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Son bags first MLS hat-trick as LAFC beat Real Salt Lake

Son Heung-min scored his first Major League Soccer (MLS) hat-trick to propel Los Angeles FC (LAFC) to a 4-1 victory over Real Salt Lake in Utah on Wednesday and continue his spectacular start to life in the United States.

South Korea’s Son, the former Tottenham captain who signed with LAFC in August for a reported MLS record $26 million, struck twice in the first half and again in the second.

A former English Premier League golden boot winner, Son has had an instant impact in America after a decade at Tottenham, scoring five goals in six MLS matches.

Denis Bouanga got the fourth to become the all-time leading scorer for LAFC, who moved into fourth place in the Western Conference, two points above Seattle Sounders.

Diego Luna came close to firing Real Salt Lake ahead in the second minute when he charged on to a cross in the penalty area, but his left-footed shot went wide.

Just a minute later, Son punished the miss by putting the visitors in front.

Timothy Tillman intercepted in midfield and threaded a short pass to Son, who raced alone toward the box and unleashed a shot past the advancing Salt Lake keeper, Rafael.

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Son doubled the advantage 13 minutes later with a long-range blast that ripped between defenders and past a diving Rafael.

LAFC’s French goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, who had also been Son’s teammate at Tottenham, produced a string of first-half saves to keep the Angelenos 2-0 up at the break.

Real Salt Lake’s Rwan Cruz missed a penalty in the 56th minute, his shot bouncing off the post and nearly tripping Lloris.

Xavier Gozo finally got Real on the board with a goal in the 76th.

Son responded with his third, slotting home a pass from Bouanga who got free after a counter-attack on the right.

Bouanga sealed the match in the 88th minute after another fast break.

Latching on to a pass from David Martinez, Bouanga scored his 94th goal for the club in all competitions to move ahead of Carlos Vela as LAFC’s all-time leading scorer.

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Luis Suarez gets three-match MLS ban for Leagues Cup spitting

Inter Miami star Luis Suarez was issued a three-game suspension by Major League Soccer (MLS) on Monday for a spitting incident after Miami lost the Leagues Cup final to Seattle.

Three days after the Leagues Cup imposed a six-match ban on Suarez for spitting at a Sounders official following a melee after Seattle’s 3-0 victory, MLS issued sanctions for league matches.

The 38-year-old former Uruguay, Liverpool, and Barcelona star will be suspended for Miami regular-season matches on Saturday at Charlotte and at home against Seattle on September 16 and DC United on September 20.

MLS also revoked credential rights for Sounders staffer Steven Lenhart for the remainder of the season and playoffs, keeping him from being on or near the field or locker rooms.

The Sounders were also fined an undisclosed sum for credential misappropriation.

Inter Miami sit sixth in the Eastern Conference on 46 points — 11 behind conference leaders Philadelphia, but have four matches in hand.

The Leagues Cup disciplinary committee said Suarez’s suspension would only apply to next year’s edition of the tournament, which features sides from MLS and Mexico’s Liga MX.

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The Cup also issued Suarez’s Inter Miami teammate Sergio Busquets a two-match ban, and Miami’s Tomas Aviles was barred from three Cup matches, while Lenhart was suspended for five Cup games.

In the August 31 Cup final, Suarez rushed at Sounders midfielder Obed Vargas and put him in a headlock, igniting a melee involving multiple players and staff from both clubs.

Cameras later caught Suarez spitting at a Seattle staff member as he walked away from Vargas.

Suarez had previously been hit with suspensions for biting and racially abusing opponents in separate incidents earlier in his career.

He apologized for his actions in a statement last Thursday, a day prior to the Cup-imposed punishments.

“It was a moment of great tension and frustration, where right after the match things happened that shouldn’t have happened, but that doesn’t justify the reaction I had,” Suarez wrote on Instagram.

“I was wrong and I sincerely regret it… I feel bad about what happened, and I didn’t want to miss the opportunity to acknowledge it and apologize to everyone who felt hurt by what I did.”

