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Antoine Griezmann in talks to join MLS side Orlando City: source

France World Cup-winning attacker Antoine Griezmann is holding talks with Major League Soccer (MLS) club Orlando City, a source close to the discussions told AFP on Monday.

Griezmann currently plays for Atletico Madrid, where he is the Spanish club’s all-time leading scorer, and also netted 44 goals in an illustrious career for his international side.

The 34-year-old’s potential move stateside has been rumoured for years, with the player known to be an admirer of other American leagues such as the NBA and NFL.

A source close to the player confirmed to AFP on Tuesday that “talks had taken place” between the two parties, but “nothing has yet has been agreed.”

Griezmann’s transfer would be a further boost to the rapidly growing US soccer league.

Orlando owns Griezmann’s “discovery rights,” an MLS mechanism giving one team the priority to negotiate a player’s transfer — the source said, confirming a report by The Athletic.

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Though Griezmann is no longer a guaranteed starter for Atletico Madrid, he has already scored 12 goals in 35 appearances this season.

The 2018 World Cup winner has scored 210 goals in total for the La Liga club, interrupted by a hiatus at Barcelona from 2019-2022, and extended his contract in Madrid last year until June 2027.

He retired from the French national side in 2024, having made 137 appearances.

The MLS season began on Saturday, and its transfer window is open until late March, before re-opening mid-season during the summer.

Orlando City failed to qualify for the last MLS playoffs, but has a history of big-name signings, with former players including Ballon d’Or winner Kaka.

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Colombia’s James Rodriguez signs with MLS Minnesota United

Colombian national team captain James Rodriguez has signed a short-term contract with Minnesota United ahead of the 2026 World Cup, the MLS club announced on Friday.

The 34-year-old former Real Madrid and Bayern Munich midfielder, who last played for Mexican side Leon, has a guaranteed contract through June with a team option through December.

“I’m very happy for this new chapter in my life,” Rodriguez said. “I want to win, I’m a guy who loves to win.

“I’m really looking forward to it. I’ve arrived at a nice and good club from what I have seen. I always live for football. It’s a sport I love and I do with passion and a lot of desire.”

United sporting director Khaled El-Ahmad addressed US government deportation efforts in Minnesota that have led to two killings and numerous large protests.

“In terms of the overall energy around our state, James and his team are aware,” El-Ahmad said. “It’s something we touched on but we really try to think about like ‘OK, come and bring good energy to the community.’

“From a personal perspective I think it’s horrible, I think it’s unfortunate, I think it’s a tough situation to be, but we hear it, we feel it, we’re behind our community.

“The addition of James brings a bit of positive energy and attention to community that’s strong, united, just like our football principles.”

Rodriguez hoped to brighten supporters.

“I hope to be at my best so I can bring joy to this city and to all of the people who are putting their faith in me,” he said.

“I’m looking forward to meeting all of the passionate Minnesota fans because I’m also a passionate player who wants to give everything on the field.”

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The Loons went 16-8 with 10 draws last year to finish fourth in the Western Conference and fell in the playoff quarter-finals.

“James is a player whose quality, vision, and experience at the highest levels of the game are unquestioned,” El-Ahmad said.

“We’re excited to add his creativity and football intelligence to our group.”

Rodriguez said he wanted to play in MLS after star turns in Europe and Latin America and exposure to MLS clubs in last year’s Leagues Cup.

“I’ve played for big clubs but I wanted this league, I wanted to play here,” he said. “When the opportunity to be with this great club came along, everything was a little slow, but it happened. We have made efforts on both sides.”

Rodriguez did not see Minnesota’s cold climate as a worry.

“I’ve already been to a cold city like Munich,” he said. “I think there’ll be no problem with that.”

Rodriguez said he has been training for just over a month and will be ready when Minnesota’s MLS campaign kicks off on February 21 at Austin.

MLS clubs “are tough, physical teams, but football is the same everywhere,” he said. “When you arrive at a new house you have to adapt to the rules.”

Rodriguez is also set to compete for Colombia in June at the World Cup co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.

“I’m in a unique stage,” he said. “In five months I have the World Cup. I’m at a stage where I can’t fail, I have to do things right. I’m very focused on that.”

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Lionel Messi makes history with consecutive MLS MVP awards

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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Messi leads Miami into MLS playoff matchup with Cincinnati

Lionel Messi scored two goals and assisted on two by Tadeo Allende to spark Inter Miami in a 4-0 rout of Nashville on Saturday to advance in the MLS Cup playoffs.

