Stadium, ensuring the club avoided an immediate return to Brazil’s second division.

Neymar has scored five goals in his last four league games since returning to his boyhood club in January after a stint in Saudi Arabia.

“I came for this, to try to help the best way I can. These have been tough weeks for me,” Neymar said after the match.

“I thank those who were with me to lift me up.

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“If it weren’t for them, I wouldn’t have played these matches because of these injuries, this knee problem. I need to rest, and then we will have this knee surgery.”

However, he did not reveal details about the surgery or a recovery timeline.

Notably, Neymar has not featured for the national team in over two years due to a succession of injuries, with his last appearance coming in a defeat to Uruguay in October 2023.

With the World Cup scheduled in Canada, Mexico, and the United States from June 11 to July 19, doubts have emerged over Neymar’s availability.

Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti recently stated that the forward must regain full fitness to be considered for the squad.

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Real Madrid crashed to a damaging 2-0 home defeat at Bernabeu by Celta Vigo on Sunday in La Liga, finishing the game with nine men after red cards for Fran Garcia and Alvaro Carreras.

Williot Swedberg struck twice in the second half for Celta, with Madrid’s second league defeat of the season leaving rivals Barcelona four points clear at the top of La Liga.

Xabi Alonso’s side, second, also lost defender Eder Militao to injury on a difficult night in the Spanish capital, before they host Manchester City in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Madrid were playing their first home match after six on the road across all competitions, following an NFL match at the Bernabeu, a poor run of form that has now seen them win just one of their last five league games.

With the juicy European battle against Erling Haaland’s City approaching, Alonso chose to rest centre-back Antonio Rudiger, starting with Carreras in the heart of defence.

Rudiger’s break did not last long, with the German defender coming on midway through the first half after Militao pulled up injured.

Raul Asencio started at right-back after Trent Alexander-Arnold was sidelined for two months with a thigh injury, continuing a tough start to life in the Spanish capital for the former Liverpool defender.

Celta Vigo goalkeeper Ionut Radu made a handful of good saves in the first half, keeping out a Jude Bellingham header and Arda Guler’s drive from range.

Madrid were struggling to create serious danger as Celta set up in a tough-to-crack low defensive block, denying dangerous forwards Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior space.

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Guler missed Madrid’s best chance of the first half, with the Turkish playmaker sending a shot wide on the swivel after Mbappe teed him up.

Radu also thwarted Vinicius after Aurelien Tchouameni chopped a ball in behind the defence for the Brazilian to run onto, a rare crack in Celta’s armour.

Celta’s Romanian goalkeeper turned away a fierce Fede Valverde effort from distance early in the second half, before Celta stunned the hosts.

Bryan Zaragoza crossed from the left for Swedberg, who produced a gorgeous flicked finish to beat Thibaut Courtois to send the Galicians ahead.

Real Madrid were wounded, literally in the case of Bellingham, with blood running down his face from a cut sustained in a tussle with Celta target man Borja Iglesias.

Adding insult to injury, Fran Garcia earned two yellow cards in a minute, the second for a clumsy foul on Swedberg, leaving Los Blancos with 10 men for the final third of the match.

Mbappe sent a lob over Radu but down onto the roof of the net, and substitute Gonzalo Garcia headed just wide as Madrid searched for an equaliser, which did not come.

Carreras was dismissed in stoppage time as Madrid lost their heads, for dissent, as he protested a decision by referee Alejandro Quintero.

With Real Madrid down to nine and in disarray, Celta Vigo wrapped up their win as Swedberg rounded Courtois and ran the ball home.

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A woman who blackmailed South Korean football superstar Son Heung-min was handed a four-year jail sentence on Monday, Yonhap News TV reported.

“The Seoul Central District Court gave a four year term for the defendant surnamed Yang, who is in her 20s, charged with blackmailing,” the broadcaster said.

Another defendant, a man identified by his surname Yong, was given a two-year term for attempted blackmail, Yonhap said.

The two have been in custody since May.