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German great Mueller has goal ruled out on MLS debut for Vancouver

Thomas Mueller made his Major League Soccer (MLS) debut on Sunday as a second-half substitute for Vancouver Whitecaps in a 1-1 draw with Houston Dynamo that left the Germany great with “mixed feelings” after he had a goal disallowed for offside.

Vancouver were up 1-0 courtesy of Brian White’s sixth-minute penalty when the former Bayern Munich striker Mueller entered the contest to a massive ovation in the 61st minute.

Mueller, a World Cup-winner with Germany whose storied tenure at Bayern included 13 Bundesliga titles, had made his way into Vancouver’s BC Place stadium through a throng of excited supporters, high-fiving and shaking hands as he went.

The Whitecaps had officially unveiled their new signing on Thursday, a week after he inked a deal through the end of the 2025 season with an option for 2026.

The crowd of 26,301 stood and cheered when he was introduced before kickoff, and Mueller applauded fans in return.

Minutes after entering the game Mueller blasted a ball into the back of the net, but it was ruled offside.

“Mixed feelings, mixed feelings,” the 35-year-old said. “The result is disappointing, to be honest.

“But, yeah, I came in at my first moment directly with my first goal here. The crowd was going crazy, but then it was taken off for offside.

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“We have to take the next steps in the next game,” he added after seeing Houston’s Artur grab the equalizer with a long-range blast in the first minute of second-half injury time.

“But I’m very happy to be here. I think the crowd was amazing.”

The draw left Vancouver Whitecaps in third place in the Western Conference on 46 points, six behind conference leaders San Diego and one back of Minnesota.

San Diego moved to the top of the Supporters’ Shield standings for best overall record — ahead of Eastern Conference leaders Cincinnati on goal difference — with a come-from-behind 2-1 victory over the San Jose Earthquakes on Sunday.

“We had to win it clear,” Thomas Mueller said. “We had to get big chances. But in the end, yeah, it’s soccer and it can happen.”

He was happy to have his first MLS match under his belt and looking forward to settling in after a whirlwind first week.

“I’m happy now that my first game is in the books,” said the German, who joined Bayern’s youth program in 2000 and then called the club home for 25 years.

“I can start next week, just a regular week,” he said.

“I just have to settle down today after this game in my apartment and think about what happened this week — it was crazy stuff.”

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German great Thomas Mueller signs with Vancouver Whitecaps

Bayern Munich and Germany forward Thomas Mueller has signed with Major League Soccer (MLS) side Vancouver Whitecaps, the Canadian club announced on Wednesday.

The 35-year-old has signed through the end of the 2025 MLS season with an option for 2026, Vancouver said.

Mueller announced earlier this year that he would be departing from Bayern Munich, his home for 25 years. His tenure included 13 Bundesliga titles and two Champions League triumphs.

“I’m looking forward to coming to Vancouver to help this team win a championship,” Mueller said in a statement. “I’ve heard great things about the city, but first and foremost, I’m coming to win.

“I’ve had great conversations with Axel Schuster and Jesper Sorensen, and now I can’t wait to play in front of the supporters and to see all of the fans come out to BC Place as we head towards the playoffs.”

Thomas Mueller joined the Vancouver Whitecaps, currently second in the Western Conference, one point behind leaders San Diego, but with one match in hand.

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“He not only brings a winning pedigree and exceptional football intelligence, but also a tireless work ethic that will elevate the entire team,” Whitecaps chief executive Schuster said in a statement.

“Thomas is a natural leader whose passion for the game is infectious. This is a statement signing by our club and our ownership — a transformative moment for our club and our city. We are proud to welcome Thomas to Vancouver.”

Restricted mainly to a substitute’s role in the 2024-25 campaign, Mueller made 49 appearances in all competitions, scoring eight goals.

He retired from international duty in 2024, having won the World Cup with Germany in 2014.

He finished his international career with 131 caps, scoring 45 goals.

There had been brief speculation that he would land with Los Angeles FC, but the Whitecaps announcement came on the same day that LAFC were expected to confirm the signing of South Korean star Son Heung-min.