Argentine icon Messi opened the scoring in the 10th minute, added another goal in the 39th, and set up compatriot Allende’s goals in the 73rd and 76th that sealed Miami’s triumph.

Inter Miami won the best-of-three Eastern Conference first-round series 2-1 to advance to a second-round match against FC Cincinnati, which defeated Columbus 2-1 in another series-deciding encounter.

Eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi ensured Miami would avoid a third first-round exit in four seasons after having fallen to Atlanta last year and New York City in 2022.

In the night’s other match, 10-man Minnesota United rallied to eliminate Seattle 7-6 on penalty kicks after playing to a 3-3 draw in a Western Conference thriller, booking a second-round match against Sunday’s winner between Portland and San Diego.

Miami striker Luis Suarez was absent, suspended one game by MLS for violent conduct in last week’s loss at Nashville.

MLS season goal-scoring leader Messi took a deflected ball, ran to the top of the box, and fired a left-footed shot into the lower right corner.

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Messi doubled the margin when he fired home a left-footed shot from just outside the box off a pass from Argentine teen rookie Mateo Silvetti.

Allende’s first goal was from point-blank range off passes from Messi and Jordi Alba. He then took a long pass from Messi and chipped a high ball into the net.

At Cincinnati, Canadian Jacen Russell-Rowe gave Columbus a 1-0 lead in the 61st minute but Brazilian striker Brenner Souza answered in the 67th and 86th to send Cincinnati into a second-round home match against Miami.

At Minnesota, the series was not decided until the 10th round of penalties when Seattle goalkeeper Andrew Thomas, injured making a save in the opening round after being inserted for the shootout, clanged the ball off the crossbar.

Seattle equalized at 3-3 on a goal by Jordan Morris in the 88th minute but when the penalty shootout arrived, the Sounders replaced keeper Stefan Frei for backup Thomas.

Minnesota’s Joaquin Pereyra missed the first penalty kick wide right, and Thomas hurt a hand diving for the ball, but stayed in the match.

Morris hit the crossbar in the second round, and in sudden-death rounds, Thomas made two saves, but Seattle missed both chances to win, Obed Vargas hitting the left post, and Osaze De Rosario’s shot being saved by Minnesota’s Dayne St. Clair.

MLS Goalkeeper of the Year, St. Clair scored in the 10th round, and Thomas missed to give the Loons the victory.

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Luis Suarez suspended for Inter Miami’s MLS playoff match

Inter Miami forward Luis Suarez will be suspended for Saturday’s MLS winner-take-all playoff match against Nashville after kicking an opponent in last weekend’s loss to the same team.

The MLS disciplinary committee on Wednesday imposed a one-match ban and fined Suarez an undisclosed amount for violent conduct in the 71st minute of Miami’s 2-1 loss at Nashville.

The 38-year-old Uruguayan striker will sit out a must-win match for Miami when they host Nashville on Saturday in the third match of their best-of-three MLS first-round playoff series.

The ban was issued for Suarez kicking out and striking Nashville defender Andy Najar, who fell to the ground in the penalty area after being hit.

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It was the second suspension of the season for Suarez, who was banned for three MLS games after spitting on a Seattle Sounders official moments after Miami lost in the Leagues Cup final.

Eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi scored three goals and added two assists in the matches Suarez missed.

Inter Miami will likely lean heavily upon the Argentine star and MLS scoring champion again with their season on the line.

Miami will try to avoid a third first-round exit in four years in the MLS playoffs.

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Lionel Messi signs new contract with Inter Miami

Lionel Messi has agreed a contract extension with Inter Miami, which will see the Argentine superstar remain in Major League Soccer until the end of the 2028 season, the club confirmed on Thursday.

Inter Miami’s X feed posted a video of Messi signing a contract sitting at a table in the middle of the club’s new Freedom Park stadium, which is under construction, with the simple caption: “He’s Home.”

“It makes me really happy to stay here and to continue with this project that, besides being a dream, has become a beautiful reality — playing in this stadium, at Miami Freedom Park,” Messi, 38, said in a club statement.

“Since I arrived in Miami, I’ve been very happy, so I’m truly glad to keep going here,” Messi added.

Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham said Messi’s decision to extend reflected his “commitment to the city, to the club, to the game”.

“He’s still as committed as he’s ever been and he still wants to win,” Beckham said. “As owners to have a player that loves the game as much as he does, and who has done as much for the game in this country and to inspire the next generation of young talent as he has, we feel very lucky.”