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Yang has been accused of extorting 300 million won ($200,000) from Son Heung-min in 2024 by sending him a foetal ultrasound image and threatening to go public with claims that she was pregnant with his child.

She reportedly spent the money on luxury and designer goods, according to media reports.

This year, she attempted to extort an additional 70 million in collaboration with the second defendant, Yong, prompting the South Korean football star to report them to the authorities and leading to their subsequent arrest and indictment.

Son Heung-min appeared at a closed trial session and gave testimony as a witness last month, local media reported.

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English Premier League (EPL) heavyweights Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur will meet for the first time outside Britain next year when they face each other on a pre-season tour in Sydney, officials said Monday.

The London rivals have signed on for the “Sydney Super Cup” with Chelsea also meeting A-League side Western Sydney Wanderers while Spurs play Sydney FC.

They will then face each other on August 1 at the 83,000-capacity Olympic Stadium.

“I’ve heard all about our passionate fan base in Australia, and it’s something the club is very proud of,” said Spurs manager Thomas Frank.

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“I can’t wait to experience that for myself.”

Chelsea are also bringing their women’s team, spearheaded by Australian superstars Sam Kerr and Elie Carpenter, for a match against a women’s A-League All-Stars side on August 12.

“The 2026 Sydney Super Cup is set to be a fantastic exhibition of world-class football,” said A-League chief Stephen Conroy.

“It’s a great opportunity for the international talent across our leagues to test themselves against giants of world football.”

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Mohamed Salah took aim at Liverpool manager Arne Slot in an astonishing rant that could spell the end of his legendary career at Anfield after claiming he has been “thrown under the bus” during the Premier League champions’ slump in form.

The Egyptian was left on the bench for the third consecutive game in Saturday’s 3-3 draw at Leeds and was not even introduced as a substitute by Slot.

After next weekend’s home match against Brighton, Salah is set to depart for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) and hinted that it could be his final appearance in a Liverpool shirt should he be selected.

“I’m very, very disappointed. I have done so much for this club down the years and especially last season,” Salah told reporters in the mixed zone at Elland Road.

“Now I’m sitting on the bench, and I don’t know why. It seems like the club has thrown me under the bus. That is how I am feeling. I think it is very clear that someone wanted me to get all of the blame.

“I got a lot of promises in the summer and so far I am in the bench for three games, so I can’t say they keep the promise.

I said many times before that I had a good relationship with the manager, and all of a sudden, we don’t have any relationship. I don’t know why, but it seems to me, how I see it, that someone doesn’t want me in the club.

“This club, I always support it. My kids will always support it. I love the club so much, I will always do. I called my mum yesterday — you guys didn’t know if I would start or not, but I knew.

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“Yesterday I said to (my parents), ‘Come to the Brighton game.’ I don’t know if I am going to play or not, but I am going to enjoy it.

“In my head, I’m going to enjoy that game because I don’t know what is going to happen now. I will be at Anfield to say goodbye to the fans and go the Africa cup. I don’t know what is going to happen when I am there.”

Salah is Liverpool’s third-highest goalscorer of all time with 250 goals in 420 appearances, winning two Premier League titles and the Champions League since joining from Roma in 2017.

However, he has been a shadow of his former self during Liverpool’s struggles this season.

Slots’ men have won just two of their last 10 Premier League games to slip to eighth in the table.

Salah has scored just five times in 19 appearances this season but had been a regular starter until last weekend’s 2-0 win at West Ham.

The 33-year-old was introduced off the bench during Wednesday’s 1-1 draw against Sunderland but to little effect.

Slot defended his decision to leave Salah on the bench at Elland Road as Liverpool led for the majority of the second half before conceding a stoppage-time equaliser.

“It was more about controlling the game [at 3-2], and we didn’t need a goal,” said Slot.

“Normally when you need a goal, like last week against Sunderland, I brought Mo on.”

Salah has long since attracted interest from the Saudi Pro League, and the Gulf could offer his most likely escape route from Anfield during the January transfer window.

He signed a lucrative new two-year contract in April after his starring role in guiding Liverpool to a record-equalling 20th English top-flight title.

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