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Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami held goalless by Chicago Fire in front of record crowd

Inter Miami failed to score for the first time this season in Major League Soccer (MLS) as they were held to a goalless draw by the Chicago Fire on Sunday.

A club-record crowd of 62,358 packed into Soldier Field for the visit of Lionel Messi and his Inter team to witness a gutsy display from the home side.

Chicago, coached by former USA boss Gregg Berhalter, limited Messi and his former Barcelona strike partner Luis Suarez to just a handful of opportunities.

The best effort from Messi, who played the full game, came in the third minute when he unleashed a snap shot from outside the box, which was denied by a fine, diving save from Fire keeper Chris Brady.

There was no sense of Chicago being overawed by the big crowd at the stadium they share with the NFL’s Bears, and they went close twice in the opening half with Mauricio Pineda forcing Oscar Ustari into a full stretch save and then Philip Zinckernagel striking the outside of the post from a narrow angle.

Suarez had a great chance to put Miami ahead just before the break when Noah Allen floated a ball in, but the Uruguayan put his shot over the bar.

After the break, Chicago enjoyed plenty of pressure, with much of the creativity coming from former Lille winger Jonathan Bamba.

The Fire should have grabbed all three points in the 88th minute when Bamba’s shot was parried out by Ustari, but Maren Haile-Selassie put the follow-up shot wide.

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Bamba was denied again by Ustari moments later, but in a frantic finale, Miami also could have stolen a win, but from a promising position, Tadeo Allende dragged his shot wide.

Inter Miami had looked tired after their midweek exertions in their CONCACAF Champions Cup win over Los Angeles FC on Wednesday, and coach Javier Mascherano appeared relieved they had picked up a point.

“We came with a very, very big load not only physically, but also mentally. So not losing is always important, too,” he said.

“I’ll take the positives, which is that we didn’t concede a goal. We’d been conceding goals for three games, and today, we kept a clean sheet. … Now, luckily, we have a long week of work, which is a bit of a break for us, after the start of the season we’ve had,” he said.

Former Miami coach Phil Neville saw his improving Portland Timbers team enjoy a 4-2 win at Sporting Kansas City with Venezuelan forward Kevin Kelsy scoring twice.

Portland are unbeaten in five games and move up to fourth in the Western Conference. The Columbus Crew fought back from a goal down to enjoy a 2-1 win at St.Louis City.

Brazilian Joao Klauss opened the scoring for the home side before Crew defender Steven Moreira levelled with a side-footed volley.

Uruguayan Diego Rossi secured the win with a low drive from outside the box in the 55th minute.

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Messi named MLS Most Valuable Player after record-setting season

Lionel Messi was named Major League Soccer’s (MLS) Most Valuable Player on Friday after leading Inter Miami to a record-breaking regular season campaign.

The Argentine superstar was handed the accolade after his performances helped Miami to a record regular season points tally, earning the club its first-ever Supporters Shield.

The 37-year-old maestro finished the regular season with a league-leading 36 goal contributions after netting 20 goals and 16 assists.

Messi’s MVP award comes despite an injury-hit campaign in which he made only 19 appearances.

Miami and Messi’s season ultimately fizzled out, when the team suffered a shock first-round defeat in the MLS Cup playoffs.

Lionel Messi is the 10th South American to win the MVP, and the fifth from Argentina after Luciano Acosta, Diego Valeri, Guillermo Barros Schelotto, and Christian Gomez.

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Messi was presented with the Most Valuable Player award in a ceremony at Inter’s Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale alongside Miami Academy players.

“Truly, it is an honor for me to receive this award from all of you,” Messi told the Academy players in a video posted on the team’s website. “It’s a source of pride to watch you all train. I’m very happy to be here every day.”

“I’m happy to be in this city, in this club that is growing … I invite you to keep fighting and striving for your dreams.”

MLS commissioner Don Garber said Messi brought an unprecedented touch of football stardom to the league, which will conclude its season on Saturday with the MLS Cup final between LA Galaxy and New York Red Bulls in Los Angeles.