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The World Cup-winner’s current contract expires at the end of the 2025 MLS season.

A new deal had been viewed as a formality after club sources told AFP last month that the franchise had reached an agreement on an extension.

Messi’s contract ensures he will remain in competitive action until and long after the 2026 World Cup hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.

The tournament gets under way on June 11, with the final to be played at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 19.

Messi moved to Inter Miami in 2023 after an unhappy spell at Paris Saint-Germain, but the bulk of his stellar career was spent at Barcelona, where he played from 2004 to 2021 after coming through the youth system at the Spanish giants.

At Barcelona, he won the La Liga title 10 times and lifted the UEFA Champions League trophy on four occasions.

In 2022, he led Argentina to World Cup glory in Qatar and has expressed a desire to try to retain the trophy next year.

He has scored 114 international goals and also won the Copa America twice with Argentina, in 2021 and 2024.

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Messi hat-trick sends Inter Miami into playoffs

A rampant Lionel Messi scored a sensational hat-trick to seal Major League Soccer’s Golden Boot award on Saturday as Inter Miami roared into the playoffs with a 5-2 victory over Nashville SC.

The Argentine superstar tallied an astonishing 29 goals from 28 matches, with Los Angeles FC’s Denis Bouanga and Nashville’s Sam Surridge tied for second best with 24 goals.

Messi claimed his first MLS Golden Boot and also staked his claim to a second straight Most Valuable Player award with a bravura performance that saw Inter rally to clinch third place in the Eastern Conference.

They’ll face the same Nashville team in the first round of the MLS Cup playoffs starting on October 24.

Nashville had seen some quality chances go begging when Messi put Miami in front in the 34th minute with a cracking goal from outside the penalty area.

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Messi took a pass from Jordi Alba and made one cut before he unleashed a left-footed shot into the bottom left corner.

Nine minutes later, Nashville’s Surridge grabbed his 24th goal of the season when he headed in a pinpoint delivery from Hany Mukhtar at the near post.

Nashville seized a 2-1 lead deep in first-half injury time when Jacob Shaffelburg was there to fire home the rebound off a Mukhtar shot that hit the post.

Messi’s first penalty conversion of the season pulled Inter level in the 63rd.

The referee pointed to the spot after a ball deflected by Luis Suarez hit Mukhtar on the arm.

Messi stepped up and rolled it past Nashville keeper Joe Willis.

After Baltasar Rodriguez made it 3-2 to Miami in the 67th, Messi completed his hat-trick in the 81st with a curling shot through traffic and past Willis.

Miami’s Telasco Segovia completed the scoring against a shell-shocked Nashville in second-half injury time.

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Spain star Sergio Busquets to retire after MLS season

Inter Miami’s former Barcelona and Spain star Sergio Busquets said Thursday he will retire from football at the end of the 2025 Major League Soccer (MLS) season.

The 37-year-old midfielder made the announcement in a social media post.

“These will be my last months on the pitch. I’m retiring very happy, proud, fulfilled, and above all grateful,” Busquets said in a video on his Instagram page.

“A heartfelt thank you to everyone and to football for everything. You will always be a part of this beautiful story.”

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An elegant, skillful player known for his poise and calmness on the ball, Busquets is widely regarded as one of the best defensive midfielders in history.

He was a key figure in nine Spanish league victories with Barcelona and also helped the club win three Champions League titles.

He was a member of the Spain team that won the 2010 World Cup and the 2012 European Championship, winning 143 caps.

He retired from international football after the 2022 World Cup, and in 2023, he headed to the United States to link up with former Barcelona teammate Lionel Messi at Inter Miami.

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Messi scores two as Inter Miami thump New York City FC in MLS

Lionel Messi scored two goals and assisted on another as Inter Miami thumped New York City FC 4-0 on Wednesday to clinch an MLS Cup playoff berth.

Another classic performance from Messi propelled the Argentine superstar to the solo lead on Major League Soccer’s scoring list, taking him to 24 goals in 23 matches played, two more than LAFC’s Denis Bouanga.

Luis Suarez converted a penalty for Inter as he returned from a three-game ban for spitting on a Seattle staff member after Inter’s loss to the Sounders in the Leagues Cup final.

Baltazar Rodriguez also scored for Miami as they secured a playoff spot in convincing style.

Inter were clinging to a 1-0 lead at rainy City Field, home of Major League Baseball’s New York Mets, when Messi delivered a vintage goal in the 74th minute.

Put through by Sergio Busquets, Messi powered into the box, eluding one defender and neatly chipping a shot over Matt Freese as the New York goalkeeper dived at his feet.