“To have the best player in the world be the best player in Major League Soccer is something that dreams are made of for all of us,” Garber said.

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FIFA considers allowing La Liga, Premier League games in foreign countries

FIFA is to consider allowing domestic leagues to play matches overseas, opening the door to money-spinning English Premier League or Spanish La Liga clashes being staged in the United States of America (USA), the Middle East or Asia.

Football’s world governing body on Wednesday agreed to set up a 10-15 strong working group to examine the idea and make recommendations.

The Premier League and La Liga, with their vast global followings, have long mooted the idea of playing matches outside their home territories.

The new FIFA committee will “gather further information and issue recommendations to the Council regarding potential amendments to the FIFA Regulations Governing International Matches (FRGIM)”, the body said in a statement.

The council — FIFA’s regular decision-making body — said the group would consider 10 aspects of hosting overseas games.

These include the impact on fans, how it would affect the balance of the competition, whether the games would be one-offs or a regular feature, and the impact on football.

Top European clubs regularly play lucrative friendlies around the world such as Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United’s clash in Melbourne next Wednesday, just three days after the end of the Premier League season.

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US broadcasters in particular are keen to cash in on the booming popularity of the English top flight by hosting competitive matches.

La Liga has said it aims to play matches in North America as early as 2025.

Up to now, dreams of a mouthwatering Arsenal v Manchester City or Real Madrid v Barcelona clash stateside have been thwarted by FIFA rules that say competitive league games must be played in their home country.

Much-discussed plans for a Premier League “39th game” overseas were dropped in 2008 following opposition from supporters’ groups, FIFA and UEFA.

But a legal challenge in the United States last month prompted FIFA to reconsider their long-held opposition to out-of-territory matches.

The move came as delegates gather in Bangkok for FIFA’s annual congress on Friday, where the host of the next Women’s World Cup will be decided.

After the 2023 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand lifted the profile of the women’s game to new heights, FIFA will decide whether to award the 2027 edition to Brazil or a joint bid from Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands.

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Olivier Giroud to leave AC Milan for MLS

Olivier Giroud confirmed on Monday that he will leave AC Milan at the end of the season to end his long career in Major League Soccer (MLS).

France’s all-time top scorer Giroud is expected to sign for Los Angeles FC, where his former Les Bleus teammate Hugo Lloris already plays, after three years with Serie A giants Milan.

“I’m here to tell you that I will play my last two games at AC Milan. My career continues, but in the MLS. I am very very proud of everything I have done for the club in these three years,” Giroud said in an interview published on social media by the club.

“It’s the right time to say it. Sorry, I’m a little emotional. My story with Milan ends this year, but Milan will remain in my heart forever.”

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Giroud signed for Milan from Chelsea in the summer of 2021 and won the Serie A title in his first season with the seven-time European champions.

The 37-year-old, a World Cup winner with France in 2018, has scored 48 goals in all competitions for Milan including 16 this season ahead of Euro 2024 in Germany.

Olivier Giroud will wave goodbye to Milan fans at the San Siro in their final match of the season against Salernitana in a fortnight.

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Messi’s double strike keeps Inter Miami on top in MLS

Lionel Messi scored twice and created another for Sergio Busquets as Inter Miami beat Nashville 3-1 on Saturday to maintain top spot in Major League Soccer’s Eastern Conference.

Miami suffered an early setback when their defender Franco Negri deflected a corner from Daniel Lovitz into his own net in just the second minute of the game at Chase Stadium.

Gerardo Martino’s team have now failed to keep a clean sheet in each of their last 11 games and it could have been worse when three minutes later Josh Bauer blasted a shot against the bar.

But Messi soon had Miami on level terms — the Argentine set free by a clever flick from Diego Gomez saw a shot parried out by Nashville keeper Elliot Panicco, but after Luis Suarez directed the loose ball back to him Messi slotted home to make it 1-1 in the 11th minute.

Two minutes later, Messi took advantage of some sloppy play from Nashville but his low right-foot shot came out off the post.

Everything Miami was creating was coming through Messi, who flashed a snapshot wide before moments later whipping in a cross for a Gomez header which was saved by Panicco’s feet.

Six minutes before the interval, Messi’s former Barcelona team-mate Busquets found the net for the first time in MLS, meeting the World Cup winner’s corner with a fine glancing header at the near post.

But there was a blow for the home side just before the break when Paraguay international Gomez was stretchered off with an ankle injury, the latest in a series of injuries for Miami.

His replacement, Brazilian-born youngster Leonardo Afonso, had the ball in the net but his effort was ruled out for offside.

Nashville came out strongly after the break but despite dominating possession for the opening 20 minutes of the half, they had little to show for their efforts other than a couple of off-target long-range efforts from German Hany Mukhtar.

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Nine minutes from the end, Miami were able to put the game to bed when Afonso was ruled to have been brought down inside the box by Bauer and Messi slotted home the penalty.

The goal was Messi’s ninth goal in as many games in all competitions this season for Miami.

Martino was unhappy with the way his team had started so slowly.

“Regardless of how fortunate their goal was, we didn’t start well in the first few minutes. They were more focused, more intense, they handled the ball better, they pressed,” he said.

“There are a lot of things we need to correct, but I’d like to do it with the full squad. We have seven or eight players out which is a lot in a league as strict as MLS with the roster and budget issues,” he said.

Miami have 18 points from their opening 10 games and Martino said that was a decent return considering the depleted squad he is working with.

“All this happens to us and we have still collected 18 points, which is significantly more than last year at this stage, we will be looking to accumulate points now so that the second part of the year is not as demanding and dramatic as last year,” he said, referring to the ill-fated late chase for a playoff place.

Elsewhere in MLS on Saturday, champions Columbus Crew had to come from behind twice to earn a 2-2 draw with Phil Neville’s Portland Timbers.

The leveller came in the 74th minute via a superbly struck long-range blast from French full-back Steven Moreira.

Last season’s regular season table-toppers Cincinnati claimed an impressive 2-1 win at Atlanta United despite falling behind to a lovely, curling shot from Argentine midfielder Thiago Almada in the 59th minute.

The lead lasted just three minutes as reigning MLS Most Valuable Player Luciano Acosta led Cincy on a counter-attack and fed compatriot Luca Orellano to level.

Acosta completed a crazy five minutes when he grabbed the winner, tapping in after he was picked out by DeAndre Yedlin.

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Luis Suarez on target as Inter Miami draw with New York City FC

Luis Suarez bagged his fifth goal of the season as Inter Miami were held to a 1-1 draw against New York City FC in Major League Soccer (MLS) on Saturday.

Former Barcelona and Liverpool star Suarez glanced in a Julian Gressel free kick in the 15th minute to fire Miami into the lead at the Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale.

But Miami’s hopes of securing all three points were thwarted by a dogged New York performance, which got its reward when Costa Rica international Alonso Martinez equalised on 34 minutes.

Miami, thrashed 4-0 against New York Red Bulls in their last outing, created a string of clear chances after the City leveller but were frustrated by a superb performance from goalkeeper Matthew Freese.

Freese pulled off several fine saves, including a brilliant one-handed block from Suarez in the 80th minute as Miami pressed for an equaliser.

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Miami, once again without the injured Lionel Messi, remained in second place in the Eastern Conference following the draw, one point behind leaders Cincinnati.

Miami coach Gerardo Martino — who had lambasted his team after last week’s drubbing by the New York Red Bulls — praised his side’s performance.

“In nine months here, I’ve never been disappointed in a game like I was last Saturday,” Martino said. “Today, what the team did was very commendable. They played well and created many scoring chances.”

Martino, meanwhile, said Messi’s fitness was still being evaluated as Miami prepares for Wednesday’s CONCACAF Champions Cup quarter-final first-leg game with Mexican side Monterrey. Messi has not played since suffering a strained hamstring two weeks ago.

“We will evaluate it day by day and make a decision on Tuesday,” Martino said. “Wednesday’s game is very important but we have to think about the entire year, not just one game.”

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