After Suarez made it 3-0 from the spot, Messi struck again in the 86th with a precise, angled shot from the right side of the box to the bottom left corner.

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Inter were being outplayed early on in the awkward confines of the converted baseball field, but they seized the lead in the 43rd minute through Rodriguez.

Bousqets fed Messi, whose crisp through ball found the charging Rodriguez. The 22-year-old Argentine raced into the box and confidently slotted a low ball past Freese.

Until then, the best chances belonged to New York. Thiago Martins forced a save from Oscar Ustari with a header in the 21st minute.

One minute later, NYCFC were denied again when Aiden O’Neill’s long-range shot was blocked, and in the 29th minute, Nicolas Fernandez hit the right post.

Ten minutes into the game, Freese denied Messi, but eventually, Miami made New York pay for their inability to finish.

Inter Miami are in third place in the Eastern Conference, five points behind East leaders Philadelphia with two games in hand and still in with a chance to claim the Supporters’ Shield awarded to the team with the best overall regular-season record.

Messi, who will play the MLS Cup Playoffs for the second time, has three consecutive matches with at least one goal and one assist and has stamped himself a candidate for the 2025 Most Valuable Player award.

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Lionel Messi brace lifts Inter Miami in MLS win over DC United

Superstar Lionel Messi scored two superb goals and created another as Inter Miami beat DC United 3-2 on Saturday to inch closer to an MLS Cup playoff berth.

Amid indications this week from sources close to the club that Messi is poised to sign a contract extension that would keep him in Miami at least through next year, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner showed just why the club and Major League Soccer are so keen to see him stay.

The 38-year-old now has 22 goals in 22 matches played this season. With his seventh double of the MLS season, he moved to the top of the league scoring list, passing England’s Sam Surridge, who has 21 for Nashville.

“It was another ordinary night for him, which is totally extraordinary for any other football player,” Miami coach Javier Mascherano said.

“His ability not only to score but to make the team play, to find situations, and to carry the team on his shoulders when we needed him most and faced difficulties, that is the advantage of having him, and today we were able to take advantage of it.”

Miami dominated from the outset on a rainy night at their Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, against a team already eliminated from playoff contention.

They took the lead in the 35th minute when Messi produced a well-judged through ball forward to Tadeo Allende, who beat United goalkeeper Luis Barraza with his first touch and smoothly fired into the right corner of the net.

Christian Benteke headed the visitors’ level in the 52nd minute.

Messi forced a pair of quick saves from Barraza before he fired Inter back into the lead in the 66th minute, collecting a pass from Jordi Alba in the box and turning to slot a left-footed shot past Barraza.

Two minutes after coming on as a substitute in the 69th minute, Argentine Mateo Silvetti was fouled in the box by Barraza.

The referee pointed to the spot, and the 19-year-old stepped up to take the kick, but he smashed the attempt off the crossbar.

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“Leo gave it to Toto (Silvetti) surely as a gesture to let him have his first goal, which I think is something very good, unfortunately, he couldn’t score it,” Mascherano said, adding that the gesture was one Messi had made often in his career to “involve someone who needs it more than him.”

But Messi pushed Miami’s lead to 3-1 with a bit of trademark magic in the 85th, picking up a pass just outside the area and eluding his defender to loft a shot out of the reach of Barraza.

It proved invaluable, as Jacob Murrell struck for DC United in the seventh minute of stoppage time to trim the deficit to one.

With the win, Mascherano called “very important,” Miami climbed one spot to fifth in the Eastern Conference with 52 points, but will have to wait to secure their playoff berth after the New York Red Bulls produced a 2-0 victory over Montreal.

New York City FC clinched their ninth playoff spot in 11 seasons with a 2-0 victory over playoff-bound Charlotte.

Alonso Martinez converted two penalties, and Matt Freese saved a Wilfried Zaha spot kick as City stretched their unbeaten run to three matches.

Philadelphia Union maintained their grip on first place in the East and bolstered their bid for the Supporters’ Shield awarded to the top team overall with a 1-0 victory over New England.

Bruno Damiani broke the scoreless deadlock in the 71st minute with a crisp finish from a perfectly placed pass from Frankie Westfield.

Orlando denied Nashville’s chance to clinch a playoff berth with a 3-2 victory.

Martin Ojeda scored two goals and Duncan McGuire added another for Orlando, who are also in pursuit of a post-season spot. Hany Mukhtar and Jacob Shaffelburg scored for Nashville.

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